Frictional characteristics of sheet metals with superimposed ultrasonic vibrations

The forming performance of sheet metals in the deep-drawing process with ultrasonic vibrations can be improved by the surface effect between the sheet metal and the die.A sheet metal friction test with ultrasonic vibrations is performed to explore the cause of the surface effect.The frictional characteristics are investigated,and the corresponding friction expressions are established based on the contact mechanics and the elastic–plastic contact model for rough surfaces.Friction is caused by the elastic–plastic deformation of contacting asperities under normal loads.The actual contacting region between two surfaces increases with normal loads,whereas the normal distance decreases.The normal distance between the contacting surfaces is changed,asperities generate a tangential deformation with ultrasonic vibrations,and the friction coefficient is eventually altered.Ultrasonic vibrations are applied on a 40Cr steel punch at the frequency of 20 kHz and the amplitude of 4.2μm.In the friction tests,the punch is perpendicular to the surface of the magnesium alloy AZ31B sheet metals and is sliding with a relative velocity of 1 mm/s.The test results show that the friction coefficient is decreased by approximately 40%and the theoretical values are in accordance with the test values;Ultrasonic vibrations can clearly reduce wear and improve the surface quality of parts.

Ultra-fast amorphization of crystalline alloys by ultrasonic vibrations

The amorphization of alloys is of both broad scientific interests and engineering significance.Despite considered as an efficient strategy to regulate and even achieve record-breaking properties of metallic materials,a facile and rapid method to trigger solid-state amorphization is still being pursued.Here we report such a method to utilize ultrasonic vibration to trigger amorphization of intermetallic compound.The ultrasonic vibrations can cause tunable amorphization at room temperature and low stress(2 MPa)conveniently.Remarkably,the ultrasonic-induced amorphization could be achieved in 60 s,which is 360 times faster than the ball milling(2.16×10^(4) s)with the similar proportion of amorphization.The elements redistribute uniformly and rapidly via the activated short-circuit diffusion.Both experimental evidences and simulations show that the amorphous phase initiates and expands at nanograin boundaries,owing to the induction of lattice instability.This work provides a groundbreaking strategy for developing novel materials with tunable structures and properties.

Microstructure and forming mechanism of metals subjected to ultrasonic vibration plastic forming: A mini review

Compared with traditional plastic forming,ultrasonic vibration plastic forming has the advantages of reducing the forming force and improving the surface quality of the workpiece.This technology has a very broad application prospect in industrial manufactur-ing.Researchers have conducted extensive research on the ultrasonic vibration plastic forming of metals and laid a deep foundation for the development of this field.In this review,metals were classified according to their crystal structures.The effects of ultrasonic vibration on the microstructure of face-centered cubic,body-centered cubic,and hexagonal close-packed metals during plastic forming and the mech-anism underlying ultrasonic vibration forming were reviewed.The main challenges and future research direction of the ultrasonic vibra-tion plastic forming of metals were also discussed.

Comparative analysis of single-crater parameters in ultrasonic-assisted and unassisted micro-EDM of Ti6Al4V using discharge plasma imaging

Ultrasonic-assisted micro-electro-discharge machining(EDM)has the potential to enhance processing responses such as material removal rate(MRR)and surface finish.To understand the reasons for this enhancement,the physical mechanisms responsible for the individual discharges and the craters that they form need to be explored.This work examines features of craters formed by single discharges at various parameter values in both conventional and ultrasonic-assistedEDM of Ti6Al4V.High-speed imaging of the plasma channel is performed,and data on the individual discharges are captured in real-time.A 2D axisymmetric model using finite element software is established to model crater formation.On the basis of simulation and experimental results,a comparative study is then carried out to examine the effects of ultrasonic vibrational assistance on crater geometry.For every set ofEDM parameters,the crater diameter and depth from a single discharge are found to be higher in ultrasonic-assistedEDM than in conventionalEDM.The improved crater geometry and the reduced bulge formation at the crater edges are attributed to the increased melt pool velocity and temperature predicted by the model.

