Integral foam molding

Integral foam molding (IFM) is an economical way to produce castings with integrated cellular structure, i.e. a solid skin and a foamed core. IFM is known for polymers since more than four decades and well established there in industrial production. Polymer integral foam parts are accepted as a material system with own properties which simplifies designs, reduces production costs and weight, and increases stiffness and overall strength. On the other hand, integral foam molding for metals is a new field of research. The development of metal based integral foam molding processes at WTM moves along analogous paths as that of polymers by transferring and adapting successful molding technologies for polymer integral foam to metals. Two molding techniques for metal integral foam are presented, a low and a high pressure process. During the low pressure integral foam molding process, the molten metal charged with blowing agent is injected into a permanent steel mold without completely filling it. In this case, the mold gets eventually filled by foam expansion. The strategy of the high pressure integral foam molding process HP-IFM is to initiate foaming by expansion of the mold cavity after it is completely filled with the mixture of the metal melt and the blowing agent.

• Hartmann J.:
  Mikrozellulare Aluminiumintegralschäume (Dissertation, 2022)
• Hartmann J., Fiegl T., Körner C.:
  Aluminum integral foams with tailored density profile by adapted blowing agents
  In: Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing 115 (2014), p. 651-660
  ISSN: 1432-0630
  DOI: 10.1007/s00339-014-8377-4
• Hartmann J., Blümel C., Ernst S., Fiegl T., Wirth KE., Körner C.:
  Aluminum integral foam castings with microcellular cores by nano-functionalization
  In: Journal of Materials Science 49 (2014), p. 79-87
  ISSN: 0022-2461
  DOI: 10.1007/s10853-013-7668-z
• Hartmann J., Trepper A., Körner C.:
  Aluminum integral foams with near-microcellular structure
  In: Advanced Engineering Materials 13 (2011), p. 1050-1055
  ISSN: 1438-1656
  DOI: 10.1002/adem.201100035
• Trepper A.:
  Niederdruck-Integralschaumgießen - Technologie für Aluminiumgussteile mit reduziertem Körperschall (Dissertation, 2010)
• Wiehler H.:
  Prozessentwicklung des Hochdruckintegralschaumgießens von Aluminium (Dissertation, 2010)
• Körner C., Hartmann J.:
  Aluminiumgussteile mit zellularem Kern
  In: Lightweight Design (2010), p. 28-34
  ISSN: 1865-4819
  DOI: 10.1007/BF03223614
• Körner C.:
  Integral Foam Molding of Light Metals
  Springer, 2008
  ISBN: 978-3-540-68838-9
• Solórzano E., Hirschmann M., Rodriguez-Perez M., Körner C., de Saja JA.:
  Thermal conductivity of AZ91 magnesium integral foams measured by the Transient Plane Source method
  In: Materials Letters 62 (2008), p. 3960-3962
  ISSN: 0167-577X
  DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2008.05.020
• Körner C.:
  Foam formation mechanisms in particle suspensions applied to metal foams
  In: Materials Science and Engineering A-Structural Materials Properties Microstructure and Processing 495 (2008), p. 227-235
  ISSN: 0921-5093
  DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2007.09.089
• Wiehler H., Körner C., Singer R.:
  High pressure integral foam moulding of aluminium - Process technology
  In: Advanced Engineering Materials 10 (2008), p. 171-178
  ISSN: 1438-1656
  DOI: 10.1002/adem.200700267
• Ibrahim A., Körner C., Singer R.:
  The effect of TiH2 particle size on the morphology of Al-foam produced by PM process
  In: Advanced Engineering Materials 10 (2008), p. 845-848
  ISSN: 1438-1656
  DOI: 10.1002/adem.200800139
• Trepper A., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Structural damping of integral foam components
  5th International Conference on Porous Metals and Metallic Foams, MetFoam 2007 (Montreal, QC)
  URL: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=56549119075&origin=inward
• Trepper A., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Reduced Structure Borne Sound of Integral Foam Components
