Rheocasting

Technology leader in the field of rheocasting

Innovative technologies for processing light metal alloys have undergone enormous development in recent years. These include rheocasting – a special casting process in which aluminum in a semi-solid state is processed into lightweight components with special material properties. SAG has brought this process to series maturity and is the technology leader in this field. Advantages of rheocasting:

The high strength and ductility, very good weldability and conductivity of rheocasting components enable efficient lightweight construction in many areas.

Less weight leads to greater range and lower energy consumption. Rheocasting can thus contribute to CO2 emission reduction with considerable weight savings.

More efficiency in the production process: Rheocasting can avoid costly reworking of castings.

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Lightweight design
Rheocasting
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Johannes Winklhofer
Head of Rheocasting
Rheocasting - Advantages and development process
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Rheocasting

Rheocasting

SAG is the technology leader in rheocasting – a special casting process in which aluminum is cast in a semi-solid or semi-liquid state. This so-called semi-solid process brings many advantages.

SAG is a leading manufacturer of rheocasting components, such as safety cab suspensions for trucks or air reservoirs for the automotive industry. there lend have recently been greatly expanded thanks to strong demand from the passenger car industry. This is because lightweight construction is becoming increasingly important, particularly in view of the electrification of passenger cars.

Electrification and extensive special and safety equipment add considerable weight to a car, which has to be reduced elsewhere, e.g. in the chassis, body or powertrain.

To achieve the CO2 emission limits with internal combustion engines, lightweight construction is essential.

Demand for the lightweight and particularly robust components is therefore rising sharply and production capacities are being continuously expanded; most recently, more than EUR 3.6 million was invested in expanding the rheocasting facilities at the SAG site in Lend.

The SAG development team works continuously with customers to develop and enhance the application areas of rheocasting.

Challenge

Challenge

Die Automotive-Industrie muss deshalb ihre Anstrengungen im Klimaschutz forcieren und den Durchschnittsverbrauch der aller Fahrzeuge massiv senken.

Greenhouse gas emissions from new passenger cars are to be reduced by 37.5% by 2030 according to EU climate targets. The target for new light commercial vehicles is 31% by 2030.

The automotive industry must therefore step up its climate protection efforts and massively reduce the average consumption of all vehicles.

Solution

Solution

Rheocasting makes a significant contribution to CO2 reduction in the automotive sector. With the particularly light and robust aluminum components, up to 60% weight reduction can be achieved in automotive construction (compared with steel parts).

Less weight means lower CO2 emissions. And thus easier achievement of climate targets. But Rheocasting can do even more.

Advantages

Advantages

Parts can be manufactured in all shapes with exact final dimensions.

No need for mechanical finishing, thus extremely cost-efficient production

Weight reduction of up to 60% with the same load-bearing capacity and service life of the elements compared with steel components

Significant reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions as a result

Very good weldability

Rheocasting

Less weight = less CO2 emissions

The advantages of rheocasting are many: The parts can be manufactured in all shapes – specifically adapted to the respective installation space. The elimination of mechanical finishing makes this extremely cost-efficient. In addition, the parts are extremely robust and have a low weight. Another important feature that distinguishes rheocasting from standard die casting is that the components can be welded very well.

Of particular interest for vehicle construction is the weight reduction of up to 60% that can be achieved compared with steel components – with the same load-bearing capacity and service life of the elements. Thus, the net weight of vehicles, which tends to increase due to the design, can be massively reduced by using the weight-optimizing SAG rheocasting components.

This reduces fuel consumption and thus CO2 emissions (with a weight saving of 120 kg, approx. 0.3 tons less CO2 per year and truck*).

Rheocasting offers a total package of benefits for which VOLVO awarded SAG an innovation prize in 2018.

Learn more about Rheocasting

Learn more about Rheocasting in our white paper “Using Recycled Materials for Semi-Solid Processing of Al-Si-Mg Based Alloys”.

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Learn more about Rheocasting