High-entropy alloy and amorphous alloy composites fabricated by ultrasonic vibrations

We successfully fabricate high-entropy alloys and amorphous alloy composites by adopting the proposed ultrasonic vibration method.The low-stress,low-temperature method enables us to create composites that combine both amorphous and crystalline properties.Microscopic observations and computed tomography measurements indicate good bonding quality without pores or cracks in the composites.Due to the unique structure which mixes soft and rigid phases,the composite exhibits improved mechanical performance compared to that obtained from a pure single phase.Our results are promising for the manual design and fabrication of smart materials containing multiple phases and compositions.

Multi-physical Modeling and Adjusting for Ultrasonic Assisted Soft Abrasive Flow Processing

The polishing efficiency of the soft abrasive flow(SAF)method is low,which is not in line with the concept of carbon emission reduction in industrial production.To address the above issue,a two-phase fluid multi-physics modeling method for ultrasonic-assisted SAF processing is proposed.The acoustics-fluid coupling mechanic model based on the realizable k-ε model and Helmholtz equation is built to analyze the cavitation effect.The results show that the pro-posed modeling and solution method oriented to ultrasonic-assisted SAF processing have better revealed the flow field evolution mechanism.The turbulence kinetic energy at different ultrasonic frequencies and amplitudes is stud-ied.Simulation results show that the ultrasonic vibration can induce a cavitation effect in the constrained flow chan-nel and promote the turbulence intensity and uniformity of the abrasive flow.A set of comparative polishing experiments with or without ultrasonic vibration are conducted to explore the performance of the proposed method.It can be found that the ultrasonic-assisted SAF method can improve the machining efficiency and uniformity,to achieve the purpose of carbon emission reduction.The relevant result can offer a helpful reference for the SAF method.

Microstructure Transformation and Refinement Mechanism of Undercooled Cu-Ni-Co Alloy Based on Simulation of Critical Cutting Speed in Ultrasonic Machining

Both Cu60Ni38Co2 and Cu60Ni40 alloy were naturally cooled after rapid solidification from the liquid phase.The transformation law of the microstructure characteristics of the rapidly solidified alloy with the change of undercooling(ΔT)was systematically studied.It is found that the two alloys experience the same transformation process.The refinement structures under different undercoolings were characterized by electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD).The results show that the characteristics of the refinement structure of the two alloys with low undercooling are the same,but the characteristics of the refinement structure with high undercooling are opposite.The transmission electron microscopy(TEM)results of Cu60Ni38Co2 alloy show that the dislocation network density of low undercooled microstructure is lower than that of high undercooled microstructure.By combining EBSD and TEM,it could be confirmed that the dendrite remelting fracture is the reason for the refinement of the low undercooled structure,while the high undercooled structure is refined due to recrystallization.On this basis,in the processing of copper base alloys,there will be serious work hardening phenomenon and machining hard problem of consciousness problems caused by excessive cutting force.A twodimensional orthogonal turning finite element model was established using ABAQUS software to analyze the changes in cutting speed and tool trajectory in copper based alloy ultrasonic elliptical vibration turning.The results show that in copper based alloy ultrasonic elliptical vibration turning,cutting process parameters have a significant impact on cutting force.Choosing reasonable process parameters can effectively reduce cutting force and improve machining quality.

Application of ultrasonic vibration to shape-casting based on resonance vibration analysis

The application of ultrasonic vibration during the casting process has been proven to refine the microstructure and enhance the properties of the casting.By using the direct inserting method,wherein the ultrasonic horn is inserted directly into the melt,ultrasonic treatment can be utilized in the semi-continuous casting process to produce aluminum ingots with simple shapes.However,due to the attenuation of ultrasound,it is challenging to apply the direct inserting method in the die casting process to produce complex castings.Thus,in this study,the impact of ultrasonic vibration on the microstructure of a gravity die-cast AlSi9Cu3end cap was investigated by applying ultrasonic vibration on the core(indirect method).It is found that the effect of ultrasonic vibration relies greatly on the resonance mode of the core.Selection of ultrasonic vibration schemes mainly depends on the core structure,and only a strong vibration can significantly refine the microstructure of the casting.For castings with complex structures,an elaborated ultrasonic vibration design is necessary to refine the microstructure of the specified casting.In addition,strong vibration applied on the feeding channel can promote the feeding ability of casting by breaking the dendrites during solidification,and consequently reduce the shrinkage porosity.

