Experimental Investigation and Numerical Simulation of the Fluidity of A356 Aluminum Alloy
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The article has a scientific character. The article deals with an experimental investigation and numerical simulation of fluidity of A356 aluminum alloy. The Authors applied correct research methods and used the appropriate method. The content of the work is logically written. The manuscript contains 10 figures and 2 tables. Figures and tables are properly prepared. Authors cited 29 literature sources. The authors presented an interesting work, but some additions are needed:
1. Provide more numerical values as properties in the Abstract. It looks general.
2. The literature review is very descriptive and doesn't clearly highlight the current gaps in the field, which underpins the current investigation. More critical and comprehensive literature is needed.
3. As there is lot of similar work available, the novelty of the work is not explained clearly.
4. The criteria of investigated materials selection and author's assumption in numerical simulation are not explained.
5. Please clearly state the reasons for choosing the temperature values (650 to 730 °C) to control the aluminum melt.
6. The results, particularly the Fluidity Model results, should be analyzed and discussed in greater depth in this paper.
7. Authors are advised to draw comparisons with previous literature to justify the results.
8. The conclusions are not concise. Please write the most important conclusions as brief points. Being as quantitative as possible. Do not just summarize what work was conducted in the manuscript.
9. A few references need to be updated with some recent papers published in the last years.
10. The manuscript is overall well-written. However, there are many typesetting and grammatical errors in the text that should be corrected.
Author Response
Please see the attachment
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
1. Fluidity of A356 alloy was experimentally evaluated at different melt temperatures, vacuum degrees, and tube materials. It was found that increase of melt temperature or vacuum degree of the suction fluidity test result in longer fluidity lengths of the A356 melt regardless of the material of a suction tube. Shorter fluidity lengths in stainless steel tubes than those in quartz tubes under the same fluidity measurement condition were due to faster solidification speed confirmed by microstructural analysis. Overall, the paper structure is complete. The picture and equation are clear and readable.
2. It is recommended to add several references in the recent three years.
Author Response
Please see the attachment
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
In this manuscript, the authors experimentally determine how the fluidity of A356 Al alloy is influenced by the T, level of vacuum.
The topic, including as well as the type of Al alloy is very challenging and interesting from both academic and industrial point of view.
The authors describe very well the research and experimentally show the relationship between these parameters ad the characteristic of the Al alloy. The experimentally obtained results seems to be in good agreement with the mathematical model developed.
Author Response
Thank you for your kind review.
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
The manuscript reads well and seems better than the previous version. All my questions have been answered. I can fully recommend this work for publishing.
