Effects of gradient heating mould and uniform heating mould on microstructure and mechanical properties of the hollow Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy drive shaft produced by squeeze casting were investigated. The results show that with gradient heating mould

the microscopic morphology of the hollow Al-ZnMg-Cu alloy drive shaft exhibits uniform with absence of apparent big holes.The tensile strength

yield strength and elongation of the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy hollow shaft reach 545MPa

482MPa and 7.8%

respectively

tending to the similar value along the height direction.Meanwhile

they are higher than those of the hollow shaft prepared by uniform preheating mould process.