EP1392875A1

EP1392875A1 - Method for producing metal/metal foam composite elements

Info

Publication number: EP1392875A1
Application number: EP02743107A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wilfried Knott; Benno Niedermann; Manfred Recksik; Andreas Weier
Original assignee: Buehler Druckguss AG; TH Goldschmidt AG; Goldschmidt GmbH
Current assignee: Buehler Druckguss AG; Evonik Operations GmbH
Priority date: 2001-06-07
Filing date: 2002-05-25
Publication date: 2004-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 2022-05-25
Also published as: US20020195222A1; JP2004532355A; EP1392875B1; JP4322665B2; ATE291644T1; WO2003000942A1; CA2444248C; CA2444248A1; US6874562B2; ES2239234T3; DE10127716A1; DE50202549D1

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for producing metal/metal foam composite components, wherein a flat or shaped metal part is introduced into the cavity of a die, the cavity being at least partially delimited by the metal part, and then a mixture comprising a metal melt and a blowing agent which is solid at room temperature is introduced into the cavity, where it is foamed.

Description

Process for the production of metal / metal foam composite components

The invention relates to a method for producing metal / metal foam composite components, in particular of metal - molded parts made of light metal materials, which are reduced in weight compared to conventionally produced molded parts. The invention further relates to molded parts produced by this method and their use in light metal constructions.

The reduction in weight of molded metal parts, for example for applications in vehicle construction, aircraft construction or other technologically demanding areas of application, is of great economic and ecological importance. In addition to the well-known use of light metals, foamed metallic materials are also attracting increasing interest. These are characterized by light construction, high rigidity and compressive strength, good damping properties, etc. and methods are known for their production.

It is known to produce components from foamed, metallic materials. For example, casting cores made of aluminum foam are cast around with an aluminum material or inserted as molded parts in a component. Shell and core or molded part are manufactured separately and then connected to each other. In addition to the high manufacturing effort, this also results in low manufacturing quality. The basis of foamable semi-finished aluminum products is atomized aluminum powder, to which a blowing agent is added. For example, according to DE 197 44 300 AI, a body pressed from a powder mixture is heated in a heatable, closed vessel to temperatures above the decomposition temperature of the blowing agent and / or the melting temperature of the metal. The powder is compacted in this process and the molded part thus created is placed in the area of a component to be foamed and foamed by heating up to 650 ° C. The casing can be subject to unacceptable deformations or the foaming process takes place unevenly. It is also possible to produce foams by sintering hollow metallic spheres or to infiltrate metal melts into cores or fillers, which are removed after the melt has solidified.

According to a process according to JP 03017236 AA, metallic articles with cavities are produced by dissolving gases in a metal melt and initiating the foaming process by suddenly reducing the pressure. The foam is stabilized by cooling the melt.

According to the teaching of JP 09241780 AA, metallic foam is obtained with the controlled release of propellant gases, in which a metal is first melted at temperatures below the decomposition temperature of the propellant used. By subsequently dispersing the blowing agent in molten metal and heating the matrix above the temperature then required to release blowing gases, a metal foam is established.

The casting of metal parts with lost foam according to EP 0 461 052 B1 is previously known. WO 92/21457 A1 describes the production of aluminum foam in such a way that gas is blown in under the surface of a molten metal, abrasive substances serving as stabilizers.

W.Thiele: Filler-containing aluminum sponge - a compressible cast material for absorbing impact energy, in: Metal 28, 1974, Issue 1, pp. 39 to 42 describes the production of foam aluminum. The desired cavities are made in size, shape and location in the form of a loose fill easily compressible inorganic light materials, such as expanded clay minerals, expanded clay, glass foam balls or hollow corundum balls, etc. The light material fill is placed in a casting mold. The remaining spaces in the fill are filled with metal. The aluminum sponge obtained in this way is relatively poorly mechanically loadable and contains the material of the bed.