  11th International Conference on Aluminium Alloys 2008
  In: J. Hirsch, B. Skrotzki, G. Gottstein (ed.): Aluminium Alloys, Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Aluminium Alloys 2008, Weinheim: 2008
• Wiehler H., Heinl P., Körner C., Singer R.:
  High pressure integral foam moulding of aluminium
  5th International Conference on Porous Metals and Metallic Foams, MetFoam 2007 (Montreal, QC)
  URL: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=56549084215&origin=inward
• Hirschmann M., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Integral foam molding - A new process for foamed magnesium castings
  5th International Conference on Processing and Manufacturing of Advanced Materials - THERMEC'2006 (Vancouver)
  In: Materials Science Forum 2007
• Hirschmann M.:
  Herstellung und Eigenschaften von spritzgegossenen Magnesium-Integralschäumen (Dissertation, 2007)
• Körner C., Hirschmann M., Wiehler H.:
  Integral foam moulding of light metals
  In: Materials Transactions 47 (2006), p. 2188-2194
  ISSN: 1345-9678
  DOI: 10.2320/matertrans.47.2188
• Körner C., Hirschmann M., Wiehler H., Trepper A., Singer R.:
  Integralschaumgießen von Leichtmetallen
  Industriekolloquium 2006 des SFB 396
• Hirschmann M., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Integralschäume aus Magnesiumlegierungen
  In: Gießereiforschung 57 (2005), p. 8-14
  ISSN: 0046-5933
• Körner C., Arnold M., Singer R.:
  Metal foam stabilization by oxide network particles
  In: Materials Science and Engineering A-Structural Materials Properties Microstructure and Processing 396 (2005), p. 28-40
  ISSN: 0921-5093
  DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2005.01.001
• Singer R., Körner C., Altstädt V., Münstedt H.:
  Cellular Metals and Polymers
  Zürich: Trans Tech Publications LTD, 2005
  ISBN: 0-87849-941-x
• Hirschmann M., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Injection Moulding of Magnesium Integral Foams
  International Symposium on Cellular Metals and Polymers (Fürth)
  In: R.F. Singer, C. Körner, V. Altstädt, H. Münstedt (ed.): Cellular Metals and Polymers, Zürich: 2005
• Ibrahim A., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Investigation of Micropore Creation on the PM-foam Mophology
  International Symposium on Cellular Metals and Polymers (Fürth)
  In: R.F. Singer, C. Körner, V. Altstädt, H. Münstedt (ed.): Cellular Metals and Polymers, Zürich: 2005
• Hirschmann M., Wiehler H., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Light metal integral foam - a promising material for structural applications
  CELLMET 2005 (Dresden)
  In: G. Stephani, B. Kieback (ed.): Proceedings of the International Symposium on Cellular metals for Structural and Functional Applications 2005 2005
• Körner C., Hirschmann M., Bräutigam V., Singer R.:
  Endogenous particle stabilization during magnesium integral foam production
  In: Advanced Engineering Materials 6 (2004), p. 385-390
  ISSN: 1438-1656
  DOI: 10.1002/adem.200405147
• Hirschmann M., Lamm M., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Magnesium Integral Foams: Production and Properties
  6th International Conference Magnesium Alloys and Their Applications (Wolfsburg)
  In: K. U. Kainer (ed.): Proceedings of the 6th International Conference Magnesium Alloys and Their Applications, Weinheim: 2004
• Brunnbauer M., Hirschmann M., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Gießtechnische Herstellung von Leichtmetallbauteilen mit zellularem Kern
  In: M. Geiger, G. W. Ehrenstein (ed.): Robuste, verkürzte Prozessketten für flächige Leichtbauteile, Bamberg: Meisenbach-Verlag, 2003, p. 57-69
• Körner C., Hirschmann M., Lamm M., Singer R.:
  Magnesium integral foams
  MetFoam 2003 (Berlin, 23. June 2003 - 25. June 2003)
  In: J. Banhart, N. A. Fleck (ed.): Cellular Metals and Metal Foaming Technology, Berlin: 2003
• Arnold M., Körner C., Singer R.:
  PM aluminium foams: Stabilizing mechanisms and optimization
  MetFoam 2003 (Berlin, 23. June 2003 - 25. June 2003)
