BS EN 1559-4:2015

BSI Standards Publication

Founding — Technical
conditions of delivery
Part 4: Additional requirements for
aluminium alloy castings


BS EN 1559-4:2015

BRITISH STANDARD

National foreword
This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 1559-4:2015. It
supersedes BS EN 1559-4:1999 which is withdrawn.
The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical
Committee NFE/35, Light metals and their alloys.
A list of organizations represented on this committee can be
obtained on request to its secretary.
This publication does not purport to include all the necessary
provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct
application.
© The British Standards Institution 2015.
Published by BSI Standards Limited 2015
ISBN 978 0 580 83651 0
ICS 77.150.10
Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from
legal obligations.
This British Standard was published under the authority of the

Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 28 February 2015.
Amendments/corrigenda issued since publication#
Date

Text affected


EN 1559-4

EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM

February 2015

ICS 77.150.10

Supersedes EN 1559-4:1999

English Version

Founding - Technical conditions of delivery - Part 4: Additional
requirements for aluminium alloy castings
Fonderie - Conditions techniques de fourniture - Partie 4:
Spécifications complémentaires pour les pièces moulées en
alliages d'aluminium

Gießereiwesen - Technische Lieferbedingungen - Teil 4:
Zusätzliche Anforderungen an Gussstücke aus
Aluminiumlegierungen


This European Standard was approved by CEN on 26 December 2014.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same
status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United
Kingdom.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels

© 2015 CEN

All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Ref. No. EN 1559-4:2015 E


BS EN 1559-4:2015
EN 1559-4:2015 (E)


Contents

Page

Foreword..............................................................................................................................................................3
Introduction .........................................................................................................................................................4
1

Scope ......................................................................................................................................................5

2

Normative references ............................................................................................................................5

3

Terms and definitions ...........................................................................................................................5

4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6

Information to be supplied by the purchaser......................................................................................6
 Mandatory information ......................................................................................................................6
•• Optional information ..........................................................................................................................6
 Drawing, patterns and tools ..............................................................................................................6

 Information on the mass ...................................................................................................................6
 Preliminary sample ............................................................................................................................6
Initial sample ..........................................................................................................................................6

5

 Designations .......................................................................................................................................6

6
6.1
6.2

 Manufacture ........................................................................................................................................6
 Manufacturing process......................................................................................................................6
Welding operations................................................................................................................................6

7
7.1
7.2
7.3

Requirements .........................................................................................................................................7
 General ................................................................................................................................................7
 Material ................................................................................................................................................7
Casting ....................................................................................................................................................7

8
8.1
8.2
8.3

8.4
8.5
8.6
8.7
8.8

 Inspection ...........................................................................................................................................9
 General ................................................................................................................................................9
 Type of inspection documents and type of inspection ..................................................................9
Test unit ..................................................................................................................................................9
 Samples...............................................................................................................................................9
 Test procedures .................................................................................................................................9
 Invalidation of test results.................................................................................................................9
 Retests ................................................................................................................................................9
 Sorting and reprocessing..................................................................................................................9

9

 Marking ...............................................................................................................................................9

10

 Packaging and surface protection ...................................................................................................9

11

 Complaints ..........................................................................................................................................9

Annex A (informative) Procedure for the classification of excavation for finishing welding ....................10
Annex B (informative) Significant technical changes between this European Standard and the

previous edition ...................................................................................................................................12
Bibliography ......................................................................................................................................................13


BS EN 1559-4:2015

EN 1559-4:2015 (E)

Foreword
This document (EN 1559-4:2015) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 132 “Aluminium and
aluminium alloys”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical
text or by endorsement, at the latest by August 2015 and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at
the latest by August 2015.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN 1559-4:1999.
Within its programme of work, Technical Committee CEN/TC 132 requested CEN/TC 132/WG 22 "Revision of
EN 1559-4:1999" to revise the following standard:
EN 1559-4, Founding — Technical conditions of delivery — Part 4: Additional requirements for aluminium alloy
castings.
Annex B provides details of significant technical changes between this European Standard and the previous
edition.
This European Standard is part of a series of standards which specify technical delivery conditions for
castings. The other standards in this series are:
EN 1559-1, Founding — Technical conditions of delivery — Part 1: General;
EN 1559-2, Founding — Technical conditions of delivery — Part 2: Additional requirements for steel castings;
EN 1559-3, Founding — Technical conditions of delivery — Part 3: Additional requirements for iron castings;
EN 1559-5, Founding — Technical conditions of delivery — Part 5: Additional requirements for magnesium
alloy castings;

EN 1559-6, Founding — Technical conditions of delivery — Part 6: Additional requirements for zinc alloy
castings.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following
countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.


