Defects and fatigue properties of LPDC-fabricated aluminum alloy wheel: Experimental and numerical simulation methods

• The A356 wheel with excellent mechanical performance was prepared by LPDC. • The effect of cooling duration on casting ability and mechanical properties of wheel was studied. • The fatigue properties of wheel was predicted by the coupling method of simulation and experiment. The aluminum alloy wheel fabricated by low pressure die casting (LPDC) was usually applied for automobile manufacturing due to its low density, high strength and toughness, and excellent corrosion resistance. However, the casting quality and service performance of wheel are closely related to the LPDC process parameters. In this paper, the casting defect, microstructure characteristics and mechanical properties of the wheel at different process parameters were investigated in detail. The water cooling duration of S and T channels at the side and top mould was changed and the corresponding effect on casting quality was compared. When the duration of S and T channels was 80 s and 100 s, the wheel has a good casting quality and the tensile strength of rim, outer flange, spoke was all exceed 240 MPa. An excessively long or short cooling time will significantly affect the solidification behavior of the molten aluminum, thereby causing casting defects. The fatigue behavior of the wheels was studied through a combination of simulation and experimentation. With a high cast quality, the wheel exhibited qualified fatigue resistance performance.