Development Of A Control System Of The Squeeze Casting Unit For Mg Wheel Production

In order to satisfy with the increasing demands of saving energy, consumption control and emission reduction, one of the most important developing trends for modern automobile and motorbike industry is light version mission. One of the main ways is to use advanced light quality material substitute traditional material.Magnesium alloys is the lightest commercialized structural metal material with low price, high intensity and high specific rigidity, and good damping ability. When it used for the structure of automobile and motorbike, it will have great functions on lighter weight, reducing fuel consumption, vibration and noise, improving the dynamics feature of power train. To some extent, it has achieved the goals for power saving and environment protection, and meanwhile, largely improved the comfort of drive and passengers. Hub is the most largely used and fast running up parts in automobile and motorbike. When magnesium alloys used for hub, it will largely reduce the weight(About 20%～25%)and running up rotating frequency. So using magnesium alloys made hub can obviously improve the mechanical feature, comfort and environment protection performance of vehicle.So, many countries of the world have paid a lot of attention on the research and development of magnesium alloys usage for transportation tools in recent years which have accelerated the application and research of magnesium alloys made hub on vehicle. In these studies, the development of wheel forming equipment furnace and forging press is the key. Currently, Chongqing SinoST has relatively mature mg alloys smelting technology and equipment. But the forging press on the market mostly use relay control, it can not meet requirements of mg alloy wheels forming, so it is urgent that automatic control system of organic linkage with the furnace are developed.As one part of the Chongqing SinoST research task on Magnesium alloys Made Hub Squeeze Casting System of, the author has already realized the design and research using PLC for main controlling unit, automatic controlling system-touching screen for magnesium alloys made hub squeeze casting system based on the Magnesium alloys Melting, Air Protection, Pouring Technology, Molding Method and Hydraulic Technology. This system will actualize magnesium alloys melting, air protection, fixed quantity pouring and squeezing press work using the internal software of PLC. Meanwhile, through the touching screen, it will indicate the each parameter and working status vividly for supervision so as to simplify the complexity of operation and reduce the break-down frequency of equipments improving the accuracy and flexibility of magnesium alloys made hub squeeze casting system.After assembled the system, the author simulated and overall test on-site debug to it. The result of debugging has shown the whole system running precisely, promptly, reliability, and it can satisfy the squeeze casting technology of magnesium alloys wheels.