The low-cycle fatigue behavior of squeeze casting and gravity casting A356 alloys was investigated by the strain-controlled fatigue experiment

tensile testing

optical microscope（OM）

scanning electronic microscope（SEM）.The results show that the A356 alloy prepared exhibits cyclic strain hardening in both processing methods.With pressure

as a result of the smaller and dispersive needle-like silicon particles and the decrease of SDAS as well as elimination of the shrinkage and porosity in the squeeze casting alloy parts

the maximum values in cyclic stress response curve

the cyclic deformation resistance and low cycle fatigue life of the A356 alloy are increased.The plastic cyclic strain energy density is decreased with the increase of cyclic time in the alloy prepared by two kinds of methods.However

the cyclic time and the total energy consumption of the squeeze cast alloy are increased at the same strain amplitude condition comparing with the gravity cast alloy.