铝及其合金长期以来一直在为各种各样的应用范围从普通家用器皿非常复杂的应用程序像太空飞船，飞机材料的选择、等汽车行业，寻找一个更优越的耐腐蚀钢的选择，也认识到它的使用逐渐增加铝继年初以来70的潜力（EAA，1996）目前定位为第三个最受喜爱的材料，汽车用钢和铁后。在汽车行业使用的是注定要在未来几年内增加，并通过2005铝的使用预计将增加约140公斤，每辆车从每辆75公斤1995值（EAA，1996）。铝发现在车辆中使用不同的形式和组件，如铸造组件，挤压形式和轧制产品。从工程设计的角度来看，铝及其合金的站出来为各种汽车铸件产品，目前超过80%的应用在汽车铝应用的一个非常有前途的替代是针对铸造部件如发动机缸体、齿轮块，缸盖，等（EAA、报告）。任何汽车铸造材料的选择基本上是由于大量的材料特性和兼容性，车辆设计与工程，可用性和供应，车辆的安全性和性能，燃油经济性和环境标准，成本因素等领域的广泛下降的主机。
这篇文章的目的是评估潜在的铝合金在汽车铸造应用，特别是考虑到汽车铸件组件的工程设计方面。一些重要的决定因素和属性的铝和它的合金，如目前和新兴领域的应用，设计铸造和制造技术的考虑，供应可用性和环境问题和成本和其他因素进行了评估和审查，以查看它如何适应计划的东西为汽车设计工程师在完成设计负担得起的和可靠的现代汽车的最终目标。作为一个整体，本文预计将扩大我们的知识，对汽车应用的铝合金的实际状况和潜力。
1. Introduction
Aluminum and its alloys have long been in use as the material of choice for a wide variety of applications ranging from common household utensils to very sophisticated applications like space crafts, airplanes, etc. The automobile industry, searching for a lighter and superior corrosion resistant alternative to steel, also recognized the potential of aluminum following which its use increased progressively since early 70's (EAA, 1996) presently positioning it as the 3rd most favored material for automotive applications after steel and iron. Its use in the automobile sector is destined to increase in the coming years, and by 2005 aluminum use is projected to increase to approximately 140 kg per car from the 1995 value of 75 kg per car (EAA, 1996). Aluminum finds use in vehicles in different forms and components like cast components, extruded forms and rolled products. From the standpoint of engineering and design, aluminum and its alloys stand out to be a very promising alternative for application in various automotive casting components and products and presently more than 80% of aluminum applications in automobiles are directed towards cast components e.g. engine blocks, gear blocks, cylinder heads, etc. (EAA, report). The selection of any automotive casting material is essentially attributable to a host of parameters broadly falling under the domains of - material characteristics & compatibility, vehicle design & engineering, availability & supply, vehicle safety & performance, fuel economy & environmental standards, cost factors, etc.
This essay aims to appraise the potential of aluminum alloys for use in automotive casting applications specifically considering the engineering & design aspects of automotive cast components. Some of the important determinants and attributes of aluminum and its alloys like present and emerging areas of applications, design-casting and manufacturing technology considerations, supply-availability & environmental issues and costs & other factors have been assessed and reviewed in this paper with a view to see how it fits into the scheme of things for automotive design engineers in accomplishing the ultimate goal of designing affordable and reliable modern vehicles. As a whole this paper is expected to extend our knowledge on the real status and potential of use of aluminum alloys for automotive applications.
