Silumin what kind of alloy is this

Silumin - alloy composition

Modern metallurgy supplies over 1000 items of various types of materials. But the silumin alloy still occupies a prominent place among them. Its application continues to cover more and more new industries for the past 15 years. What properties do not allow it to lose its relevance to this day? What is it?  

General information

Alloys based on aluminum and silicon are called silumins. They belong to the category of casting alloys and occupy about 55% of the entire aluminum metallurgical industry.

There are 2 main varieties:

• simple, containing only 2 components in composition: silicon (up to 15%) and aluminum.
• special, including additional alloying elements.

Two-component silumin is not thermally strengthenable and has low mechanical characteristics. The only possible way to increase strength is to reduce the rate of solidification of the casting in the mold or add alkali metal alloys such as strontium, lithium or sodium to the melt.

Increasing the crystallization rate gives more preferable results, but has one important drawback. In the case of casting thin-walled parts, the likelihood of cracks forming on the surface of the castings increases. The only way to avoid this is to use injection molding technology, which is more costly from an economic point of view.

Modification with alkali metals gives a lesser strength effect, but this process is more technologically advanced and universal. For this reason, it is more common in practice.

The improvement in mechanical properties here occurs due to changes in grain size. The internal structure remains unchanged.

The greater the amount of silicon in silumin, the greater the effect of modification. It is the silicon grains that undergo recrystallization in silumin alloys, and it is due to this that the mechanical properties are improved. Therefore, when the silicon content is less than 5%, modification becomes meaningless.

Special silumin alloys, in addition to silicon and aluminum, contain components such as magnesium, copper and iron. The introduction of these elements makes the material thermally hardenable. For this reason, special alloys have higher mechanical properties compared to simple alloys. This is especially true for such a parameter as the yield strength.

Heat treatment in most cases consists of hardening and subsequent artificial aging. Thus, AL4 hardening takes place at 550 ºС and is maintained at this temperature for 3-5 hours. After this, the alloy is sharply cooled in water and sent to the furnace. Artificial aging (175 ºС) is already carried out there, which finally refines the material in terms of physical structure and mechanical characteristics.

Also, all silumin alloys belong to the first group of weldability. Welding does not require additional preparation in the form of preheating the part. The welded seams are dense and are not inferior in strength to solid alloys.

Brands and their properties

Silumins stand out due to their low specific gravity compared to other alloys and metals. The density of simple silumins does not exceed 2660 kg/m3.

They are also distinguished by increased corrosion-resistant properties. The introduction of an additional percentage of magnesium and manganese only helps to increase this characteristic.

The addition of copper to the composition reduces its resistance to corrosion. Thus, AL5 alloy, containing 1.5% copper, is the most corrosion-unresistant grade compared to all other silumins.

As mentioned above, two-component silumins are significantly inferior in strength to alloyed silumins. Alloy AL2 after modification has a tensile strength of about 180 MPa. The yield strength is even lower and is equal to 80 MPa. Among the advantages of this category, it is worth noting high plasticity. Its relative specific stretch is 7%.

Another important advantage of AL2 is its low crystallization interval. For this reason, castings are less susceptible to the formation of shrinkage porosity.

AL4 is a more durable silumin and belongs to the group of thermally hardenable alloys. Silumin is characterized by a low silicon content (up to 7% of the composition) and improved casting properties. Its tendency to shrinkage and porosity is significantly lower compared to AL2, which allows it to be used as a material for the most critical castings. The tensile strength of AL4 silumin is 260 MPa, and the yield strength is 200 MPa.

Silumin AL9 is not strengthened either by modification or artificial aging. It's just being hardened. The alloy is widely used in production due to the optimal ratio of ductility, casting characteristics and strength. AL9 are destroyed under loads above 200 MPa. The relative specific stretch is 6%.

AL5 does not belong to the group of heat-resistant alloys, but is superior to all silumins in its resistance to thermal stress. The tensile strength of this brand is 220 MPa. Its plasticity is one of the lowest. The relative specific stretch is 1%. Also, as noted above, the presence of copper makes AL5 less resistant to corrosion.

AL34, in comparison with all the brands described above, has the best mechanical characteristics. The tensile strength is 330 MPa, which is comparable to St.3 steel. This strength is ensured by the content of additional amounts of beryllium, magnesium and titanium. Castings made from these alloys are distinguished by their increased tightness.

It is also worth noting that the mechanical properties of castings are greatly influenced by the casting method. All strength values ​​listed above are for sand casting. When casting in a chill mold or under pressure, the tensile strength and fluidity are usually 20-30 units higher. The reason for this is a higher rate of crystallization, which leads to the crushing of internal structures.

Application

The increased industrial interest in silumin is mainly due to the possession of such properties as high fluidity, low specific gravity and low tendency to form shrinkage cavities.

