Development of multilayer sand cores for high-pressure die casting

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Lothar Kallien; Professor Dr.-Ing. Wolfram Volk
• Subject Area: Primary Shaping and Reshaping Technology, Additive Manufacturing
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 505145110

In this research project, we develop inorganically-bound foundry cores, which can be utilised in high-pressure die casting. Several technical challenges have to be addressed to reach this goal. The main challenge is reaching a sufficient core strength, which can endure the pressure of the melt of up to 800 bar. However, the core has to be destroyed mechanically after the casting to remove it from the cast part. This requires a low core strength after the casting. We propose to solve this target conflict with multi-layer cores, which will be produced on a core shooting machine for the first time. This allows for higher binder amounts in the skin of the core, which generates sufficient material strength. The inner parts of the core can be produced with less binder to achieve a core with a low total binder amount. This low binder amount allows to mechanically destroy the core after casting and to solve this target conflict. Furthermore, the loads during the recasting of the inserted sand cores in the high pressure die casting process are determined by integrated measuring technology and high speed recordings in order to specifically adjust the mechanical properties of the sand cores to the requirements of the high pressure die casting process. Additionally, the flow behaviour of the melt around the sand cores will be investigated by adjusting the direction of the melt flow. This aims at reducing the loads on the sand cores.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr.-Ing. Philipp Lechner