DE 11 64 103 B relates to a method for producing metal foam bodies. In this method, a solid that decomposes when heated to form gas is mixed with a molten metal so that the solid is wetted by the metal. For example, powdered titanium hydride is added to a molten alloy of aluminum and magnesium at a temperature of 600 ° C. The closed foam thus formed is then poured into a mold to cool and solidify there. Here too, it is obviously not working in a closed system, but in an open system.

GB 892934 relates to the production of complex structures with a foamed metal core and a closed, non-porous surface.

DE 198 32 794 Cl describes a method for producing a hollow profile which is filled with metal foam. This method comprises the steps of pressing the hollow profile made of a shell material with an extruder having an extrusion tool with a die and a mandrel, feeding the metal foam made of a foam material through a feed channel to the hollow profile which is formed in the mandrel.

JP Patent Abstracts of Japan 07145435 A describes the production of foamed metal wires. Molten aluminum is placed in an oven using a blowing agent foams and fed to a continuous pouring device. The molten aluminum in the foamed state is cooled between a pair of upper and lower conveyor belts to obtain an endless strand. This is cut into the foamed aluminum wires in a predetermined manner. Alternatively, the foamed aluminum wire or strand can be formed by pulling the foamed molten aluminum between a wire with a groove and a conveyor belt. The molten aluminum wire is thus obtained by rolling or drawing.

EP 0 666 784 B1 describes a method for molding a metal foam stabilized by means of particles, in particular an aluminum alloy, in which a composite of a metal matrix and finely divided solid stabilization particles is heated above the solidus temperature of the metal matrix and gas bubbles are released into the molten metal composite below its surface, to thereby form a stabilized, liquid foam on the surface of the molten metal composite. Characteristic is a molding of the metal foam by pressing the stabilized liquid foam into a mold and with a pressure that is only sufficient for the liquid foam to take the shape of the mold without the cells of the foam being significantly compressed. The molded article is then obtained by subsequently cooling and solidifying the foam. The foam is pressed into the mold using a movable plate. A first movable plate presses the liquid foam into the mold and a smooth surface is formed on the molded foam article. A second movable plate is pressed into the foam within the mold to form smooth inner surfaces on the foam article. Shaping can also be done using rollers. Another method for producing molded parts from metal foam is taught by EP 0 804 982 A2. Here, the foaming takes place in a heatable chamber outside a casting mold, the volume of the powder-metallurgical starting material for the metal foam introduced into the chamber essentially corresponding to the volume of a filling of the casting mold in its phase foamed with the entire foam capacity. All metal foam in the chamber is pressed into the mold, in which foaming is continued with the remaining foaming capacity until the mold is completely filled. The casting mold is a sand or ceramic mold, the metal foam is introduced into the chamber as a semi-finished product and is only pressed into the casting mold after foaming, for example by means of a piston. When the foam is pressed into the mold, it is sheared. The mold is not filled with a foam with a deliberately inhomogeneous structure.

DE 195 01 508 Cl discloses a process for producing a cavity profile with reduced weight and increased rigidity, e.g. a component for the chassis of a motor vehicle. This consists of die-cast aluminum and in the cavities there is a core made of aluminum foam. The integrated foam core is manufactured using powder metallurgy and then fixed to the inner wall of a casting tool and cast with metal using a die-casting process.

DE 297 23 749 U1 discloses a wheel for a motor vehicle which comprises at least one metallic foam core which is arranged exposed to the inside of the wheel and has a cast wall towards the outside of the wheel. The foam core made of aluminum foam is inserted into a mold for casting the wheel and positioned so that the outer cast skin is created between the mold and the foam core during casting. DE 195 02 307 AI describes a deformation element in the housing of which a filling made of an aluminum foam is provided as an energy absorber. The housing can be made of metal or plastic. The packing is a mere insert without a material connection to the housing.

The dissolving or blowing in of propellant gases in molten metal is not suitable for the production of near-net-shape components, since a system consisting of melt with occluded gas bubbles is not sufficiently stable in time to be processed in shaping tools.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a simple method suitable for mass production for the production of composite components made of metal and metal foam.

