Investigation of Fe and Mn Effects on the Fluidity Behavior of A356 Aluminum Alloys

The fluidity behavior of Al–Si casting alloys is strongly influenced by impurity elements and intermetallic phase formation during solidification. In particular, iron (Fe) reduces melt fluidity by forming brittle Fe-rich intermetallics, whereas manganese (Mn) can mitigate this effect by modifying intermetallic morphology. In this study, secondary A356 aluminum alloys were produced with Fe contents of 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 wt.% and nominal Mn additions of 0.05, 0.10, and 0.20 wt.% to investigate their combined effect on fluidity behavior. Melt quality was assessed using reduced pressure testing and density index measurements to ensure consistent casting conditions. Fluidity tests were conducted using spiral and eight-channel molds with section thicknesses ranging from 0.5 to 8 mm. To enable quantitative comparison across different section geometries, a Fluidity Index (FI) was defined based on section-normalized flow lengths. The results show that increasing Fe content generally reduces fluidity, while Mn additions significantly improve melt flow, with the most pronounced enhancement observed at 0.20 wt.% Mn. Thinner sections were found to be more sensitive to Fe-related flow restriction, whereas wider channels exhibited improved flow behavior. These findings demonstrate that appropriate Mn additions can effectively stabilize fluidity in secondary A356 alloys and provide practical guidelines for alloy control in recycled aluminum casting applications.