For these reasons, silumin is actively used in the following areas:

• In aircraft construction, AL2 grade silumin is used in the manufacture of parts that are not subject to mechanical and thermal loads. AL9 and AL34 are used to produce components for more critical purposes. In particular, this includes galley cooling pistons, pumps, etc.
• In shipbuilding, silumin is used as cladding for steel and cast iron structures. This may be due to the resistance of silumin to the aggressive effects of sea water.
• In the space industry, silumin alloys are used in the production of devices, the parts of which require the material to have a low coefficient of linear expansion and a low density. - In the automotive industry, silumin AL34 is actively used for the manufacture of crankcases of internal combustion engines and other housing parts operating at high internal pressure.
• Silumin is used as a material for the manufacture of pipeline fittings. Mixers, adapters, nipples, union nuts - this is an incomplete list of parts where silumin alloys are used.

Pricing

Aluminum is one of the five most common metals on planet Earth. Despite this, its production is gradually declining. This happens due to the deepening of aluminum ore deposits on the one hand, and on the other hand the developed market for secondary metals. For this reason, it is more profitable from an economic point of view to recycle aluminum alloy.

The cost of silumin depends on the following factors:

• Chemical composition. The more aluminum, copper and titanium, the higher its price on the scrap metal market.
• Knowledge of quotes on non-ferrous alloys exchanges. In terms of cost, silumin alloys are correlated according to the prices of their constituent metals, the cost of which is determined on world exchanges.
• Scrap quality. The presence of traces of corrosion on the surface greatly reduces the cost.
• Batch size. Scrap metal collection points give preference to dealing with large deliveries, as this reduces turnover time. Therefore, if scrap is delivered in excess of one ton, they mark it up.

Source: https://prompriem.ru/stati/silumin.html

Which material is better for a mixer - silumin or brass: features of silumin and brass

Brass and silumin faucets in a new state are practically no different from each other, and both can become an adornment of your design at first. However, a mistake in choice can be decisive and affect the reliability and durability of the product.

Features of brass faucets

This material is a mixture of copper and zinc alloy, the latter giving better machinability, making the faucet much cheaper than its pure copper counterpart. In addition, it gives brass increased corrosion resistance and the ability to withstand sudden temperature changes, so such faucets can serve reliably for a long period of time without losing their performance properties.

Initially, brass has a light golden color (which is why it is also used in the jewelry industry), but in most cases, taps are coated with another material: nickel, bronze or chrome, with the latter being the most common. The chrome surface has a mirror-like shine, but stains and fingerprints remain on it, so it requires more frequent cleaning than matte. Nickel-plated faucets have it.

Reference. There are also taps with a coating that is an analogue of bronze; the characteristic brown tint is given to it by the epoxy resins contained in the composition. This option is much higher quality and more reliable than products made from pure bronze.

There are also elite gold-plated or silver-plated models that will look luxurious in rich interiors.

Brass faucets are durable, easy to repair (and European manufacturers of sanitary ware, as a rule, use the same standard sizes) and durable (their service life reaches 5 years or longer), but they also have disadvantages, for example, they are not very resistant to scratches and chips, however this does not affect performance.

If you purchase a brass faucet without a surface coating, keep in mind that over time a greenish coating will form on it, which, however, can be easily removed with improvised means. In addition, the cost of brass taps is often too high.

Reference. Nowadays a trend has emerged among interior designers - multi-colored faucets. They are given the required color or pattern using powder coating.

Brass taps are used absolutely everywhere: in apartments and public places, in kitchens and bathrooms. Depending on the design and coating, they can fit into any interior style: from classic to modern.

Sometimes manufacturers, wanting to save money, make brass faucet handles from plastic. This is an unreliable option that should be avoided as much as possible.

Characteristics of silumin mixers

This material is approximately 90% aluminum and 10–15% silicon (or, in more complex alloys, contains other alloying elements). It was invented in the 20th century and, in addition to plumbing, was used in aircraft production, as well as in shipbuilding and space industrial activities. Plumbing fixtures began to be made from it relatively recently.

Reference. At the moment, silumin occupies about 55% of the plumbing fixtures market.

Thanks to the properties of silumin, the crane is characterized by lightness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance. In addition, it is distinguished by its plasticity and ease of processing, so there are a huge number of design solutions for such products. On the plumbing market you can find silumin faucets for every taste.

But they have disadvantages, more significant than their advantages. This is a very short service life, which takes no more than a year and a half. After this, users of such faucets complain about leaks and breakdowns, and repairs in this case do not help: when replacing the gasket or sealing cracks, the leak appears in another place after a short time. Therefore, only a complete replacement of the device will be cheaper and more effective.

In addition, faucets made of silumin very quickly lose their presentation, becoming covered with scratches and abrasions. The inside of the faucet quickly becomes covered with limescale, which can lead to blockage.

Also, silumin mixers are incredibly fragile: you can literally break them with your bare hands.

The question may arise - why is such plumbing needed? Typically, silumin taps are purchased for dachas, since they are not used there as often as in houses, and therefore they last longer. Moreover, they usually have the lowest price of all materials.

Reference. For the same reason, they are purchased for temporary housing.

How to distinguish brass from silumin

Outwardly, they are in no way different from each other - both can have either a shiny or matte surface, as well as a wide variety of designs. But there are some details.

First of all, it's cost. For a silumin mixer it will always be lower than for a brass one. So you will have to pay more for durability, but in this case the benefit is 100% payback.