BS EN 1559-4:2015
EN 1559-4:2015 (E)

Introduction
In order to assist manufacturers and purchasers to prepare proper contractual arrangements and prevent
misunderstandings, CEN/TC 190 "Foundry Technology" approved the preparation of a series of standards
covering technical delivery conditions. These have been prepared as separate parts.
This European Standard covers the additional technical delivery conditions for aluminium alloy casting
materials and has the same structure as EN 1559-1 "Founding - Technical conditions of delivery – Part 1:
General".
This European Standard cannot be used alone for compiling a specification for ordering and supplying
aluminium alloy castings, but as a complement to EN 1559-1.
The structure of this standard is as follows:


clauses and sub clauses preceded by  indicate no additional conditions to EN 1559-1;



clauses and sub clauses marked with a single dot
enquiry and order;




clauses and sub clauses marked with two dots
enquiry and order (optional);



clauses and sub clauses without a symbol are mandatory;



clauses and sub clauses preceded by  are supplementary to those in EN 1559-1;



clauses and sub clauses preceded by  completely replace those in EN 1559-1.

• indicate that conditions shall be agreed at the time of

•• indicate that conditions can be agreed at the time of


BS EN 1559-4:2015

EN 1559-4:2015 (E)

1

Scope


This European Standard specifies the additional technical delivery conditions for aluminium alloy
castings unless other conditions have been agreed at the time of enquiry and order.
This European Standard retains the same structure and numbering system as used in EN 1559-1 and
repeats the numbering of clauses and sub-clauses even if nothing extra or different has been added. It
also indicates items specific to aluminium alloy castings under existing or new headings.

2

Normative references

The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 1371-1, Founding — Liquid penetrant testing — Part 1: Sand, gravity die and low pressure die
castings
EN 1559-1, Founding — Technical conditions of delivery — Part 1: General
EN 1706, Aluminium and aluminium alloys — Castings — Chemical composition and mechanical
properties
EN 12681, Founding — Radiographic examination

3

Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 1559-1, in the applicable
material standard and the following apply.
3.1
 excavation
cavity produced by the removal of cast material prior to subsequent welding (or other finishing

methods)


BS EN 1559-4:2015
EN 1559-4:2015 (E)

4

Information to be supplied by the purchaser

4.1

 Mandatory information

4.2

•• Optional information

4.3

 Drawing, patterns and tools

4.4

 Information on the mass

4.5

 Preliminary sample


4.6

Initial sample

 If required, a minimum of two initial samples shall be supplied to the purchaser for approval. If these
initial samples are accepted, one shall be retained by the purchaser and one returned to the
manufacturer marked as "approved".
Supplementary initial samples (one for metallurgical and the other for dimensional purposes) should be
retained either by the manufacturer or by the purchaser.
NOTE

Testing of initial samples by the manufacturer can be agreed.

5

 Designations

6

 Manufacture

6.1

 Manufacturing process

6.2

Welding operations

6.2.1


 General

6.2.2

Production welding

 Production welding is permitted, unless otherwise agreed at the enquiry and order stage. For railway
applications, production welding has to be agreed separately (see EN 15085-2).
 Actions to finish castings or eliminate casting imperfections may include the use of a filler metal
deposited by a suitable welding process or the insertion of a machined piece secured by welding.
The manufacturer's and purchaser's attention is drawn to the need for approved procedures and
suitably qualified welders (see EN ISO 15614-4, for finishing welding).
After preparing the casting for finishing welding, the excavation can be classified in accordance with
the procedure given in Annex A.
6.2.2.1



6.2.2.2




BS EN 1559-4:2015

EN 1559-4:2015 (E)

6.2.2.3




6.2.2.4



6.2.2.5



6.2.2.6



7

Requirements

7.1

 General

7.2

 Material

7.2.1

 Chemical composition


NOTE
Metal is usually taken for optical emission spectrometry analysis at the time the castings are made,
in the form of a chill cast disc (see EN 14361).

7.2.2

 Mechanical properties

7.2.3

 Other properties

7.2.4

 Additional requirements

The manufacturer shall examine the results of any treatment of the melt carried out during the melting
process by using appropriate methods.

7.3

Casting

7.3.1

 Chemical composition

For chemical composition of aluminium alloy castings, refer to the appropriate table in EN 1706.
7.3.2


 Mechanical properties

7.3.3

Outer and inner conditions (non-destructive testing)

 Liquid penetrant examination shall be carried out in accordance with EN 1371-1.
 Radiographic inspection shall be carried out in accordance with EN 12681.
 Where applicable, unacceptable external and internal discontinuities shall be eliminated by
production welding (see 6.2.2) or other agreed methods.
7.3.3.1



7.3.3.2



7.3.3.3



7.3.3.4




BS EN 1559-4:2015
EN 1559-4:2015 (E)


7.3.4

Conditions of the casting

7.3.4.1

 Shape and size

7.3.4.2

 Fettling and finishing

7.3.4.3
 In order to eliminate leaks in castings, it is possible with the approval of the
purchaser, to use impregnation. The impregnation medium and method, maximum permitted size of
discontinuities and retest procedures shall be agreed between purchaser and manufacturer.
7.3.4.4
 In the case of as cast castings, it is recommended that the purchaser agrees with
the manufacturer on the choice of any non-destructive testing and criteria to determine the
acceptability of a subsequently machined surface. Unless specifically agreed, discontinuities revealed
on the machined surface should not be regarded as a cause for rejection. If the porosity on machined
surfaces is to be assessed, manufacturer and purchaser should agree on the method to be used.
7.3.5

