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Targeting a steering wheel as a component requiring energy absorbing characteristics, a development team was set up, consisting of a component supplier, pressure die caster and an aluminum supplier, with the objective of developing a suitable aluminum alloy. The component's desired mechanical properties were outlined and an aluminum alloy system was selected for study. After considering the alloying elements most likely to have an influence on mechanical and casting properties, an experiment was designed to test eight alloy variants and their effect on the as-cast properties of die cast test bars. The bars were tested at three separate laboratories and the results were used to determine the effects of alloying elements and their interactions. The data confirmed the suitability of a castable aluminum-magnesium alloy, capable of exceeding 205 MPa (30 ksi) Ultimate tensile strength, 105 MPa (15 ksi) 0.2% yield strength and 15% elongation in the as-cast condition.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of long term exposure to moderate temperatures on the mechanical properties of aluminum-manganese (AM Alloys) and aluminum-rare earth (AE Alloys) based magnesium alloys produced by the vertical vacuum die casting process. The “as-cast” mechanical properties of the vertical vacuum die cast samples are “as good” to “significantly better” than conventionally cast magnesium alloys. The effect of aging at temperatures between 79°C and 107°C varies and is dependent on time, temperature, and alloy content.