Another nuance is weight. Silumin is lighter. However, this was the case until recently; now manufacturers have learned to add heavy metals to it in order to pass it off as another material.

Be sure to check the technical documentation of the product: it should be marked “Al”. If you see the letter “L”, then most likely you are dealing with silumin.

Which material is the best faucet?

It's definitely brass. Silumin wins only in cost. However, in a year and a half, when numerous repairs will be required, including a complete replacement of the mixer, you will still have to spend money.

As already stated, this point doesn't matter when your main goal is to save money. If long service life is important to you, brass is the leader by a huge margin.

So we figured out how these materials differ from each other and which one is better according to different criteria. But which of these is more important is up to you to decide for yourself.

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Source: https://setafi.com/vanna/smesitel/kakoj-material-dlya-smesitelya-luchshe-silumin-ili-latun/

Silumin scrap - what is silumin, price per 1 kg of scrap

Silumin is an alloy where the main elements are aluminum and silicon. Actually, the name of the compound was given by the combination of the letters Si with aluminum.

The material is resistant to corrosion, low cost, but has one significant drawback - fragility. But what is a negative factor for the average user of silumin products brings dividends to the scrap metal collector.

The excessive fragility of structures made from this alloy regularly contributes to the amount of waste aluminum and silicon compounds.

Silumin scrap may be confused by some with TsAM scrap. But if you put parts made of different alloys side by side, you can see the differences. TsAM is “whiter”; zinc particles can be caught in it (similar to galvanizing), and silumin is a darker alloy in structure more similar to cast iron.

Differences between TsAM and silumin

Invincible consumer goods

Despite the statements of marketers about the advantages of silumin structures, the only reason for their advertising is rapid wear and tear, and, as a consequence, the need to buy a new product to replace the old one. This increases the level of sales, especially in plumbing, where taps, mixers, heating radiators, etc. are made from this material.

Alternative sources of silumin waste are:

Silumin dishes - well-known cauldrons made of silumin

Car parts made of silumin

• weapons industry;

Silumin gas pistol body. Why silumin? In order to prevent a gas pistol from being turned into a firearm, because... silumin will not withstand the load of a firearm bullet

Various silumin housings

• consumer goods.

Washbasin made of silumin

Of course, parts for aircraft and boats are rare on the secondary raw materials market, but frying pans, pots and other household utensils are replenished quite regularly. Silumin is especially popular in camping dishes.

The good casting properties of the compound and its light weight have led to its use as the main material in the production of cauldrons, kettles and even barbecues. It is also used to make mini smokehouses.

Sometimes cast cookware contains an alloy as the base material, but is coated with a layer of enamel on top.

The next product containing silumin is weapons. A large proportion of gas pistols and revolvers have a body made of this material. The compound is also present in air rifles and the Osa barrelless pistol.

The automotive industry uses aluminum-silicon alloys to produce cast housings for various purposes. Also, some cylinder heads (cylinder heads) are made of silumin.

Features of acceptance of aluminum waste with high silicon content

Silumin scrap is delivered as waste aluminum alloys. This is how they buy it at most scrap yards. A similar position is given to waste of this material in the state standard. The latest edition of GOST 1639-2009 assigns several categories to aluminum compounds with high silicon content:

1. Aluminum casting waste. The group unites several brands of silumin, including AK12, 8, 7 and 5. This includes sprues, flashes, as well as rejected products.
2. Motor scrap. Contains silumin brands similar to the previous paragraph. The group consists of engine parts and components that have become unusable.
3. Mixed waste from foundry aluminum alloys. This category includes castings of machine components, aircraft parts, as well as other aluminum-silicon compounds without the presence of pigs.
4. Silumin piston scrap is divided into two groups. The first includes separated waste that does not contain foreign inclusions of supports, shafts, steel rings, etc. The second category includes undivided worn pistons.
5. Scrap of aluminum casting alloys containing nickel. The group combines waste of double silumin, that is, compounds of aluminum and silicon alloyed with another metal. In this case it is nickel.
6. Aircraft scrap, cut up. The category includes casting alloys used in aircraft construction.
7. Waste of crushed aluminum and its compounds.

The silicon concentration in alloys ranges from 9 to 22%.

Products made of silumin

Price for silumin scrap per 1 kilogram

It is worth noting that some metal receiving machines will not separate TsAM scrap, duralumin, silumin, etc. At such points there is such a category as mixed aluminum scrap and the price, as a rule, is slightly underestimated, on average it is about 60 rubles per kg .

In some non-ferrous metal scrap collection points you will also not find such a category as silumin scrap. Don’t worry, but here you will see such a category as “household aluminum scrap” - this will include silumin scrap at a price of 70 rubles per kg .

Those acceptances that have silumin in the price list will give on average the same price - 70 rubles per kg .

Silumin shavings are also accepted. However, as for solid-piece scrap of this compound, it is sold as a mixture with shavings of other aluminum alloys. However, most non-ferrous metal scrap collection points may require that high-silicon chips be sorted separately.

silumin casting

Source: http://xlom.ru/vidy-metalloloma/lom-silumina-chto-takoe-silumin-cena-za-1-kg-loma/

How to distinguish silumin from aluminum

Products made of silumin are increasingly found on store shelves. These can be frying pans, pots, water taps and other products. This material is obtained artificially; you will find a more detailed answer to the question: silumin - what is it, in the article below.

