other hand, with proper inspection and design, castings have been used in

critical aerospace parts.

Another point to keep in mind is that for two reasons, castings are rarely
hardened by cold working and so are almost always heat-treated. This is
because castings are, by definition, already produced in essentially their final
shape and they�re brittle. Where some additional shaping is needed, it�s usually
in the form of machining, which doesn�t affect the temper. Consequently,
almost all castings are heat-treated and bear the T temper.
Cast Alloy Designation System Cast aluminum alloys and wrought aluminum
alloys have different designation systems. While both systems use four
digits, most similarities end there. The cast alloy designation system has three
digits, followed by a decimal point, followed by another digit (xxx.x). The
first digit indicates the primary alloying element. The second two digits designate
the alloy, or in the case of commercially pure aluminum cast alloys,
the level of purity. The last digit indicates the product form: 1 or 2 for ingot
(depending on impurity levels) and 0 for castings. (So unless you�re a producer,
the only cast designations you�ll be concerned with will end in ��.0.��)
Often, the last digit is dropped (for example, A356-T6); this generally implies
that you�re talking about a casting and simply didn�t bother to append the
��.0.�� A modification of the original alloy is designated by a letter prefix (A,
B, C, etc.) to the alloy number. The series and their primary alloying elements
are:
1xx.x - Commercially Pure Aluminum: These alloys have low strength.
An application is cast motor rotors.
2xx.x - Copper: These are the strongest cast alloys and are used for machine
tools, aircraft, and engine parts. Alloy 203.0 has the highest strength at
elevated temperatures and is suitable for service at 400#F [200#C].
3xx.x - Silicon with Copper and/or Magnesium: The 3xx.x alloys have
excellent fluidity and strength and are the most widely used aluminum cast
alloys. Alloy 356.0 and its modifications are very popular and used in many
applications. High silicon alloys have good wear resistance and are used for
automotive engine blocks and pistons.
4xx.x - Silicon: Silicon provides excellent fluidity as it does for wrought
alloys, so these alloys are well suited to intricate castings, such as typewriter
frames, and they have good general corrosion resistance. Alloy A444.0 has
modest strength but good ductility.
5xx.x - Magnesium: Cast alloys with magnesium have good corrosion resistance,
especially in marine environments, for example, 514.0; good machinability;
and have good finishing characteristics. They are more difficult to
cast than the 2xx, 3xx, and 4xx series, however.