Effect of ultrasonic vibration on Fe-containing intermetallic compounds of hypereutectic Al-Si alloys with high Fe content

The Fe-containing intermetallic compounds with high melting point in hypereutectic Al-Si alloys can improve the heat resistance and wear resistance at elevated temperatures. However, the long needle-like Fe-containing compounds in the alloys produced by conventional casting process are detrimental to the strength of matrix. The effect of ultrasonic vibration （USV） on the morphology change of Fe-containing intermetallic compounds in the hypereutectic Al-17Si-xFe （x=2, 3, 4, 5） alloys was systematically studied. The results show that, the Fe-containing intermetallic compounds are mainly composed of long needle-like β-Al5FeSi phase with a small amount of plate-like δ-Al4FeSi2 phase in Al-17Si-2Fe alloy produced by conventional casting process. With the increase of Fe content from 2% to 5% in the alloys, the amount of plate-like or coarse needle-like δ-Al4FeSi2 phase increases while the amount of long needle-like β-Al5FeSi phases decreases. In Al-17Si-5Fe alloy, the Fe-containing intermetallic compounds exist mainly as coarse needle-like δ-Al4FeSi2 phase. After USV treatment, the Fe-containing compounds in the Al-17Si-xFe alloys are refined and exist mainly as δ-Al4FeSi2 particles, with average grain size ranging from 26 μm to 37 μm, and only a small amount of β-Al5FeSi phases remain. The mechanism of USV on the morphology of Fe-containing intermetallic compounds was also discussed.

Effects of ultrasonic vibration on solidification structure and properties of Mg-8Li-3Al alloy

Ultrasonic vibration was introduced into the Mg-8Li-3A1 alloy melt during its solidification process. The microstructure, corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the Mg-8Li-3A1 alloy under ultrasonic vibration were investigated. The experiment results show that the morphology of a phase is modified from coarse rosette-like structure to fine globular one with the application of ultrasonic vibration. The fine globular structure is obtained especially when the power is 170 W, and the refining effect also gets better with prolonging the ultrasonic treatment time. The corrosion resistance of the alloy with 170 W of ultrasonic vibration for 90 s is improved apparently compared with the alloy without ultrasonic vibration. The mechanical properties of alloys with ultrasonic vibration are also both improved apparently. The tensile strength and elongation of alloy improve by 9.5% and 45.7%, respectively, with 170 W of ultrasonic treatment for 90 s.

Effect of cooling condition on microstructure of semi-solid AZ91 slurry produced via ultrasonic vibration process

The effects of cooling conditions on the microstructure of semi-solid AZ91 slurry produced via ultrasonic vibration process were investigated. AZ91 melts were subjected to ultrasonic vibration in different temperature ranges under different cooling rates. The results show that fine and spherical α-Mg particles are obtained under ultrasonic vibration at the nucleation stage, which is mainly attributed to the cavitation and acoustic streaming induced by the ultrasonic vibration. The reduction of lower limit of ultrasonic vibration temperature between the liquidus and solidus increases the solid volume fraction and average particle size. Increasing cooling rate increases the solid volume fraction and reduces the average shape factor of particles. The appropriate temperature range for ultrasonic vibration is from 605 °C to 595 °C or 590 °C, and the suitable cooling rate is 2-3 °C/min.

Forming mechanism of ultrasonic vibration assisted compression

To study the mechanism of ultrasonic vibration assisted forming,the static and vibration assisted compression tests of aluminum 1050 were carried out via a 25 kHz high-frequency ultrasonic vibration device.It is found that vibration reduces the flow resistance and improves the surface topography.The force reduction level is proportional to the ultrasonic vibration amplitude.By using numerical simulation of static and vibration assisted compression tests,the deformation characteristics of material were investigated.Throughout the vibration,the friction between the materials and tools reduces.The stress superposition and friction effects are found to be two major reasons for reducing the force.However,the force reduction because of stress superposition and friction effects is still less than the actual force reduction from the tests,which suggests that softening effect may be one of the other reasons to reduce the force.