  In: J. Banhart, N. A. Fleck (ed.): Cellular Metals and Foaming Technology, Berlin: 2003
• Brunnbauer M., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Encasing of aluminium foam with magnesium by die casting
  MetFoam 2003 (Berlin, 23. June 2003 - 25. June 2003)
  In: J. Banhart, N. A. Fleck (ed.): Cellular Metals and Metal Foaming Technology, Berlin: 2003
• Ströhla S., Winter W., Kuhn G., Brunnbauer M., Hirschmann M., Körner C., Singer R., Dörfler SM., Otto A.:
  Metallschaumverbundstrukturen - Prozesstechnologie und werkstoffmechanische Analyse
  Robuste verkürzte Prozessketten für flächige Leichtbauteile (Erlangen)
  In: Robuste verkürzte Prozessketten für flächige Leichtbauteile, Industriekolloquium 2003 des SFB 396, Bamberg: 2003
• Heinrich F.:
  Leichtbauverbundstrukturen durch Umgießen von Aluminiumschaumkernen im Druckguss (Dissertation, 2003)
• Olurin O., Arnold M., Körner C., Singer R.:
  The investigation of morphometric parameters of aluminium foams using micro-computed tomography
  In: Materials Science and Engineering A-Structural Materials Properties Microstructure and Processing 328 (2002), p. 334-343
  ISSN: 0921-5093
  DOI: 10.1016/S0921-5093(01)01809-3
• Körner C., Singer R.:
  Foaming Processes for Aluminum
  In: B. Kriszt, H. P. Degischer (ed.): Handbook of Cellular Metals, München: Wiley-VCH, 2002, p. 8-14
  ISBN: 3-527-30339-1
• Körner C., Singer R.:
  The Physics of Foaming: Structure Formation and Stability
  In: B. Kriszt, H. P. Degischer (ed.): Handbook of Cellular Metals, München: Wiley-VCH, 2002, p. 33-43
  ISBN: 3-527-30339-1
• Körner C., Heinrich F., Singer R.:
  Encasing by Casting
  In: B. Kriszt, H. P. Degischer (ed.): Handbook of Cellular Metals, München: Wiley-VCH, 2002, p. 103-113
  ISBN: 3-527-30339-1
• Körner C., Thies M., Arnold M., Singer R.:
  Modelling of metal foaming by in-situ gas formation.
  MetFoam 2001 (Bremen, 18. June 2001 - 20. June 2001)
  In: J. Banhart, M. F. Ashby, N. A. Fleck (ed.): Cellular Metals and Foaming Technology, Bremen: 2001
• Heinrich F., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Encasing of aluminium foams by die casting: foam core properties and core fixing
  Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Cellular Metals and Metal Foaming Technology (MetFoam 2001) (Bremen)
  In: Metal Foams and Porous Metal Structures, Bremen: 2001
  URL: http://www.mit-verlag.de/b111.html
• Körner C., Singer R.:
  Processing of Metal Foams - Challenges and Opportunities
  In: Advanced Engineering Materials 2 (2000), p. 159-165
  ISSN: 1438-1656
• Heinrich F., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Herstellung flächiger Leichtbauteile durch Umgießen von Aluminium-Schäumen im Druckgießverfahren
  In: Materialwissenschaft und Werkstofftechnik 32 (2000), p. 428-431
  ISSN: 0933-5137
• Körner C., Berger F., Arnold M., Stadelmann CG., Singer R.:
  Influence of processing conditions on morphology of metal foams produced from metal powder
  In: Materials Science and Technology 16 (2000), p. 781-784
  ISSN: 0267-0836
• Heinrich F., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Production of flat light-weight structural components by recasting of aluminum foams
• Arnold M., Körner C., Thies M., Singer R.:
  Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Formation of Metal Foam
  Materials Week 2000 (München, 25. September 2000 - 28. September 2000)
• Körner C., Heinrich F., Singer R., Otto A., Schöberl T., Geiger M.:
  Herstellung flächiger Verbundbauteile mit Metallschaumkernen
  Sonderforschungsbereich 396 - robuste verkürzte Prozessketten für flächige Leichtbauteile - 1. Berichtskolloquium (Bamberg, 24. May 2000 - 25. May 2000)
  In: Geiger, M.; Ehrenstein, G.W. (ed.): Sonderforschungsbereich 396 - robuste verkürzte Prozessketten für flächige Leichtbauteile - 1. Berichtskolloquium 24./25.Mai 2000
• Heinrich F., Körner C., Singer R.:
  Encasing of Al-foams by Die Casting as Manufacturing Process for Light Weight Components
  Materials Week 2000 (München, 25. September 2000 - 28. September 2000)