In-situ investigation of incipient melting in a 319 type Al alloy using laser scanning confocal microscopy

The modified 319 Al alloy system has been used extensively in precision sand casting of automotive powertrain applications such as engine blocks and cylinder heads, with significant improvement in vehicle fuel efficiency. However, a concern in elevated temperature processing of Al alloys, such as heat treatment and hot working processes, is incipient melting of secondary phases, which is deleterious to mechanical properties. In this study, the …