Description of material

The definition of silumin is easy to find on Wikipedia - it is an aluminum-based alloy with the addition of silicon. In this case, the content of the additional component ranges from 4 to 22%, and the main part is aluminum. The composition of the silumin alloy also contains a small amount of impurities of other metals: copper, calcium, titanium, iron, zinc, manganese and others.

Since the maximum amount of silicon is up to 22%, it is externally easy to distinguish it from real metal. It is slightly darkened, so it resembles cast iron, but only an experienced person will be able to actually recognize this material.

What is silumin in real life, and where is it found?    

Basic properties of silumin

When compared, the properties of silumin are equated to the properties of stainless steel, but the former has less mass.  

About the properties of aluminum alloy with silicon:

1. Durability, resistance to wear and corrosion. The oxide film formed on the surface serves as protection against negative environmental factors.
2. The density of the material is about 3 g/cm3.
3. The plasticity or fluidity of an alloy is an important property necessary for casting complex configurations, which significantly reduces the cost of the casting process.
4. The melting point of silumin is about 6000 C, which is almost three times lower than the melting point of steel, and this also affects the quality of casting and the cost of work.

Based on the above indicators, products made from this material are increasingly in consumer demand.      

How is silumin marked?

Marking of alloys is carried out based on the requirements of international standards of the ISO system:

1. “AL 9” means: A - aluminum, L - foundry, 9 - percentage of additional constituent substance.
2. “AK 15” is marked according to the same principle, only the letter “K” means “Silicon”.

Includes:

• 90% main component (aluminum);
• about 9% silicon;
• manganese up to 0.5%;
• titanium up to 0.1%;
• copper up to 0.6%;
• zinc up to 0.3%.

Marking is done as follows: for example, silumin alloy is AK5 Ts8. A is aluminum, K is silicon in an amount of 5%, C is zinc in an amount of 8%.

Types of silumin

The material is classified into 3 types:

1. Preecteutic. It is characterized by the fact that the silicon content ranges from 4 to 10% of the bulk. This composition may also include additional elements: manganese, copper or magnesium.
2. Type 2 - refers to more wear-resistant, with a silicon content of about 20%.
3. Special alloys with the addition of impurities of other metals, for example, zinc or titanium.

Depending on the technical parameters, various castings are performed in production processes.

Alloy groups

Silumin alloys are divided into several groups. This distinction is made according to the purpose of the materials:

1. AK 12 is a eutectic silumin containing 12% silicon. During heat treatment, the casting is not strengthened and does not become hard during shrinkage. Parts made of such material are structurally designed for sealed low-load devices.
2. Highly alloyed hypereutectic silumin is labeled, for example, AK4M5. Belongs to the piston group and is used when performing work under high-temperature conditions. It has high resistance to high temperatures and wear resistance. The use of this alloy for particularly important products operating under high load conditions. These are large-sized and critical parts.

How to repair silumin products

Products made from this material may develop cracks or chips during use. How to glue silumin? To restore the appearance, you can use epoxy glue. But it is worth considering that this product will not work under increased loads.

Operation technology:

1. Degrease the areas to be glued and dry a little.
2. Dilute the glue in the appropriate consistency and apply it to the surface intended for gluing.
3. Connect the parts of the product and apply force, then leave it at rest for a day.

Advice! It is recommended to reinforce the gluing areas with a special putty with fiber filler. Instead of epoxy resin, you can use solders designed for aluminum or adhesives for the same material.

Silumin repair using welding

It is a mistake to think that welding silumin is a simple process that can be performed by everyone. When welding products, many questions may arise. The material heats up quickly, as a result of which an oxide film begins to appear.

This phenomenon will not allow the parts of the product to connect. Therefore, the choice was made in favor of welding with argon, since it is this gas that provides protection from external negative factors during operations. The alloy will better restore and strengthen the structure.

How to weld silumin?

Process description:

1. Prepare electrodes for welding; non-consumable tungsten ones are suitable for these purposes. For welding products, it is recommended to use solders: HTS-2000, Harris-52 or ER 4043, intended for welding aluminum structures.
2. Degrease the welded edges.
3. To ensure reliable weldability, the part must be fixed in a rigid fixture.
4. Before carrying out welding work, the surface should be heated to 220 0 C. To remove the heat, steel gaskets should be used.
5. Carrying out welding work. Alternating current is used for welding surfaces. The work is done manually.

! Which welding inverter is better to buy? The forums will tell you and suggest which tool is best to purchase for independent work.

After the work has been completed, the products can be operated at reduced loads. Before actually welding silumin at home, it is recommended to practice on samples.

Where is silumin used?

The popularity of using silumin today is highest in the field of mechanical engineering and aircraft manufacturing. And this is not surprising, since the material is light and durable. It makes it easier for airplanes to lift, but for cars it affects the cost: the more weight, the lower the price.