Microstructural characteristics of Al-20Si-2Cu-0.4Mg-1Ni alloy formed by rheo-squeeze casting after ultrasonic vibration treatment

A swash plate for air conditioning compressor of cars was formed by rheo-squeeze casting with semi-solid Al-Si alloy slurry prepared by ultrasonic vibration process, and the microstructure of this alloy was investigated. Besides the microstructures of primary Si particles and α(Al)+β-Si eutectic phases, non-equilibrium α(Al) particles or dendrites are discovered in the microstructure of the Al-20Si-2Cu-0.4Mg-1Ni alloy. Rapid cooling generated by squeeze casting process rather than the pressure is considered as the main reason for the formation of non-equilibrium α(Al) phase. The sound pressurizing effect of ultrasonic vibration also enables the non-equilibrium α(Al) phases to form above eutectic temperature and grow into non-dendritic spheroids in the process of semi-solid slurry preparation. Non-equilibrium α(Al) phases formed in the hypereutectic Al-Si alloy with ultrasonic vibration treatment, consist of round α(Al) grains formed above the eutectic temperature and a small amount of fine α(Al) dendrites formed under the eutectic temperature. The volume fraction of primary Si particles is decreased significantly by the effect of ultrasonic vibration through increasing the solid solubility of Si atoms in α(Al) matrix and decreasing the forming temperature range of primary Si particles. The average particle diameter and the volume fraction of primary Si particles in microstructure of the swash-plate by rheo-squeeze casting are 24.3 μm and 11.1%, respectively.

Flexible die drawing of magnesium alloy sheet by superimposing ultrasonic vibration

Combining solid granule medium forming technology with ultrasonic vibration plastic forming technology, ultrasonic vibration granule medium forming （UGMF） technology was proposed. To reveal the effect of ultrasonic vibration on flexible-die deep drawing, an ultrasonic vibration with a frequency of 20 kHz and a maximum output of 1.5 kW was on the solid granule medium deep drawing of AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet. The results revealed that ultrasonic vibration promotes the pressure transmission performance of the granule medium and the formability of the sheet. The forming load declines with the ultrasonic amplitude during the drawing process as a result of the combined influence of the ＂surface effect＂ and the ＂softening＂ of the ＂volume effect＂.

Microstructure and property of rheocasting AZ91 slurry produced via ultrasonic vibration process

The microstructure and mechanical properties of rheocasting AZ91 magnesium alloy were investigated. The semisolid slurry of this alloy was prepared by ultrasonic vibration （USV） process and then shaped by high pressure diecasting （HPDC）. The results show that fine and spherical a-Mg particles were obtained by USV at the nucleation stage, which was mainly attributed to the cavitation and acoustic streaming induced by the USV. Extending USV treatment time increased the solid volume fraction and average particle size, the shape factors were nearly the same, about 0.7. Excellent semisolid slurry of AZ91 magnesium alloy could be obtained within 6 rain by USV near its liquidus temperature. The rheo-HPDC samples treated by USV for 6 min had the maximum ultimate tensile strength and elongation, which were 248 MPa and 7.4%, respectively. It was also found that the ductile fracture mode prevailed in the rheocasting AZ91 magnesium alloy.

Effect of Ultrasonic Output Power on Refining the Crystal Structures of Ingots and Its Experimental Simulation

In this study, a series of tests were conducted by using aluminum-based alloy to determine the formation of grain refining structure based on the ultrasonic vibration (UV). Furthermore, the simulation test and effect of ultrasonic output power were studied using ammonium chloride. Finally, the mechanism of grain refinement was investigated. The results show that: (1) By applying the UV to aluminum-base alloy, the grain refining rate of ingots tended to increase with the increase of the output value of UV. (2) It was confirmed that time from after the pour to the beginning of crystallization as well as cloudiness tended to decrease with increasing the ultrasonic power value of UV. Moreover, it can be seen from each cooling curve that a uniform temperature gradient existed in the melt as the power of UV increased, that made the melt strongly stirred. (3) It was also considered that the grain refining effect of ingots, which was observed from the simulation tests, resulted from nucleation action and stirring division action by applying the UV.

