A runner device for semi-solid metal forming

Abstract

The application provides a runner device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming, comprising a mold and a flow guide plate; the mold comprises a front mold and a rear mold, a cavity is formed by the front mold and the rear mold, the upper part of the cavity is covered with the flow guide plate, the lower part of the cavity is connected with a discharge part, the flow guide plate is formed with a flow guide groove in communication with the cavity, and the flow guide groove is configured to make the poured molten aluminum liquid rotate and flow and generate vortex in the cavity; the shear force generated by the vortex breaks the aluminum liquid dendritic crystal, so that the aluminum liquid is refined and spheroidized, and semi-solid forming is realized by cooperating with a cooling water channel; the device has the characteristics of compact structure and high universality, does not need additional pulping equipment, reduces the porosity defect rate of castings, and is suitable for production of castings of different specifications.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semi-solid casting technology, and in particular to a flow channel device for forming semi-solid aluminum liquid. Background Technology

[0002] Semi-solid casting is an advanced metal forming technology that combines the advantages of liquid casting and solid processing. Its core lies in utilizing the unique rheological properties of metal materials in a semi-solid state (coexistence of solid and liquid phases) to achieve precision forming. It has advantages such as reduced solidification shrinkage, high dimensional accuracy, good appearance quality, small machining amount, and good mechanical properties. At the same time, the semi-solid slurry filling temperature is lower, which can save energy consumption in aluminum melting and extend mold life.

[0003] Existing molds, such as the semi-solid metal cavity forming mold and process disclosed in Chinese Patent No. CN110355343B, include a male mold and a female mold, a cavity formed by the male and female molds, a sprue communicating with the cavity, and a gate communicating with the sprue. This solution requires the mold to have sufficient space to accommodate the runner, making the volume of the semi-solid mold much larger than that of a conventional mold. Therefore, the production cost of this mold is high, and it requires a large placement space. This mold is only suitable for small-sized and low-weight castings, and its production application is quite limited. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming, which can effectively solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution:

[0006] This invention provides a flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming, comprising: a mold and a guide plate; the mold includes a front mold and a rear mold, and a cavity formed by the front mold and the rear mold is provided inside the mold; the upper part of the cavity is covered by the guide plate, and the lower part of the cavity is connected to an outlet; the guide plate forms a flow channel communicating with the cavity; the flow channel is configured to cause the poured molten aluminum liquid to rotate and flow, and generate vortices in the cavity.

[0007] As a further improvement, the flow channel is formed with an inlet end and an outlet end, the flow guide plate is connected to an inlet section at the inlet end, the inlet section is formed with an inlet channel, and the outlet end is connected to the cavity.

[0008] As a further improvement, both the front mold and the rear mold are provided with several cooling water channels, and the cooling water channels are connected to a cooling device.

[0009] As a further improvement, a plurality of first positioning posts are provided between the front mold and the rear mold.

[0010] As a further improvement, the cavity cross-section is funnel-shaped, forming an upper cavity and a lower cavity, and the cross-section of the upper cavity near the guide plate narrows radially toward the cross-section of the lower cavity near the discharge section.

[0011] As a further improvement, the diversion channel is provided with a first diversion section in a straight line and a second diversion section in an arc shape connected from the feed end to the discharge end.

[0012] As a further improvement, the entire diversion channel is inclined, and the angle between the bottom of the first diversion section and the horizontal plane is A, where A ranges from 5° to 10°.

[0013] As a further improvement, the cross-section of the first diversion section along the vertical plane is trapezoidal, and the included angle between the two side walls of the diversion channel is defined as B, then B ranges from 6° to 9°.

[0014] As a further improvement, the discharge section is provided with a guide channel, which is inclined and the inclination angle of the guide channel is defined as C, where C ranges from 10° to 15°.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0016] This invention features a simple operating device that requires no additional heating or stirring equipment. Simply pour molten aluminum into the feed trough to directly prepare a semi-solid slurry, reducing equipment investment costs and operational complexity. It also eliminates the need for traditional aluminum transfer processes, avoiding heat waste during transfer and improving production efficiency. By setting a flow channel on the guide plate, the molten aluminum is guided to rotate and flow, generating vortices within the mold cavity. This causes the molten aluminum to contact the sidewall of the flow channel and rotate, creating internal shear force that breaks down dendritic crystals, refining and spherizing them. The cooling water path, combined with the shear force generated by the vortex, and the sudden temperature difference, induce rapid cooling and nucleation of the aluminum, further optimizing the microstructure of the semi-solid aluminum and effectively reducing defects such as porosity in the casting. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2This is a top view schematic diagram of the flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of section A of a flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of section B of a flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a metallographic diagram of Embodiment 1 of the flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a metallographic diagram of Embodiment 2 of the flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to the present invention.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a metallographic diagram of Embodiment 3 of the flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to the present invention.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a metallographic diagram of Embodiment 4 of the flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to the present invention.

