Mechanism of necking defect of 6082 aluminium alloy rolled by cross-wedge rolling method based on material thermal properties

Necking defects have long troubled the application of cross-wedge rolling technology in aluminium alloy shaft parts.To accurately predict necking defects,new judgement conditions are established based on the thermal performance of 6082 aluminium alloy.The limit-sectional shrinkage without necking defects is achieved by combining theoretical calculation and finite-element model analysis,which couples heat transfer and deformation.In this paper,a 6082 aluminium alloy extruded rod with a 40 mm diameter rolled at a preheated temperature of 500℃and a rolling angular velocity of 1 rad/s is taken as an example.The simulation and experimental results show that necking defects do not occur on the rolled pieces if the sectional shrinkage is below the limit-sectional shrinkage but will occur when the sectional shrinkage is above it.The results prove that the prediction model of necking defects in cross-wedge rolling of 6082 aluminum alloy is feasible,and this research provides a theoretical basis for the qualified aluminum alloy shafts produced by the cross-wedge rolling.

Microstructure analysis and mechanical characteristics of tungsten inert gas and metal inert gas welded AA6082-T6 tubular joint: A comparative study

The present study is aimed to compare the microstructure characteristics and mechanical properties of AA6082 in T6 condition of tubular joints fabricated by tungsten inert gas welding （TIG） and metal inert gas welding （MIG） processes. The effect of welding processes was analysed based on optical microscopy image, tensile testing, and Vickers micro-hardness measurements. The results showed that the tensile strengths of the TIG-welded joints were better than those of the MIG-welded joints, due to the contribution of fine equiaxed grains formation with narrower spacing arms. In terms of joint efficiency, the TIG process produced more reliable strength, which was about 25% higher compared to the MIG-joint. A significant decay of hardness was recorded in the adjacent of the weld bead zone, shown in both joints, related to phase transformation, induced by high temperatures experienced by material. A very low hardness, which was about 1.08 GPa, was recorded in the MIG-weldcd specimens. The extent of the heat-affected-zone （HAZ） in the MIG-welded joints was slightly wider than those of the TIG-welded specimens, which corresponded with a higher heat input per unit length.

Influence of process parameters on properties of AA6082 in hot forming process

The influences of process parameters on mechanical properties of AA6082in the hot forming and cold-die quenching(HFQ)process were analysed experimentally.Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the precipitate distribution and to thus clarify strengthening mechanism.A new model was established to describe the strengthening of AA6082by HFQ process in this novel forming technique.The material constants in the model were determined using a genetic algorithm tool.This strengthening model for AA6082can precisely describe the relationship between the strengths of formed workpieces and process parameters.The predicted results agree well with the experimental ones.The Pearson correlation coefficient,average absolute relative error,and root-mean-square error between the calculated and experimental hardness values are0.99402,2.0054%,and2.045,respectively.The model is further developed into an FE code ABAQUS via VUMAT to predict the mechanical property variation of a hot-stamped cup in various ageing conditions.

Experimental and modelling study of interaction between friction and galling under contact load change conditions

The galling process remains one of the least understood phenomena in metal forming.The transfer of material from a work-piece onto the tool surface can cause an evolutionary increase in friction coefficient(COF)and thus the use of a constant COF in finite element(FE)simulations leads to progressively inaccurate results.For an aluminium work-piece,material transfer,which has history and pressure dependency,is determined by a dynamic balance between the generation and ejection of wear particles acting as a‘third body’abrasive element at the contact interface.To address this dynamic interactive phenomenon,pin-on-disc tests between AA6082 and G3500 were performed under step load change conditions.The COF evolutions,morphologies of the transfer layer and its cross-section were studied.It has been found that contact load change will disequilibrate and rebuild the dynamic balance and high load will increase the generation and ejection rate of third body and vice versa.Moreover,based on the experimental results,an interactive model was developed and presented to simulate the dynamic formation process of the aluminium third body layer under load change conditions,enabling multi-cycle simulations to model the galling distribution and friction variation.