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IS 6179:1997 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for aluminium and aluminium alloy ingots for castings for general engineering purposes - specification. This standard specifies the requirements for various grades of aluminium and aluminium alloy ingots intended for remelting and producing castings for general engineering purposes. It covers alloy designations, chemical composition, mechanical properties, and inspection criteria.
Specifies the requirements for aluminium and aluminium alloy ingots intended for producing castings for general engineering purposes.
Overview
Status
Current
Usage level
Frequently Used
Domain
Materials Science — Aluminium and Non-Ferrous Metals
! The mechanical properties specified in Table 2 apply to separately cast test bars and not necessarily to the final casting, whose properties are influenced by the casting process and part geometry.
! Always specify the complete alloy designation, including the temper condition (e.g., 4600-M for 'as cast'), as properties vary significantly with heat treatment.
! This standard primarily governs the quality of the raw material (ingots). The final performance of the cast component heavily depends on the foundry's process control.
Consolidated list per BIS. For the text of each amendment, refer to the BIS portal link above.
aluminiumaluminium alloyingotscastings
International Equivalents
Similar International Standards
ASTM B179-22ASTM International (USA)
HighCurrent
Standard Specification for Aluminum-Alloys in Ingot and Molten Form for Castings from All Casting Processes
Specifies chemical compositions for a wide range of aluminium alloys in ingot and molten form for casting.
EN 1676:2020CEN (European Committee for Standardization)
HighCurrent
Aluminium and aluminium alloys - Alloyed ingots for remelting - Specifications
Defines the chemical composition and other requirements for alloyed aluminium ingots intended for remelting.
JIS H 2118:2018JSA (Japanese Standards Association), Japan
MediumCurrent
Aluminium alloy ingots for die castings
Covers aluminium alloy ingots specifically for die casting, a major application also covered by IS 6179.
ISO 3522:2022ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
MediumCurrent
Aluminium and aluminium alloys — Castings — Chemical composition and mechanical properties
Specifies the final casting composition, which directly dictates the required ingot chemistry, making it a relevant reference.
Key Differences
≠The alloy designation systems are fundamentally different. IS 6179 uses a four-digit numerical system (e.g., 4600), while ASTM uses UNS numbers (e.g., A04130) and EN uses both numerical (e.g., EN AC-44100) and chemical symbol (e.g., EN AC-AlSi12(a)) designations.
≠International standards like ASTM B179 and EN 1676 cover a significantly broader range of alloys, including high-purity and high-performance alloys not listed in IS 6179.
≠Impurity limits for seemingly equivalent alloys are often stricter in international standards. For example, the maximum iron (Fe) content allowed in EN 1676 or ASTM B179 for Al-Si-Mg alloys is typically much lower than in the corresponding IS 4450 alloy.
≠ASTM B179 explicitly includes provisions for the supply of 'molten metal' as an alternative to solid ingots, a scope not covered in IS 6179 which focuses solely on ingots.
Key Similarities
≈All standards share the primary objective of defining the chemical composition of aluminium and its alloys supplied in ingot form for the production of castings.
≈The central requirement in all the standards is a series of tables that specify the allowable ranges (minimum and maximum percentages) for alloying elements and impurities for each designated alloy.
≈All standards mandate a method for identifying the alloy grade on each ingot or bundle, typically through color coding, stamping, or labels, to ensure traceability and prevent material mix-ups.
≈The standards uniformly require that the ingots be reasonably free from dross, slag, and other harmful inclusions that could negatively affect the quality of the final casting.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Alloy Designation (Al-Si Eutectic)
4600
EN AC-44100 (or EN AC-AlSi12(a))
EN 1676:2020
Silicon (Si) Content in Al-Si Eutectic Alloy
10.0 - 13.0%
10.5 - 13.5%
EN 1676:2020 (for EN AC-44100)
Alloy Designation (Al-Si-Mg)
4450
356.0 / A03560
ASTM B179-22
Iron (Fe) Impurity Limit in Al-Si-Mg Alloy
0.6% max
0.20% max
ASTM B179-22 (for 356.0)
Magnesium (Mg) Content in Al-Si-Mg Alloy
0.20 - 0.45%
0.25 - 0.45%
ASTM B179-22 (for 356.0)
Copper (Cu) Content in Al-Si-Cu Alloy
3.0 - 4.0% (for IS 4225)
3.0 - 4.0% (for 319.0)
ASTM B179-22
Ingot Marking
Mandatory marking with grade and manufacturer ID. A color code system is specified in an annex.
Ingots shall be properly identified as to alloy number. The use of a color scheme is a 'permissible option'.
ASTM B179-22
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values6
Quick Reference Values
Max ingot mass12 kg
Silicon (Si) content in Alloy 460010.0-13.0 %
Min. Tensile Strength of Alloy 4600-M150 MPa
Min. Elongation of Alloy 4600-M5 %
Copper (Cu) content in Alloy 42252.0-4.0 %
Min. Tensile Strength of Alloy 4225-M150 MPa
Tables & Referenced Sections
Key Tables
Table 1 - Chemical Composition of Aluminium and Aluminium Alloy Ingots
Table 2 - Mechanical Properties of Standard Separately Cast Test Bars
Alloy 4600 (Al-Si12) is a eutectic alloy widely used for pressure die casting and gravity die casting due to its excellent fluidity and castability.
What do the mechanical properties in Table 2 represent?+
They represent the minimum properties achievable from a standardized, separately cast test bar under ideal conditions, serving as a benchmark for the alloy's potential (Clause 5.1).
How should ingots be marked?+
Each ingot must be marked with the alloy designation and the manufacturer's identification mark. A color coding scheme as per Annex A can also be used for quick identification (Clause 10).
What does the temper designation 'M' mean?+
'M' signifies the 'As-manufactured' or 'as-cast' condition, meaning no subsequent thermal treatment has been applied after casting (Table 3).