It is used to produce spare parts such as pistons, engines, body parts and cylinders. Slav is often used in the production of weapons, for example, air rifles, including barrel boxes and almost all components of these weapons.

In modern design, silumin weapons are light and comfortable to handle. The main disadvantage of structural elements is the fragility of the material, that is, with any minor impact, the product can crack or break.

Silumin pans are lightweight, but again, fragile.

Silumin, the use of which has become popular for gas turbine generators consisting of plate heat exchangers, is an excellent solution for equipping power supply systems. The melting point allows the material to be used for these products.

Silumin production

The production of silumin is carried out not only by large enterprises in the metallurgical industry, but also by private laboratories. Process improvements are constantly being upgraded.

1. Metals for the charge are extracted from the ore; silumin can be produced from the ash that remains after the operation of thermal power plants. Ash is restored by electronization and with the help of the element cryolite. There are many other impurities in the charge that do not affect the quality characteristics of the alloy. The only thing is that iron affects the quality of the alloy, but if it is in the range from 0.8 to 1.5%, then this amount is allowed and is contained in waste from thermal power plants, so the use of such slags for the manufacture of products has a beneficial effect on the environment.
2. In nature, compounds of aluminum and silicon are also found in bauxite ore, but, according to technology, alloys of these components are produced artificially, which helps improve the quality of finished products.

What is brass

The material looks like gold, but it is a compound of copper and zinc. To improve performance properties, nickel, iron, tin, lead and other ingredients are added to the composition. Impurities are about 10%, and zinc from 30 to 35%.

Properties of brass:

• density 8500 kg/m3;
• melting point from 880 to 9500C;
• easy to process;
• wear resistance;
• viscosity;
• Depending on the content of the predominant metal, it can be thermally conductive or electrically conductive.

Manufactured products: wire, foil, rods, metal sheets, pipes, fittings. It is used to make jewelry, photo frames and badges. The cost of the products is relatively low, and their service life is long, without losing their presentation.

Comparison of silumin and brass

Silumin or brass, which is better? Compared to brass, silumin is a more fragile material, but in terms of price characteristics it is cheaper.

Faucets and valves made of silumin have a short service life, they quickly rust and can quickly break if a technical accident occurs, which does not exclude flooding of the lower floors. Energy metering devices using elements made from this material may also not withstand high pressure parameters and will quickly become unusable

The silumin material does not withstand high water temperatures, the service life of water taps does not exceed a year, microcracks gradually form on them, which leads to failure of the device.

  Aluminum has oxidized, what to do?

For water supply systems, it is best to choose brass products, although they are more expensive, they can withstand hot water and high pressure.

How to distinguish silumin from brass? To distinguish these two materials, you should pay attention to the color of the product from which they are made: brass is yellowish, and silumin is white. Moreover, the first one is heavier than the second one.

Structural products made of silumin can be chosen for other purposes, in cases where the main load falls on other elements.

Advice! When choosing faucets, it is better not to save money; personal safety and that of others depends on it.

Products made of silumin are in demand today, as they are inexpensive and their appearance is quite aesthetic, but when choosing, it is recommended to have knowledge about their purpose.

on topic: silumin faucet

Source: http://ooo-asteko.ru/kak-otlichit-silumin-ot-alyuminiya/

What is silumin and its strength

Few people know about the existence of such an alloy as silumin, but most come across it in the form of various products. It is used to make water taps, dishes and many other metal objects. So what is this alloy?

Silumin is an alloy based on aluminum and silicon. The majority, namely about 90%, of the alloy is aluminum, the rest is silicon. The production of silumin is very similar to the production of duralumin, but the latter also contains copper, magnesium and manganese.

The main difference between this alloy and conventional aluminum is that silumin has a higher level of strength.

Chemical properties

Despite the fact that this group includes alloys of aluminum and silicon, it should be noted that silumin can contain many other elements in small quantities. The composition of the alloy directly affects the characteristics of the finished products. The main condition for classifying an alloy as silumin is the percentage of silicon. It should be between 10% and 15%.

Due to the fact that aluminum makes up about 90%, the structure of silumin is very similar to the structure of aluminum. It is almost impossible to distinguish them with the naked eye.

The properties of silumin differ depending on the type of aluminum alloy. There are two types of metals in this group:

• normal silumins;
• wear-resistant.

The normal group has a silicon content of around 12%. The strength of alloys of this group is not at a high level, but they have other advantages. First of all, ease of processing and excellent casting properties. The absence of various impurities makes this type of silumin neutral to the effects of aggressive environments and various chemicals.

Wear-resistant alloys contain about 20% silicon. This composition gives silumin increased strength, significantly exceeding the strength of aluminum. But processing products made from this alloy is more complex and requires greater effort.

Characterizing the chemical properties of silumin, it should be noted that they practically do not differ from the properties of aluminum. They vary only slightly depending on the percentage of various additives. First of all, adding silicon to aluminum directly affects the physical properties.

Physical properties

An alloy such as silumin is often compared with stainless steel in its physical properties. But it is much lighter than steel, which is its main advantage.