 Mass of the casting

7.3.6

 Additional requirements regarding the conditions of the casting


7.3.6.1

 Macrostructure

Where appropriate, a macroscopic examination of a suitably prepared and etched section shall be
used to assess the grain size and/or structural discontinuities of a casting to agreed criteria.
Assessment is usually carried out with or without low magnification.
7.3.6.2

 Microstructure

Where appropriate, a microscopic examination of a suitably polished and etched section shall be used
to determine the metallurgical structure of a casting to agreed criteria. Assessment is usually carried
out at a high magnification and includes the nature, shape and distribution of the structural
constituents.
NOTE
A cooling curve/thermal analysis carried out on a sample of liquid alloy before casting, can predict, to
a limited extent, the metallurgical structure to be expected in the casting.

7.3.6.3
 Density evaluation can be used to estimate the soundness of castings by weighting
in air and water to agreed criteria.


BS EN 1559-4:2015

EN 1559-4:2015 (E)

8


 Inspection

8.1

 General

8.2

 Type of inspection documents and type of inspection

8.3

Test unit

8.3.1

 Formation of test units

8.3.2

 Size of test units

8.3.3

Inspection frequency

 When tests are requested, unless any agreement to the contrary has been made, one test per test
unit shall be carried out. For hardness testing, the inspection frequency shall be agreed between the
manufacturer and the purchaser by the time of acceptance of the order.


8.4

 Samples

8.5

 Test procedures

8.6

 Invalidation of test results

8.7

 Retests

8.7.1

 General

8.7.2

 Non-sequential tests (individual values)

8.7.2.1  Retest of chemical composition
If disagreement occurs between the manufacturer and the purchaser on the chemical composition of a
test unit the manufacturer shall re-check the composition wherever possible on the original test piece.
If disagreement persists, a referee analysis shall be carried out by a mutually acceptable laboratory.
8.7.3


8.8

9

 Sequential tests

 Sorting and reprocessing

 Marking

10  Packaging and surface protection
11  Complaints


BS EN 1559-4:2015
EN 1559-4:2015 (E)

Annex A

(informative)
Procedure for the classification of excavation for finishing welding
The procedure for the classification of excavations for finishing welding is as follows:
- measure the original wall thickness of the casting adjacent to the excavations;
- measure the depth and, if required, the projected area of the excavation;
- classify the excavation into class 1, 2 or 3 using the cavity depth, the original wall thickness of the
casting adjacent to the excavation and Figure A.1;
- if the excavation is of class 3 (major) the manufacturer should obtain the purchaser's agreement to
the method of correction and the inspection procedures to be followed;
- unless otherwise agreed, if the excavation is of class 1 (surface), the manufacturer should perform
the correction work without consultation with the purchaser;

- unless otherwise agreed, if the excavation is of class 2 (minor), reference should be made to
Figure A.2 using the projected area of the cavity. This may reclassify the cavity due to its projected
area as class 3: in these cases the manufacturer should obtain the purchaser's agreement to the
method of correction and the inspection procedures to be projected. If the excavation is still of class 2
then such consultation is not necessary.

Key
X
Y
1
2
3
4
5

depth of excavation in millimetres
nominal casting wall thickness in millimetres
class 1: surface
class 2: minor
class 3: major
not relevant for finishing welding
dimensions out of class

Figure A.1 — Classification of surface, minor and major excavations depending on their depth


BS EN 1559-4:2015

EN 1559-4:2015 (E)


Key
X
Y
2
3
4

projected area of excavation in square centimetres
nominal casting wall thickness in millimetres
class 2: minor
class 3: major
not relevant for finishing welding

Figure A.2 — Classification of minor and major excavation cavities depending on their
projected area


BS EN 1559-4:2015
EN 1559-4:2015 (E)

Annex B

(informative)
Significant technical changes between this European Standard and
the previous edition
Table B.1 — Significant technical changes between this European Standard and the previous
edition
Clause/Paragraph/Table/Figure

Change


General

Aligned with EN 1559-1:2011

3.1

Definition modified

Figures A.1 and A.2

Clarification of the key and references

NOTE
The technical changes referred to include the significant technical changes from the revised EN, but
this is not an exhaustive list of all modifications from the previous version.


BS EN 1559-4:2015

EN 1559-4:2015 (E)

Bibliography
[1]

EN 14361, Aluminium and aluminium alloys – Chemical analysis – Sampling from metal melts

[2] EN 15085-2, Railway applications – Welding of railway vehicles and components – Part 2: Quality
requirements and certification of welding manufacturer
[3] EN ISO 15614-4, Specification and qualification of welding procedures for metallic materials —

Welding procedure test — Part 4: Finishing welding of aluminium castings (ISO 15614-4)


EN 1559-4:2015 (E)

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