The solution to the aforementioned problem consists in a method for producing metal / metal foam composite components, which is characterized in that a flat or shaped metal part is introduced into the cavity of a casting mold, the cavity being at least partially delimited by the metal part, and then introduces a mixture of a molten metal and a blowing agent that is solid at room temperature into the cavity and foams there.

Surprisingly, it was found that in particular light metal foams, for example made of aluminum or aluminum alloys, can be brought into cavities very efficiently by a casting process, for example in a commercially available die casting machine, or by means of solid, gas-releasing blowing agents, on the surface of prefabricated flat or shaped metal bodies. for example a metal hydride, especially a light metal hydride. In the process in the sense of the present invention, liquid or pasty metal is pressed into a mold which represents the cavity to be foamed. This shape can thus limit the expansion of the resulting metal foam on one or more sides, but at least a part of the surface of the foam produced in this process inside the cavity to be foamed is formed by the previously inserted metal part.

The method according to the invention allows the production of a wide range of composite components. The metal parts can be a wide variety of molded parts provided with a cavity, which can be used in metal structures, for example hollow beams or rims. Different types of casting processes can therefore also be used, for example low-pressure or pressure casting processes.

In cases where the foamed mold cavity is only partially limited by the inserted metal parts, U or L profiles can be filled with metal foam, for example. In the simplest case, the inserted metal part is a sheet on which metal foam can be foamed according to the invention. By inserting several spaced sheets in the mold cavity, sandwich components can be easily produced.

In the hot chamber process, the metal is injected directly from the melting chamber into the mold at up to approx. 10 ⁷ Pa; in the cold chamber process preferred according to the invention, for example for materials made of Al and Mg alloys, the melt is first introduced into a cold intermediate chamber and from there with more than 10 ⁸ Pa pressed into the mold. The casting performance of the hot chamber process is higher, but so is the wear on the system. The advantages of die casting are the good material strength, the clean surfaces of the resulting body on the inside of the mold cavity, the high dimensional accuracy, the possibility of complex casting design and the high working speed. These advantages can be further improved by negative pressure (vacuum in the mold). Real-time controlled die casting machines available on the market are advantageous for this process. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the metals are selected from non-ferrous metals and non-noble metals, in particular selected from magnesium, calcium, aluminum, silicon, titanium or zinc and their alloys. On the other hand, however, ferrous metals and noble metals can also be foamed with the aid of the present invention to form the resulting composite piece with a preformed metal part. If the term alloy is used in the sense of the present invention, it should be understood to mean that it contains at least 30% by weight of the metal mentioned. The process sequence preferred according to the invention comprises filling the required volume of molten metal into the filling or casting chamber and introducing it into a mold cavity into which the metal part to be foamed is inserted, with the addition of the blowing agent to the molten metal. In a preferred embodiment, molten metal and blowing agent are brought together in the mold cavity, the mold or the cavity remaining in the mold being filled or underfilled with the melt-blowing agent mixture in a defined volume.

In a further preferred embodiment, the blowing agent is not brought into contact with the molten metal directly in the mold cavity, but in a filling or casting chamber, and the mixture is then introduced into the mold cavity with the inserted metal body.

The blowing agent can be introduced into the filling or casting chamber on the one hand and / or the cavity within the mold or the inserted metal piece after inserting the metal piece on the other hand can take place before, during and / or after the metal melt has been introduced into the respective chamber. It is important for the present invention, however, that the foaming essentially only takes place in the cavity to be foamed due to the fact that the blowing agent is split off from a flowable metal or a flowable metal alloy. This mold cavity to be foamed is a closed mold. However, as is common in die casting or the like, this can have riser channels for ventilation. The foamed metal composite body, consisting of the metal molded body inserted into the mold and the metal foam additionally produced in the mold cavity, is then ejected.

