Experimental Development of Closed Impeller from Aluminum Alloy 6061-T6 Using Lost Foam Casting Method

Abstract

Casting is one of the oldest manufacturing processes used to produce metal components in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Among the various casting methods, Lost Foam Casting (LFC) is widely employed to manufacture complex components, such as impellers, which are essential in water supply systems, petrochemical industries, and other engineering applications. Traditionally, impellers are manufactured from bronze and cast iron because of their excellent wear resistance and favorable frictional properties. However, the high weight and cost of these materials, together with casting defects such as porosity and sand sintering, limit their efficiency and suitability for mass production. These challenges have prompted the search for lightweight, high-strength, and cost-effective alternative materials. This study aimed to develop a closed-type impeller made from Aluminum Alloy 6061-T6 with a diameter of 200 mm and a height of 16 mm. A true experimental research design employing both qualitative and quantitative approaches was adopted. A typical-case purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample, and data were collected through experimental investigations and secondary sources, including textbooks and published journal articles. Data analysis was supported by ProCAST simulation software and fishbone diagram analysis. Three mechanical tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of the developed impeller. The results indicated a tensile strength of 175.94 MPa, a hardness of 82 BH, and a wear rate of 0.00124/min. The production cost of the developed impeller was 3,059.04 Birr per unit, which was substantially lower than the cost of the imported equivalent (4,588.56 Birr per unit). The developed aluminum alloy impeller demonstrated performance comparable to that of conventional bronze impellers while significantly reducing production costs, indicating that it is a suitable alternative material for the intended design and a promising option for industrial applications.