Casthouse Grain Refining
In casthouse applications, the control of grain size is absolutely essential in maintaining product consistency and quality, in reducing costs and maintaining high levels of productivity. The controlled addition of AMG Aluminum’s titanium boron aluminium TiBAl™ grain refiners to molten aluminium releases nucleant particles that promote equiaxed, fine grain structure throughout the cast alloy, thus avoiding formation of columnar crystals. Casting speed can also be increased, and improved characteristics achieved. When metals solidify they form individual ‘’grains’’. Normally these grains are too small to be seen by the naked eye, for example, ice formed on a car windscreen is a similar effect. In aluminium, grains can be of the order of 5 to 10mm in size, but this would give poor strength and surface appearance and make casting difficult without cracking. By ‘’grain refining’’, adding small amounts of AMG Aluminum’s grain refiners (TiBAl ADVANCE™), these large grains can be reduced to a fraction of a millimetre. The benefits of using AMG Aluminum’s titanium boron aluminium grain refiners:
- Improved feeding characteristics and increased casting speed in direct chill (DC) casting
- A uniform distribution of elements and improved homogeneity
- Reduced porosity and the elimination of hot tearing
- Enhanced response to subsequent heat treatment
- Superior mechanical properties and increased machinability
AMG Aluminum’s Grain Refiners are produced in a form of rod/wire, waffle or nugget.