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The ecological meanings clearly indicates the need of reducing of the concentration of the CO2 in the atmosphere, which can be accomplished through the lowering of the fuel consumption. This fact implies the research for the new construction solutions regarding the reduction of the weight of vehicles. The reduced weight of the vehicle is also important in the case of application of the alternative propulsion, to extend the lifetime of the batteries with the reduction of recharge cycles. The use of cast alloy AlZnMgCu compliant of plastic forming class 7xxx alloy, are intended to significantly reduce the weight of the structures, while ensuring high strength properties. The wide range of the solidification temperature, which is more than 150°C, characterizes this alloy with a high tendency to create the micro and macro porosity. The study presents the relationship between the cooling rate and the area of occurrence and percentage of microporosity. Then the results were linked to the local tensile strength predicted in the simulation analysis. The evaluation of the microporosity was performed on the basis of the CT (computed tomography) and the analysis of the alloy microstructure. The microstructure analysis was carried out on test specimen obtained from the varying wall thickness of the experimental casting. The evaluation of the mechanical properties was prepared on the basis of the static tensile test and the modified low cycle fatigue test (MLCF).

Lead-free alloys containing various amounts of zinc (4.5%, 9%, 13%) and constant copper addition (1%) were discussed. The results of microstructure examinations carried out by light microscopy (qualitative and quantitative) and by SEM were presented. In the light microscopy, a combinatorial method was used for the quantitative evaluation of microstructure. In general, this method is based on the phase quanta theory according to which every microstructure can be treated as an arrangement of phases/structural components in the matrix material. Based on this method, selected geometrical parameters of the alloy microstructure were determined. SEM examinations were based on chemical analyses carried out in microregions by EDS technique. The aim of the analyses was to identify the intermetallic phases/compounds occurring in the examined alloys. In fatigue testing, a modified low cycle fatigue test method (MLCF) was used. Its undeniable advantage is the fact that each time, using one sample only, several mechanical parameters can be estimated. As a result of structure examinations, the effect of alloying elements on the formation of intermetallic phases and compounds identified in the examined lead-free alloys was determined. In turn, the results of mechanical tests showed the effect of intermetallic phases identified in the examined alloys on their fatigue life. Some concepts and advantages of the use of the combinatorial and MLCF methods in materials research were also presented.

• Theory and practice of environmental protection in the case of foundries in Europe and Asia • Experience resulting from the cooperation with the foundries in a few European countries, China and India • Phenomena and factors affecting the pollution of the natural environment and the implementation of measures aiming at the environmental protection. Every specialist dealing with foundry processes and their impact on environmental pollution must have encountered in their professional careers numerous situations in which the theory of environmental protection confronts the stark reality. The discrepancy between theory and practice can particularly be noticed in foundry engineering in developing countries where the contrasts between different countries and casting plants are extremely striking. The comparison of working conditions in European and Asian foundries provides a vast scope for further observations and analyses. Environmental protection seems not only a concern of manufacturers of castings, but also of their customers whose opinion exerts a significant influence on both the acceptability of working conditions and on the approach to environmental pollution adopted in metal casting industry. The article presents a number of examples of various outlooks on environmental issues in foundries manufacturing a wide range of cast steel and cast iron castings, where different technologies and production processes are applied.

The study includes the results of research conducted on selected lead-free binary solder alloys designed for operation at high temperatures. The results of qualitative and quantitative metallographic examinations of SnZn alloys with various Zn content are presented. The quantitative microstructure analysis was carried out using a combinatorial method based on phase quanta theory, per which any microstructure can be treated as an array of elements disposed in the matrix material. Fatigue tests were also performed using the capabilities of a modified version of the LCF method hereinafter referred to in short as MLCF, which is particularly useful in the estimation of mechanical parameters when there are difficulties in obtaining many samples normally required for the LCF test. The fatigue life of alloys was analyzed in the context of their microstructure. It has been shown that the mechanical properties are improved with the Zn content increasing in the alloy. However, the best properties were obtained in the alloy with a chemical composition close to the eutectic system, when the Zn-rich precipitates showed the most preferred morphological characteristics. At higher content of Zn, a strong structural notch was formed in the alloy because of the formation in the microstructure of a large amount of the needle-like Zn-rich precipitates deteriorating the mechanical characteristics. Thus, the results obtained during previous own studies, which in the field of mechanical testing were based on static tensile test only, have been confirmed. It is interesting to note that during fatigue testing, both significant strengthening and weakening of the examined material can be expected. The results of fatigue tests performed on SnZn alloys have proved that in this case the material was softened.

The article presents the concept of division of a carbon block into single cathode sections to reduce stresses that occur during thermal shock accompanying the operation of pouring cast iron into a shaped groove in which the current-carrying steel pin is mounted. The temperature field and the state of stress were determined by FEM. Experimental measurements were used to determine the core displacement during pouring operation. The calculations were verified by thermovision and photoelastic method. Based on the temperature field and stress field analysis, a method for the block division into sections has been proposed, resulting in a significant reduction of the stress level.

The development of a novel design for the toothed segment of drive transmission in longwall shearer is expected to significantly reduce the cost of individual components of the feed system and the related work of repair and renovations, increasing at the same time the safety of mine repair teams.

The article presents various aspects of the analysis of the state of stress in carbon block induced by the effect of temperature when a steel pin is connected to the block by pouring a shaped groove with cast iron. Changes in the temperature and state of stress in the block were examined by FEM (Abaqus program). The numerical model was validated by experimental measurements of pin deflection during pouring of the groove with cast iron.

