Methodology for assessing corrosion in steels used in aluminum castings
Carlos Maurício Sacchelli, Paula Sacchelli Pacheco, Alexandre Fassini Michels, Francisco Giraldes Arieta Filho
Abstract
The use of aluminum (Al) die-cast components has been increasing across all sectors, especially in the automotive industry. In this context, the high-pressure die casting (HPDC) process stands out as one of the main alternatives for producing these components, making the study of steels used in the HPDC mold construction highly relevant. However, the high thermal cycling involved in the process, combined with the aggressive corrosion from aluminum, can lead to surface alterations and material degradation over time and with temperature exposure, resulting in frequent downtime and reduced productivity. In this study, a new experimental methodology was developed to evaluate surface modifications through immersion tests using remelted steel, in accordance with Family “C” of the NADCA #207-2024 standard. The experiments were conducted with A380 alloy at 721 ± 1 °C, using immersion durations ranging from 1 to 40 hours. Preliminary results indicate significant differences in the effect of exposure time on test samples, assessed by the depth of surface microcavities, which can be easily measured in laboratory settings. It was also possible to identify the evolution of depth caused by aluminum corrosion through equation fitting to the experimental data, in agreement with findings reported in the literature.
Keywords
References
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Submitted date:
10/31/2025
Accepted date:
08/25/2026
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