Despite its low weight, the strength of silumin is not inferior to steel and other analogue metals. Like aluminum, this alloy does not corrode; this is facilitated by a protective film that is formed from oxide compounds.

Such a film is formed on the surface at the slightest damage through the interaction of oxygen and aluminum molecules.

The color of silumin is gray, when cut it is silvery, very much reminiscent of the color of aluminum.

Decorative elements made of silumin

The light weight of the alloy with high strength is possible due to the low density of the composition, which is significantly lower than that of steel. Considering the above advantages, the use of silumin today is preferable to the use of steel. Considering the relatively low cost of the alloy, silumin is used to produce cheap household appliances, which are often not inferior in reliability to expensive analogues.

Its advantage is also plasticity. This makes it suitable for casting complex shapes that require uniform metal distribution and a strong structure. Casting in this case requires less effort, which makes production more economical.

The melting point of silumin is about 670 degrees, which is much lower than the melting point of steel. This physical property also affects the reduction in the cost of metal products.

It should be noted that physical properties directly depend on the amount of impurities. These include magnesium and manganese, which are added purposefully. Or zinc, calcium and iron, which are simply not disposed of in production. Therefore, the quality of silumin may differ even with the same labeling - it depends on the production technology and the integrity of the manufacturer.

Physical properties also include increased wear resistance. Products made from this substance are resistant to mechanical stress and have a long service life.

Silumin engine block head

A disadvantage of the material is fragility. The products have an increased level of strength, but if this threshold is exceeded they may crack. They can be repaired using either epoxy glue or welding. But welding work should be carried out with care so as not to melt the product. Argon with solders is usually used for welding aluminum.

Area of ​​application of silumin

Today, the scope of application of silumin is varied, but it is most often used in the production of cars and aircraft. Main areas of application:

1. It has gained high popularity in the aircraft industry due to its combination of low weight and high strength, which is very important for lifting aircraft into the sky and saving fuel.
2. Similar properties are desirable in automobile production. Thus, the weight of the car directly affects the driving characteristics of the car, maneuverability on the road and fuel consumption. In the field of mechanical engineering, the alloy is used to produce engine parts.
3. Recently, silumin has gained particular popularity in the weapons industry, especially for the production of air rifles. Airsoft players prefer weapons made from this material due to its light weight, high strength and reliability, which, given the high cost of such rifles, is an irreplaceable quality.
4. It is also used in the production of many household products, from pots and pans to faucets. Household products made from silumin are popular due to their low cost.

Marking

Based on the variability of alloys, a special silumin marking was developed. Thanks to it, it is possible to quickly and accurately select a material with the desired properties, determine the composition, percentage of elements and physical properties.

Marking is based on a combination of alphabetic and digital designations. The letters indicate the components that make up the alloy, for example, A-aluminum, K-silicon, C-zinc. The order of the letter designations is determined based on the percentage of components, so the silumin brand always begins with the letter A.

The numbers indicate the percentage of each component except aluminum in the composition. For example, AK20 indicates the presence of 20% silicon and, accordingly, 80% aluminum.

It should be noted that labeling may vary depending on manufacturers and country of production. Therefore, when purchasing products with unclear markings, it is better to consult with the seller.

Source: https://moy-instrument.ru/masteru/chto-takoe-silumin-i-ego-prochnost.html

Silumin

The list of products manufactured by Orion-Spetssplav-Gatchina includes alloys of various compositions and purposes. Along with other products, the company can always buy silumin of various brands: AK4M4, AK5M2, AKM4, AK6M2, AK7, AK7pch, AK8M3, AK9, AK9M2, AK10M2N, AK12, AK12zh and others.

 We have modern production facilities; In the production of silumin, high-quality raw materials and equipment are used to ensure compliance with the requirements of the technological process.

Our company is a regular supplier to a number of large enterprises located both in Russia and abroad.

Silumin: description, key features, application

The material is an alloy consisting of aluminum and silicon. Also, depending on the brand, silumin may contain a small amount of additives of iron, copper, potassium, zinc, titanium and other elements. All brands of silumin are characterized by high casting properties due to low shrinkage, significant fluidity and ease of welding.

During the production of silumin using the casting method, cracks do not form. The alloy demonstrates high corrosion resistance, sufficient strength and wear resistance. Considering the slight difference in the solubility of silicon included in the composition, at low and high temperatures the alloys are of little use for hardening by heat treatment.

For this reason, the properties of silumin are usually improved by modification.

Modification is the treatment of a liquid alloy with a small amount of sodium or sodium salts. This process ensures a reduction in particles of the eutectic mixture due to the ability of the component to envelop silicon crystals, preventing their growth.

Due to their low cost, combined with manufacturability, silumin alloys are extremely widely used in the production of a wide variety of parts, from components of household appliances to components used in automobile and aircraft construction.

Below are some brands of silumin produced by our company. Please note that the list is far from complete. In addition, in agreement with the customer, we produce alloys and non-standard chemical compositions.

