Abstract: A new type of aluminum alloy as-cast sample was prepared by adding different rare earth elements with0.1wt% to ADC12 aluminum alloy. And the fluidity, free line shrinkage and hot cracking tendency were tested and compared.The results show that the addition of rare earth elements in ADC12 aluminum alloy is helpful to improve the fluidity, linear shrinkage, hot cracking resistance and castability of the alloy. Compared with that of La, the flow length of ADC12 aluminum alloy with Ce increases by 186 mm, the linear shrinkage decreases by 0.22% and the hot cracking stress decreases by 37 kPa;the flow length of ADC12 aluminum alloy with Y increases by 54 mm, the linear shrinkage decreases by 0.17% and the hot cracking stress decreases by 20 kPa. On the premise of the same addition amount, the improvement effect of rare earth elements on the casting properties of ADC12 aluminum alloy is Ce＞Y＞La.