Evaluation of interlocking bond strength between structured 1.0338 steel sheets and high pressure die cast AlMg5Si2

Multi-material components open up new possibilities for functional design. Such components combine beneficial physical properties of different materials in a single component as for instance chemical resistance, high strength or low density. The challenge is a reliable bond between both materials to enable a long term usage. This paper deals with a form closure connection to ensure a solid connection between steel strips and high pressure die cast aluminium. Two different sizes of channel structures with width ratios of 1.0 and 1.35 are produced on a steel sheet. An ensuing flat rolling pass is performed to create undercuts with a width of up to 50 µm, enabling an interlocking of the molten aluminium in the concluding casting process. For both rolling processes the resulting geometry is analysed depending on the thickness reduction. In a subsequent high pressure die casting process, aluminium is applied resulting in a complete form filling for the coarser structure. Comparing structures with and without undercuts, only structures suited with undercuts remain gap-free after solidification contraction. The finer structure could not be filled completely; nevertheless these structures result in shear strength of up to 45 MPa transversal to the channel-direction.