Brand	Form	Compound	Marking	Standard
AK7	Wafer ingot Size 400*200*40 mm	Al-87.6-93.6% Si 6-8%	White stripe, Red stripe	GOST 1583-93 Customer's specifications
AK8	Wafer ingot Size 400*200*40 mm Weight 5-7 kg	Al-base Cu-3.9-5% Si-0.5-1.2% Mg-0.2-0.8%	GOST 1583-93 ENAW-AlCu4SiMg Customer Specifications
AK9	Wafer ingot Size 400*200*40 mm Weight 5-7 kg	Al-base Si-8-11% Mn-0.2-0.5% Mg-0.2-0.4%	White stripe, Yellow stripe	GOST 1583-93 GAlSi9Mg Customer's specifications
AK12	Wafer ingot Size 400*200*40 mm Weight 5-7 kg	Al-84.3-90% Si 10-13%	White stripe, Green stripeGreen stripe	GOST 1583-93 Customer's specifications G-AlSi12

Impurities, changes in chemical composition - by agreement of the parties

Advantages of ordering silumin and other products from the Orion-Spetssplav-Gatchina company:

• availability of our own powerful certified laboratory;
• Consistently high quality achieved through constant monitoring of the main characteristics of the product;
• an extensive range, including all the main alloys and master alloys used today in the metallurgical industry.

You can buy silumin of various brands by contacting our company. To do this, just call us at 8 (812) 438-40-91 or send an email to [email protected] .

2016 Orion-Spetssplav-Gatchina LLC

Source: http://Orion-nm.ru/silumin

What is silumin and where is it used?

Silumin is an alloy made from aluminum. In recent years, more and more items made of silumin have been found on store shelves - frying pans, pots, kitchen utensils, plumbing parts, building materials. Before purchasing products made from this alloy, you need to familiarize yourself with its characteristics and production methods.

General information

People who do not know about metal alloys are unlikely to understand what silumin is. Silumin is a mixture containing aluminum and silicon. An additional component included in the alloy is silicon. It may contain 4–22%. The rest is made up of aluminum. The silumin material can be supplemented with various inclusions of other metals.

Chemical and physical properties

The basic properties of silumin directly depend on its composition. The characteristics of the alloy change depending on foreign inclusions and the percentage of silicon. Chemical and physical properties:

1. The melting point of silumin is 580 degrees.
2. Density - 3g/cm3.
3. The strength of silumin - this property determines the resistance of the alloy to active use and corrosive processes. An oxide film forms on the surface of the mixture, which protects the material from environmental factors.
4. Plasticity of the alloy. This indicator is responsible for the casting properties of the material. Any metal has a yield point.

The key advantages of the alloy that buyers of silumin products highlight are its low cost, wear resistance and low relative weight.

Marking

Silumin is marked according to the international ISO system, which establishes certain requirements for alloys:

1. AK 15 - the letter “A” stands for aluminum, and “K” stands for silicon. The number indicated after the abbreviation indicates the percentage of the additional component.
2. AL 9 - the letter “A” stands for aluminum, and “L” stands for lithium. As in the first case, the number after the abbreviation is the percentage of additional material in the alloy.

In addition to the designation of the main and additional components, another material with the highest percentage in the alloy composition may be added. For example, there are markings that say “AK 15 Ts7”. The mixture contains aluminum, silicon and zinc. The last two components occupy 15 and 7%, and aluminum occupies the rest of the volume.

Kinds

There are the following types of silumin alloys:

1. The first type includes mixtures in which the percentage of silicon does not exceed 10%. The composition may also contain manganese, magnesium or copper.
2. The second type of alloys includes wear-resistant materials. They can contain up to 20% silicon.
3. The third type represents mixtures that contain other metals. These may include zinc and titanium.

The addition of third-party metals to the composition of mixtures depends on the further use of silumin casting. Mixtures of aluminum and other materials can be divided into groups depending on their industrial use.

For example, for equipment operating under high pressure, high-alloy silumin is used. This material is resistant to temperature changes and increased loads.

Silumin with a silicon percentage of about 10–12 is used for the manufacture of equipment that operates without serious loads.

Production

In the process of development of metallurgy, new methods of producing alloys appear. Old technologies are also being improved. Silumin can be produced in two ways:

1. The first is to extract metal for the charge from ore. However, such a mixture will be saturated with foreign inclusions.
2. During the operation of thermal power plants, ash remains, from which silumin can be made. It is mixed with cryolite and an alloy is obtained through the process of electronization.

You can also find a mixture of aluminum and silicon in nature.
These two components are found in bauxite ore. However, it is possible to obtain an alloy that will be used in industry only artificially. Aluminum casting. Part 1. Silumin

Application area

The main industries where silumin is used are aircraft manufacturing and mechanical engineering. This is due to the fact that the aluminum-silicon alloy is light, durable and wear-resistant. Pistons, body parts, cylinders and engines are manufactured for equipment. This alloy is often used to make air guns. On store shelves you can see various kitchen utensils made of this material.

The weakness of mechanisms and parts made of silumin is their low strength. A strong impact may cause the metal to crack.

How to repair silumin products

The low strength of the material causes frequent breakdowns of products made from silumin. After impacts, cracks and chips may appear on them. To put the product in order, you need to know how to properly carry out repair work at home. To do this, you need to follow a certain sequence:

1. The gluing area must be cleaned of dirt, degreased and dried.
2. Mix aluminum glue to the required consistency and cover the gluing area with an even layer.
3. Combine individual parts.