[0027] In the diagram: 1-Mold, 11-Front mold, 12-Rear mold, 13-Cooling water channel, 14-First positioning post, 15-Cavity, 151-Upper cavity, 152-Lower cavity, 2-Guide plate, 21-Draw-out channel, 211-First draw-out section, 212-Second draw-out section, 22-Second positioning post, 3-Feeding part, 31-Feeding groove, 4-Discharge part, 41-Guide groove. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to represent selected embodiments of the invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] In the description of this invention, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0030] Reference Figure 1-2 As shown, a flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming includes: a mold 1 and a guide plate 2;

[0031] The mold 1 includes a front mold 11 and a rear mold 12. The mold 1 is provided with a cavity 15 formed by the front mold 11 and the rear mold 12. The upper part of the cavity 15 is covered with a guide plate 2, and the lower part of the cavity 15 is connected to a discharge section 4. The guide plate 2 forms a flow channel 21 that communicates with the cavity 15. The flow channel 21 is configured to make the poured molten aluminum flow in a rotating manner and generate vortices in the cavity 15. By setting the flow channel 21, the molten aluminum can be guided to flow in a rotating manner and generate vortices in the cavity 15. This causes the molten aluminum to contact the side wall of the flow channel and rotate on its own to form internal shear force, breaking the dendritic crystals and making them finer and spherical.

[0032] Furthermore, to enhance the refinement and spheroidization of crystals within the molten aluminum, a mold 1 is provided. The mold 1 includes a front mold 11 and a rear mold 12. The front mold 11 forms a first cavity, and the rear mold 12 forms a second cavity. The front mold 11 and the rear mold 12, through the first and second cavities, enclose a cavity 15. The cavity 15 has a funnel-shaped cross-section and forms an upper cavity 151 and a lower cavity 152. The cross-section of the upper cavity 151 near the guide plate 2 narrows radially towards the lower cavity 152 near the discharge section 4. The molten aluminum flows into the cavity 15 through the guide channel 21 on the guide plate 2. The molten aluminum flows into the upper cavity 151 at a certain angle and rotates along the flow channel wall within the cavity 15, gradually generating eddies in the lower cavity 152, thus generating shear force. This breaks down the dendritic grains, refining and spheroidizing them, and the molten aluminum flows out from the discharge section 4 along the guide channel 41. To prevent misalignment between the front mold 11 and the rear mold 12 during connection, which would affect the flow of molten aluminum in the cavity 15, multiple first positioning posts 14 are provided between the front mold 11 and the rear mold 12. The front mold 11 and the rear mold 12 are pre-connected through the first positioning posts 14. The front mold 11 and the rear mold 12 are adjusted by observing the internal condition of the cavity 15 and then fixed together with bolts. Both the front mold 11 and the rear mold 12 are provided with several cooling water channels 13. The cooling water channels 13 are used to control the temperature of the molten aluminum and promote semi-solid forming. The cooling water channels 13 can cause a sudden temperature difference in the molten aluminum during the flow process, which promotes the rapid cooling and nucleation of the molten aluminum, breaks the dendritic crystals and makes them finer and spherical, thereby obtaining an ideal semi-solid microstructure. The cooling water channels 13 are connected to a cooling device, which stores a refrigerant, such as water, oil, or coolant.

[0033] Furthermore, referring to Figure 3-5As shown, in order to allow the molten aluminum to flow in a rotating manner, a flow channel 21 is provided on the guide plate 2. The flow channel 21 has an inlet end and an outlet end. The guide plate 2 is connected to an inlet section 3 at the inlet end and to a cavity 15 at the outlet end. The inlet section 3 forms an inlet groove 31, which is eccentrically positioned so that the molten aluminum forms a certain flow velocity at the inlet end of the flow channel 21 after being poured in. The flow channel 21 has a straight first flow section 211 and an arc-shaped second flow section 212 connected from the inlet end to the outlet end. The flow channel 21 is inclined as a whole, and the bottom of the first flow section 211 is parallel to the horizontal. The included angle between the surfaces is A, and the range of A is 5° to 10°. The cross-section of the first flow channel 211 along the vertical plane is trapezoidal. The included angle between the two side walls of the flow channel 21 is defined as B, and the range of B is 6° to 9°. In order to avoid misalignment between the flow guide plate 2 and the mold 1 during connection, which would prevent the molten aluminum liquid from flowing into the cavity 15 through the flow channel 21, multiple second positioning posts 22 are set between the flow guide plate 2 and the mold 1. The flow guide plate 2 and the mold 1 are pre-connected through the second positioning posts 22. The mold 1 and the flow guide plate 2 are adjusted by observing the connection, and then fixed by bolts.