The article presents the results of fatigue life tests and microstructure examinations of A359 alloy matrix composites (F3S.10S and F3S.30S) containing 10 and 30wt% of SiC particles, subjected to multiple remelting by conventional gravity casting. Mechanical characteristics were determined in a modified low cycle fatigue (MLCF) test, enabling rapid estimation of fatigue life and other mechanical parameters in practice of any material. Qualitative and quantitative metallographic examinations were also carried out. The quantitative evaluation of microstructure was performed by computer image analysis. A set of geometrical parameters of the reinforcing particles, pores and eutectic precipitates present in the metal matrix was determined. The relationships between the mechanical parameters, structural characteristics and the number of remelting operations were presented. It was found that up to the fourth remelting, the mechanical characteristics, including fatigue life, are slightly deteriorated but decrease gradually in the subsequent operations of remelting. The observed effect is mainly due to the shrinkage porosity occurring as a result of gravity casting. To eliminate this defect, the use of squeeze casting process was recommended. It has also been shown that multiple remelting can be an easy and economically well-founded alternative to other more expensive recycling methods.

The article presents the analysis of properties of the high-strength AlZnMgCu (abbr AlZn) aluminium alloy and estimates possibilities of its application for responsible structures with reduced weight as an alternative to iron alloy castings. The aim of the conducted studies was to develop and select the best heat treatment regime for a 7xx casting alloy based on high-strength materials for plastic working from the 7xxx series. For analysis, wrought AlZnMgCu alloy (7075) was selected. Its potential of the estimated as-cast mechanical properties indicates a broad spectrum of possible applications for automotive parts and in the armaments industry. The resulting tensile and fatigue properties support the thesis adopted, while the design works further confirm these assumptions.

The article discusses the weldment to casting conversion process of rocker arm designed for operation in a special purpose vehicle to obtain a consistency of objective functions, which assume the reduced weight of component, the reduced maximum effort of material under the impact of service loads achieved through topology modification for optimum strength distribution in the sensitive areas, and the development of rocker arm manufacturing technology. As a result of conducted studies, the unit weight of the item was reduced by 25%, and the stress limit values were reduced to a level guaranteeing safe application.

The paper is devoted to reconstruction of size and depth (distance from the tested surface) of artificial defects with square and rectangular cross-section areas using the pulsed IR thermography. Defects in form of flat-bottom holes were made in austenitic steel plate. The defect size was estimated on the basis of surface distribution of the time derivative of the temperature. In order to asses the depth of defects with considered geometries on the basis of calibration relations (i.e. dependence of time of contrast maximum vs. defect depth for given defect diameter) obtained for circular defects, the ‘equivalent diameter’ describing not only the defect cross-section area but also its shape was assigned. It has been shown that presented approach gives satisfactory results.

This study discloses the characteristic features of the modified low-cycle fatigue test used for the determination of the mechanical properties of two types of cast iron, i.e. EN-GJL-250 and EN-GJS-600-3. For selected materials, metallographic studies were also conducted in the range of light microscopy and scanning microscopy.

Of great importance in the selection of materials for cast structures is keeping a proper balance between the mechanical and plastic properties, while preserving the relevant casting properties. This study has been devoted to an analysis of the choice and application of high-strength aluminium-based alloys maintaining sufficient level of casting properties. The high level of tensile strength (Rm > 500 MPa) matched with satisfactory elongation (A > 3%) is important because materials of this type are used for cast parts operating in the aerospace, automotive, and military industries. These beneficial relationships between the high tensile strength and toughness are relatively easy to obtain in the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys subjected to plastic forming and proper heat treatment. In gravity cast products, on the other hand, whether poured into sand moulds or metal moulds (dies), obtaining this favourable combination of properties poses a number of research problems (mostly resulting from the alloy chemical composition) as well as technical and technological difficulties.

W artykule zaprezentowano możliwości integracji nowoczesnych technologii wykonania oprzyrządowania odlewniczego oraz metod optymalizacji konstrukcji. Systemy przyrostowego wytwarzania (ang. additiv manufacturing, AM) pozwalają na projektowanie bardzo złożonych kształtów konstrukcji, spełniających w znacznie większym stopniu, niż inne metody technologiczne, kryteria kształtowania wytrzymałościowego. Niektóre z szerokiej gamy metod AM, omówione w niniejszym artykule, są szczególnie przydatne w wytwarzaniu form i rdzeni ceramicznych oraz metalowych części oprzyrządowania odlewniczego. Omówiono zastosowanie metod optymalizacji topologicznej w kształtowaniu konstrukcji we wczesnej fazie projektowania, szczególnie w tym przypadku, gdy określone są jedynie założenia dotyczące funkcjonowania podparć i sił działających na obiekt. Przykłady optymalizacji wykonano w oparciu o własny algorytm obliczeniowy, który umożliwia przemieszczanie i eliminowanie masy wewnątrz obszaru projektowego, tak aby przy określonych warunkach brzegowych i sposobie obciążenia, otrzymać najbardziej korzystny stosunek wytrzymałości do masy odlewu. Z reguły w wyniku zastosowania powyższego algorytmu powstają konstrukcje o złożonym kształcie - przestrzenne ramy lub kratownice oraz powierzchnie nie dające się opisać za pomocą prostych jednostek geometrycznych, dla których wykonania właściwe jest stosowanie przyrostowych metod wytwarzania oprzyrządowania odlewniczego.

1. Introduction. In this paper, we study the influence on the structure of a group of some families of its subgroups. Let G be a group and [??] be a [...]

The paper gives a survey of some recent results of the authors concerning the function [psi](G), which is the sum of orders of elements of a finite group; more precisely, the authors consider the question, how does the value of [psi](G) affect the structure of G. Keywords and phrases: orders of elements of groups, solvable groups, finite groups. AMS Subject Classification: 20D60, 20E34, 20F16, 1. Introduction. Let [member of] be a finite group. If x [member of] G, then we denote by o(x) the order of x and set [Please download the PDF to [...]