Internal Observation of Aluminum Die Cast Parts with inspeXio™ SMX™-225CT FPD HR Plus

Introduction

Die casting is a process in which various types of parts are molded by injecting molten nonferrous metal alloys into a precision mold under high pressure. Since it is possible to mass-produce casting with high dimensional accuracy, there is a high market need for die cast products. Among these products, aluminum die castings are used in numerous applications because aluminum is inexpensive, lightweight, and easily recycled. However, in the case of aluminum die cast parts, there is a high probability that casting defects, that is, voids remaining in the interior of products, may occur in the manufacturing process. If voids exist in a product, they may cause various problems, including reduced mechanical strength and fatigue strength and oil leaks. X-ray inspection is one effective inspection method for detecting these casting defects, and among X-ray techniques, X-ray CT is a particularly effective inspection method because it is possible to capture information concerning the size and position of casting defects in 3 dimensions. This article introduces an example of observation of casting defects in an aluminum die casting using a Shimadzu inspeXio SMX-225CT FPD HR Plus microfocus X-ray CT system.

March 31, 2021 GMT