Aluminum alloy casting and method of manufacture

1. An Aluminum-Silicon alloy based casting method, the casting method comprising:

providing an Aluminum-Silicon alloy having a composition including, by weight percentage:

from about 5.00% to about 17.00% Silicon (Si);

from about 0.00% to about 0.90% Iron (Fe);

from about 0.00% to about 1.00% Manganese (Mn);

from about 0.000% to about 0.018% Strontium (Sr);

from about 0.00% to about 2.00% Copper (Cu);

from about 0.00% to about 0.50% Magnesium (Mg);

from about 0.00% to about 0.05% Zinc (Zn);

from about 0.01% to about 0.10% Boron (B); and

a balance of Aluminum (Al);

producing a casting using the Aluminum-Silicon alloy by means of one of a sand casting process, a permanent mold casting process, a semi-permanent mold casting process, a high-pressure die casting process, a squeeze casting process, and lost foam casting process;

analyzing the casting to determine an as-cast silicon particle volume fraction, an average silicon particle size, an insoluble intermetallic particle volume fraction, and an insoluble intermetallic average particle size; and

solution treating the casting to above an incipient melting temperature, solution treating comprising:

heating the casting to about 495° C. for about three hours;

heating the casting to about 515° C. for about three hours; and

heating the casting to about 530° C. for about two hours.

2. The Aluminum-Silicon alloy based casting method of claim 1 wherein providing an Aluminum-Silicon alloy further comprises providing the Aluminum-Silicon alloy having a composition including, by weight percentage, from about 7.85% to about 7.90% Silicon and from about 0.20% to about 0.30% Iron.

3. The Aluminum-Silicon alloy based casting method of claim 2 wherein providing an Aluminum-Silicon alloy further comprises providing the Aluminum-Silicon alloy having a composition including, by weight percentage, about 0.00% Strontium.

4. The Aluminum-Silicon alloy based casting method of claim 2 wherein providing an Aluminum-Silicon alloy further comprises providing the Aluminum-Silicon alloy having a composition including, by weight percentage, about 0.009% Strontium.

5. The Aluminum-Silicon alloy based casting method of claim 1 wherein providing an Aluminum-Silicon alloy further comprises providing the Aluminum-Silicon alloy having a composition including, by weight percentage, from about 0.30% to about 0.41% Iron and about 0.00% Strontium.

6. The Aluminum-Silicon alloy based casting method of claim 1 wherein providing an Aluminum-Silicon alloy further comprises providing the Aluminum-Silicon alloy having a composition including, by weight percentage, more than about 0.25% Magnesium.

7. The Aluminum-Silicon alloy based casting method of claim 1 wherein providing an Aluminum-Silicon alloy further comprises providing the Aluminum-Silicon alloy having a composition including, by weight percentage, more than about 1.50% Copper.

8. The Aluminum-Silicon alloy based casting method of claim 1 further comprising solution treating the casting to above an incipient melting temperature, solution treating comprising:

heating the casting to a first temperature for a first period of time;

heating the casting to a second temperature for a second period of time; and

heating the casting to a third temperature for a third period do time.

9. The Aluminum-Silicon alloy based casting method of claim 8 further comprising aging the casting at a temperature between about 150° C. and 190° C. and a time of about 6 to 10 hours.

10. An Aluminum-Silicon alloy based casting method, the casting method comprising:

providing an Aluminum-Silicon alloy having a composition including, by weight percentage:

from about 5.00% to about 17.00% Silicon (Si);

from about 0.00% to about 0.90% Iron (Fe);

from about 0.00% to about 1.00% Manganese (Mn);

from about 0.000% to about 0.018% Strontium (Sr);

from about 0.00% to about 2.00% Copper (Cu);

from about 0.00% to about 0.50% Magnesium (Mg);

from about 0.00% to about 0.05% Zinc (Zn);

from about 0.01% to about 0.10% Boron (B); and

a balance of Aluminum (Al), and

casting a part using the Aluminum-Silicon alloy;

solution treating the part by heating the part to 495° C. for about three hours, heating the part to 515° C. for about three hours, heating the part to 530° C. for about two hours; and

aging the part at a temperature between about 150° C. and 190° C. and a time of about 6 to 10 hours.