Surface roughness prediction model in ultrasonic vibration assisted grinding of BK7 optical glass

Pre-knowledge of machined surface roughness is the key to improve whole machining efficiency and meanwhile reduce the expenditure in machining optical glass components.In order to predict the surface roughness in ultrasonic vibration assisted grinding of brittle materials,the surface morphologies of grinding wheel were obtained firstly in the present work,the grinding wheel model was developed and the abrasive trajectories in ultrasonic vibration assisted grinding were also investigated,the theoretical model for surface roughness was developed based on the above analysis.The prediction model was developed by using Gaussian processing regression(GPR)due to the influence of brittle fracture on machined surface roughness.In order to validate both the proposed theoretical and GPR models,32sets of experiments of ultrasonic vibration assisted grinding of BK7optical glass were carried out.Experimental results show that the average relative errors of the theoretical model and GPR prediction model are13.11%and8.12%,respectively.The GPR prediction results can match well with the experimental results.

A Review on Ultrasonic-Assisted Forming:Mechanism,Model,and Process

Compared with conventional forming processes,ultrasonic-assisted forming technology with a high frequency and small amplitude can significantly improve the forming quality of materials.Owing to the advantages of reduced forming force,improved surface quality,avoidance of forming defects,and strengthened surface structure,ultrasonic-assisted forming technology has been applied to increasingly advanced forming processes,such as incremental forming,spinning,and micro-forming.However,in the ultrasonic-assisted forming process,there are multiple ultrasonic mechanisms,such as the volume effect and surface effect.The explanation of the effect of ultrasonic vibration(UV)on plastic deformation remains controversial,hindering the development of related technologies.Recently,many researchers have proposed many new theories and technologies for ultrasonic-assisted forming.To summarize these developments,systematic discussions on mechanisms,theoretical models,and forming performances are provided in this review.On this basis,the limitations of the current study are discussed.In addition,an outlook for ultrasonic-assisted forming is proposed:efficient and stable UV systems,difficulty forming components with complex geometry,explanation of the in-depth mechanism,a systematic theoretical prediction model,and multi-field-coupling energy-assisted forming are considered to be hot spots in future studies.The present review enhances existing knowledge of ultrasonic-assisted forming,and facilitates a fast reference for related researchers.

Effects of ultrasonic vibration on performance and microstructure of AZ31 magnesium alloy under tensile deformation

Ultrasonic vibration can reduce the forming force, decrease the friction in the metal forming process and improve the surface quality of the workpiece effectively. Tensile tests of AZ31 magnesium alloy were carried out. The stress–strain relationship, fracture modes of tensile specimens, microstructure and microhardness under different vibration conditions were analyzed, in order to study the effects of the ultrasonic vibration on microstructure and performance of AZ31 magnesium alloy under tensile deformation. The results showed that the different reductions of the true stress appeared under various ultrasonic vibration conditions, and the maximum decreasing range was 4.76%. The maximum microhardness difference among the 3 nodes selected along the specimen was HV 10.9. The fracture modes, plasticity and microstructure of AZ31 magnesium alloy also were affected by amplitude and action time of the ultrasonic vibration. The softening effect and the hardening effect occurred simultaneously when the ultrasonic vibration was applied. When the ultrasonic amplitude was 4.6 μm with short action time, the plastic deformation was dominated by twins and the softening effect was dominant. However, the twinning could be inhibited and the hardening effect became dominant in the case of high ultrasonic energy.

Research progress on microstructure evolution of semi-solid aluminum alloys in ultrasonic field and their rheocasting

The effects of ultrasonic vibration(UV)treatment on microstructure of semi-solid aluminum alloys and the application of UV in rheocasting process are reviewed.Good semi-solid slurry can be produced by high-intensity UV process for aluminum alloys.The microstructures of Al-Si,Al-Mg and Al-Cu alloys produced by rheocasting assisted with UV are compact and with fine grains.The mechanical properties of the UV treated alloys are increased by about 20%-30%.Grain refinement of the alloys is generally considered because of cavitation and acoustic streaming caused by UV.Apart from these mechanisms,a hypothesis of the fuse of dendrite root caused by capillary infiltration in the ultrasonic field,as well as a mechanism of crystallites falling off from the mould-wall and crystal multiplication by mechanical vibration effect in indirect ultrasonic vibration are proposed to explain the microstructure evolution of the alloys.