It is advisable to press the gluing area with a weight.

Repair work can be carried out using welding. However, in this case the material should not be overheated. Otherwise, an oxide film will form that will have to be cleaned off. The best option for joining parts by welding is to use argon. It will protect silumin from environmental factors during welding.

Pricing

Although aluminum is one of the 5 most common metals on the planet, its reserves are gradually declining. Therefore, it is cheaper for manufacturers to make products from an alloy rather than using pure material. The cost of silumin is influenced by several factors:

1. The higher the percentage of aluminum contained in the mixture, the more expensive the material will be. The same applies to titanium.
2. In the presence of visual defects and corrosion processes, the cost of the material is reduced.

Typically, the price of an alloy is calculated depending on the cost of the components that make up it. Substances and their quantities are indicated on the product.

The mixture of aluminum and silicon is becoming more popular every day. Wear resistance, light specific weight, resistance to corrosive processes are key advantages that attract buyers. However, we must not forget about the low strength of this material. If a silumin product breaks, it can be repaired using epoxy resin, aluminum glue or argon welding.

What is silumin and where is it used Link to main publication

Source: https://metalloy.ru/splavy/silumin

Silumin - what is it and what is the melting point: making the alloy at home

Products made of silumin are increasingly found on store shelves. These can be frying pans, pots, water taps and other products. This material is obtained artificially; you will find a more detailed answer to the question: silumin - what is it, in the article below.

Silumin (alloy): composition, properties

A group of casting alloys based on aluminum, containing silicon from 4 to 22%, is called silumin. The alloys are highly resistant to corrosion in humid environments and seawater. The composition of silumin (alloy) also includes a small amount of impurities of manganese, zinc, titanium, iron, copper and calcium. They have good casting and mechanical properties and are easy to cut. The appearance of the material is more reminiscent of cast iron, and it is difficult to recognize it without experience working with it.

Basic properties

Its properties are often compared to steel (stainless). It should be noted that it has a lower specific gravity compared to the latter. Silumins are alloys of aluminum and silicon. They have the following properties:

• specific strength. The indicators of the alloy and steel are close in value, but given that the weight of silumin is less, structures made from it are more advantageous;
• wear resistance;
• anti-corrosion. A protective film is formed on the surface of the metal, which protects it from the negative influence of the environment;
• low specific gravity equal to 2.8 g/cm3;
• plasticity. When poured into alloy molds, parts with complex configurations are obtained. Thanks to good fluidity, the casting process is cheaper;
• low melting point. It is approximately 600 degrees Celsius, which is significantly lower than the melting point of steel. This property also affects casting and reduces the cost of work;
• at an affordable price.

The listed properties of silumin (alloy) show that this material is advantageous to use in the production of various products. It should be noted, however, that it has increased fragility. If dropped, a part made of silumin may crack.

Silumins are aluminum-based alloys. Silicon and some other elements are added to them to improve properties. To quickly and accurately select a material with a certain composition and percentage of its constituent elements, alloy markings have been developed.

It includes a combination of numeric and alphabetic characters. The letters indicate the components included in the composition, and the numbers indicate their percentage, except aluminum. The letters are arranged in descending order of the element's percentage content. The notation AK12Ts3 means that the alloy contains 12% silicon, 3% zinc, and the rest - 85% aluminum.

Repair of silumin products

Silumin is an alloy that is highly brittle, so products made from it may crack during use.

Epoxy glue is used to restore them. The appearance will be restored, but you should not use it under heavy loads. For gluing you should:

• degrease the area where the glue will be applied and let it dry;
• dilute the glue in accordance with the attached instructions and apply to a degreased surface;
• tightly connect the broken parts and forget about them for a day.

Repair by welding

In some cases, it is better to weld the damaged product. This procedure can be carried out independently at home or referred to a specialist. During work, the temperature of the material increases, as a result of which an oxide film appears on the alloy, preventing the joining of parts of the product. To eliminate these negative phenomena, argon is used for welding, which provides protection against negative factors. To work you need:

• prepare non-consumable tungsten electrodes and solder for welding aluminum structures;
• degrease the surface;
• fix the product;
• heat the surface to 220 degrees Celsius. To remove heat, place the part to be welded on a steel pad;
• weld the seam using alternating current;
• process seams for aesthetic appearance.

The product is ready for use under light loads.

Conclusion

Silumin is an alloy in which aluminum is the main element. The silicon additive makes the material hard and wear-resistant. When producing silumin by casting, cracks do not form. There is not a single branch of the national economy where aluminum alloys are not used.

Silumin is used for the manufacture of firearms bodies, spare parts for cars, motorcycles, ships, and dishes. All alloys of aluminum and silicon are called silumins. And they all have different properties. This depends on the silicon content in the silumin (alloy), which can be 4–22% of the total volume. The more it is in the alloy, the harder it is, but at the same time it becomes more fragile.

Source: https://FB.ru/article/373057/silumin-splav-sostav-svoystva