[0034] The inclined first guide section 211 allows molten aluminum to flow into the cavity 15 at a specific angle, preventing splashing caused by excessive flow velocity. Therefore, the inclination angle A directly affects the ratio of the horizontal to the vertical velocity components of the molten aluminum. In this embodiment, the inclination angle A is preferably set at 8°, ensuring sufficient kinetic energy for the molten aluminum to enter the cavity while minimizing energy loss and ensuring smooth flow. The inclined guide channel 21 generates a tangential velocity component when the molten aluminum enters the cavity 15, causing the liquid to rotate along the cavity wall. This inclination design within this angle range allows for a reasonable ratio between tangential and radial velocities, preventing turbulence caused by excessively large angles directly impacting the cavity wall or insufficient rotational power due to small angles, thus laying the foundation for stable vortex formation within the cavity.

[0035] By setting the cross-section of the flow channel 21 to a trapezoidal shape that widens at the top and narrows at the bottom, this structure increases the flow velocity component, thereby enhancing the internal shearing effect. The contraction effect of the trapezoidal cross-section generates a radial pressure gradient in the molten aluminum during flow, causing the liquid to converge towards the center and accelerate rotation, thus maintaining a more stable vortex within the cavity 15. In this embodiment, the included angle B is set at 8°. At this angle, the contraction amplitude is moderate, which can avoid sudden changes in liquid flow velocity and the formation of bubbles due to excessive cross-sectional contraction, while ensuring that the vortex intensity is sufficient to continuously break dendritic crystals, making them finer and spherical. Furthermore, at this tilt angle, excessively large turbulent regions can be avoided in the flow channel, reducing gas entrainment caused by turbulence, thereby reducing the incidence of porosity defects in the casting. At the same time, the stable turbulence helps to uniformly distribute the cooling effect generated by the cooling water channel, promotes aluminum nucleation, and optimizes the semi-solid microstructure.

[0036] By setting the inclination angle A of the first guide section 211 to impart initial rotational kinetic energy to the molten aluminum, and in conjunction with the cross-sectional contraction effect formed by the included angle B of the guide channel 21, a composite flow state of "rotation + contraction" can be formed within the cavity 15. This maximizes the shear force generated by the eddy current, effectively breaking down dendritic crystals and refining and spherizing them. By optimizing the angle range of both, the fluid dynamics and cooling effect can be balanced, achieving efficient forming of semi-solid aluminum liquid without the need for additional slurry preparation equipment, reducing casting defects, and improving the versatility of production applications.

[0037] Furthermore, the mold 1 has a discharge section 4 connected to the second end of the cavity 15. The discharge section 4 has a guide channel 41, which is inclined. The inclination angle of the guide channel 41 is defined as C, which is in the range of 10° to 15°. Since the cross-section of the cavity is funnel-shaped, the inclined design of the guide channel 41 can smoothly connect with the contraction structure at the end of the cavity 15, avoiding turbulence or pressure fluctuations caused by abrupt changes in cross-section during discharge of the semi-solid aluminum liquid. This ensures that the semi-solid aluminum liquid flows out at a stable flow rate and direction, maintaining the stability of the cavity. The continuous eddy shear force and the tilt angle C create a certain slope in the guide channel 41, guiding the semi-solid aluminum liquid to flow in a preset direction. This avoids uneven filling caused by deviation in the discharge direction, and is especially suitable for the molding requirements of castings of different specifications. In this embodiment, the tilt angle C is set at 14°. At this angle, the semi-solid aluminum liquid can avoid jetting due to excessive flow rate or stagnation due to excessive flow rate during discharge. The stable flow state can reduce the amount of air entrained into the aluminum liquid, thereby reducing the incidence of porosity defects in the casting.

