Effects of Melt Vibration During Solidification on the Mechanical Property of Mg-Al-Zn Alloy

The effect of mechanical mould vibration during melt solidification on the mechanical properties of an AZ91 magnesium alloy was investigated. This was tested in the frequency range from 0 to 24 Hz and at two vibration intensities; 5V-peak to peak and 10V-peak to peak. Mechanical tests such as tensile test, hardness test and impact test were carried out on the samples. Improvements were observed in the mechanical tests within the frequency threshold of 12 and 16 Hz. It was concluded that vibration of moulds during melt solidification have some refining effects on the grain structures of the alloy and improve the mechanical properties of the sample. The optimum frequency of mold vibration is between 12 and 16 Hz.