Aluminum Casting Alloys and Casting Processes

Aluminum casting alloys are among the most versatile of all common foundry alloys and generally have high castability ratings. This article provides an overview of the common methods of aluminum shape casting. It discusses the designations of aluminum casting alloys categorized by the Aluminum Association designation system. The article summarizes the basic composition groupings of aluminum casting alloy and discusses the effects of specific alloying elements and impurities. The characteristics of the important casting processes are summarized and compared in a table. The article presents the advantages and disadvantages of green sand casting, permanent mold casting, semipermanent mold casting, and high-pressure die casting. A discussion on other casting processes, such as investment casting, lost foam, plaster mold casting, pressure casting, centrifugal casting, and semisolid casting, is also included.