[0038] Further, specific embodiments of the present invention are as follows:

[0039] The aluminum alloy is heated to a molten state, and the temperature is controlled at 625℃~645℃ and held. The molten metal is poured into the feed trough 31 of the feed section 3. The molten metal flows into the cavity 15 through the guide trough 21. The molten metal is subjected to rotation and contraction in the guide trough 21, which maximizes the shear force generated by the eddy current in the cavity 15. The shear force effectively promotes the fracture of dendrites, reduces the grain size, and makes the grains spheroidized. At the same time, under the temperature control of the cooling water channel 13, a semi-solid molten metal is generated and flows out from the discharge section 4 along the guide trough 41 and into the production mold.

[0040] Reference Figure 6-9 The image shown is a metallographic diagram of molten aluminum at different temperatures according to the present invention; as shown... Figure 6 The above is Example 1 of the present invention. The metal material used in this example is ZAlSi7Mg0.3. The molten metal is heated to 625°C and cooled to 590°C by cooling water channel 13. The molten metal is then poured into a verification mold and its grain structure is analyzed by metallographic diagram.

[0041] like Figure 7 The following is Example 2 of the present invention. The metal material used in this example is ZAlSi7Mg0.3. The molten metal is heated to 635°C and cooled to 590°C by cooling water channel 13. The molten metal is then poured into a verification mold and its grain structure is analyzed by metallographic diagram.

[0042] like Figure 8 The following is Example 3 of the present invention. The metal material used in this example is ZAlSi7Mg0.3. The molten metal is heated to 635°C and cooled to 615°C by cooling water channel 13. The molten metal is then poured into a verification mold and its grain structure is analyzed by metallographic diagram.

[0043] like Figure 9 The following is Example 4 of the present invention. The metal material used in this example is ZAlSi7Mg0.3. The molten metal is heated to 645°C and cooled to 615°C by cooling water channel 13. The molten metal is then poured into a verification mold and its grain structure is analyzed by metallographic diagram.

[0044] After comparing the metallographic analysis of the above four sets of examples, the average grain size of Example 1 was 55 μm, the porosity was 0.51%, and there were no abnormalities such as... Figure 8 and 9The dendritic structure in the sample indicates that the grain distribution in Example 1 is small and round, which is consistent with the shape of semi-solid casting grains. Furthermore, after multiple castings were performed according to the conditions of Example 1, the defect rate of the produced products was 0.51%, which is significantly lower than the defect rate of 2.31% to 3.73% in traditional casting methods, effectively reducing the defect rate of castings.

[0045] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the invention should be included within the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. A flow channel device for forming semi-solid aluminum liquid, characterized in that, include: Mold (1) and guide plate (2); The mold (1) includes a front mold (11) and a rear mold (12). The mold (1) is provided with a cavity (15) formed by the front mold (11) and the rear mold (12). Both the front mold (11) and the rear mold (12) are provided with a number of cooling water channels (13). The cooling water channels (13) are connected to a cooling device. The upper part of the cavity (15) is covered with a guide plate (2). The lower part of the cavity (15) is connected to a discharge section (4). The guide plate (2) forms a flow channel (21) that communicates with the cavity (15). The flow channel (21) is configured to make the poured molten aluminum flow in a rotating manner and generate vortices in the cavity (15). The flow channel (21) has an inlet end and an outlet end. The guide plate (2) is connected to an inlet section (3) at the inlet end. The inlet section (3) has an inlet groove (31). The outlet end is connected to the cavity (15). The flow channel (21) is connected from the inlet end to the outlet end with a first flow section (211) in a straight line and a second flow section (212) in an arc shape. The flow channel (21) is inclined as a whole. The angle between the bottom of the first flow section (211) and the horizontal plane is A. The range of A is 5° to 10°. The cross-section of the flow channel (21) along the vertical plane is a trapezoidal shape that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. The angle between the two side walls of the flow channel (21) is defined as B. The range of B is 6° to 9°.

2. The flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to claim 1, characterized in that, A plurality of first positioning posts (14) are provided between the front mold (11) and the rear mold (12).

3. The flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cavity (15) has a funnel-shaped cross section, forming an upper cavity (151) and a lower cavity (152). The cross section of the upper cavity (151) near the guide plate (2) narrows radially towards the cross section of the lower cavity (152) near the discharge part (4).

4. The flow channel device for semi-solid aluminum liquid forming according to claim 1, characterized in that, The discharge section (4) is provided with a guide channel (41), which is inclined and the inclination angle of the guide channel (41) is defined as C, and the range of C is 10° to 15°.

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