In a further embodiment, the blowing agent is added directly to the molten metal in the filling or casting chamber or in the mold cavity, the corresponding metal foam structure being produced from the non-foamed metal body previously formed. This surface has either the surface of the inserted metal part or the surface newly created in the mold cavity when the foam body is formed. Even the new foam surface created on the wall of the mold is smooth, and its formation is easily reproducible. As a result of the spray filling possible in the process, different wall thicknesses of this new foam surface can be easily adjusted. The walls are closed on all sides, clean, tight and homogeneous. Post-treatment is usually not necessary. On the inside, the areas of the resulting metal composite produced in this process are increasingly porous and have a density gradient.

The decomposition temperature of the blowing agent should be matched to the melting temperature of the casting material (molten metal). The decomposition may only start above 100 ° C and should not be higher than approx. 150 ° C above the melting temperature. In general, it is not necessary that the melting point of the pressed-in metal melt or metal alloy, which forms the foam structure on the workpiece being produced, lies below the melting temperature of the metal previously placed in the casting mold. On the contrary, in cases in which the melting temperature of the molten metal is above the melting temperature of the inserted metal part, a particularly good bond is formed between the preformed metal part and the foam structure formed.

The amount of blowing agent to be used depends on the required circumstances. For the purposes of the present invention, the blowing agent is particularly preferably used in an amount of 0.1 to 10% by weight, in particular 0.2 to 1% by weight, based on the mass of the amount of metal used to form the metal foam ,

Gas-releasing blowing agents which are solid at room temperature include, in particular, light metal hydrides, such as magnesium hydride. For the purposes of the present invention, particular preference is given to auto-catalytically produced magnesium hydride, which is sold, for example, under the name TEGO Magnan®. In the same way, however, titanium hydride, carbonates, hydrates and / or easily evaporable substances can also be used, which have also been used in the prior art for foaming metals.

The invention is described in more detail below in an exemplary embodiment. In a commercially available die casting machine, a vehicle part should be made from an aluminum material with an integrally foamed metal structure. For this purpose, a corresponding amount of molten metal was filled into a casting chamber of the die casting machine. A previously produced metal structure was inserted into the mold cavity of the die casting machine, which had a cavity inside caused by a metal slide. The insertion into the mold chamber was carried out in such a way that the connection (opening for introducing the liquid metal) opened into the mold cavity at the location of the metal cavity. Magnesium hydride in powder form was added to the liquid metal as a blowing agent in the closed casting chamber of the die casting machine. Almost simultaneously, the mixture of blowing agent and molten metal began to be quickly inserted into the mold cavity and thus into the cavity remaining in the inserted metal workpiece. The cavity was underfilled in a defined volume. Due to the resulting turbulence, there was good mixing in the remaining mold cavity, which supports the foaming. A foam structure was formed inside the cavity of the inserted metal part, which showed a dense and homogeneous surface on the walls of the die-casting mold. The "shot" took place before the foaming, the foaming process took place in situ in the mold cavity. It was quickly foamed into the mold. The component obtained had formed in the interior of the previously formed molded structure a foam body firmly connected to the originally inserted metal structure, which had a particularly positive influence on the vibration behavior compared to a non-foam-filled comparison piece.

Claims

Claims:

Process for the production of metal / metal foam composite components, characterized in that a flat or shaped metal part is introduced into the cavity of a casting mold, the cavity being at least partially delimited by the metal part and then a mixture of a molten metal and a blowing agent which is solid at room temperature into the cavity and foam there.

A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cavity is filled or underfilled in a volume-defined manner and the foaming takes place in a non-heated mold cavity.

A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the blowing agent is brought into contact with the molten metal in a filling or casting chamber and then the mixture is introduced into the cavity to be foamed.

A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the blowing agent is introduced into the cavity to be foamed.

A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the blowing agent is introduced into the cavity to be foamed into the cavity before, after and / or during the introduction of the metal melt.

Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cavity to be foamed is limited only on one side by the inserted metal part within the mold.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cavity to be foamed consists of more than one independent cavity, which is filled by more than one connection channel.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that one uses a molten metal made of light metal, especially aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that one uses a metal die casting machine.

10. metal body, produced by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. Metal body according to claim 10, with an all-round closed surface and a hollow structure inside.

12. Use of the metal body produced according to the invention for the construction of light metal structures.