Abstract

This research aims to investigate the influence of production conditions on the quality of aluminium casting with open-cell aluminium foam core. Open-cell aluminium foams were produced using vacuum pressure to aid molten metal to be fill into space of water-soluble space holders to obtain aluminum foams with specific pore sizes. The produced foams were then used as cores for castings. Optical microscope was employed for determination of the final cast product structure. Results indicate that open-cell aluminum foam can be successfully used as a core for casting without pore intrusion by molten metal. However, the quality of final cast products depends significantly on preheat and pouring temperature conditions. Possible optimal conditions for good quality castings were suggested.

Key words: Aluminum foam, aluminum foam core with shell, re-melting, open-cell.