Analysis of bulging process of aluminum alloy by overlapping sheet metal and its formability

The influences of strength coefficient K, work hardening exponent n and thickness t of the overlapping sheet on bulging process are analyzed based on hardening material model. Also, bulging experiments are carried out by taking the aluminum alloy LF21 as formed sheet metal, and selecting overlapping sheet with different thicknesses and material properties, by which accuracy of the above analysis result is verified in the aspects of geometric shape, thickness distribution and limit bulging height. The results show that higher strength coefficient K, larger work hardening exponent n and proper thickness of the overlapping sheet are helpful to improve the formability and forming uniformity of formed sheet metal.

Exploring material flow in friction stir welding using stacked structure of 2024 and 6061 aluminum alloys

An experimental technique based on stacked structures was developed to observe the material flow behavior of the friction stir welding （FSW） process. Analysis of section views along different directions revealed important new details of the material flow in FSW process. In this work, a general flow model of FSW was constructed based on the analysis of different static section views of stacked structure weld. The formation of onion rings was found to be a geometric effect due to layered deposition attd the extrusion occurred at the interface between flow arm （FA） and stirring zone （SZ）.

Material flow behavior and microstructural evolution during refill friction stir spot welding of alclad 2A12-T4 aluminum alloy

In this study, we used the stop-action technique to experimentally investigate the material flow and microstructural evolution of alclad 2A12-T4 aluminum alloy during refill friction stir spot welding.There are two material flow components, i.e., the inward-or outward-directed spiral flow on the horizontal plane and the upward-or downward-directed flow on the vertical plane.In the plunge stage, the flow of plasticized metal into the cavity is similar to that of a stack, whereby the upper layer is pushed upward by the lower layer.In the refill stage, this is process reversed.As such, there is no obvious vertical plasticized metal flow between adjacent layers.Welding leads to the coarsening of S(Al2CuMg) in the thermo-mechanically affected zone and the diminishing of S in the stir zone.Continuous dynamic recrystallization results in the formation of fine equiaxed grains in the stir zone, but this process becomes difficult in the thermo-mechanically affected zone due to the lower deformation rate and the pinning action of S precipitates on the dislocations and sub-grain boundaries, which leads to a high fraction of low-angle grain boundaries in this zone.

A MOLD MATERIAL USED FOR TITANIUM-ALUMINUM ALLOY-CALCIA

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Effect of mould material on aluminum alloy ingot quality under low frequency electromagnetic casting

With the aid of ANSYS software, the effect of different mould external part materials on magnetic flux density and electromagnetic body force in the liquid aluminum was investigated. Calculated results showed that magnetic flux density and electromagnetic body force in the aluminum melt are greatly increased when the external part of mould is made from A3 steel. A low-frequency electromagnetic casting 6063 aluminum alloy experiment was conducted in the laboratory with the current value of 120 A and frequency value of 15 Hz. The experiment showed that the microstructure and surface quality of ingots with mould outer part made from A3 steel under low-frequency electromagnetic field are better than that of ingots with mould outer part made from austenitic stainless steel. The surface of the ingots with mould outer part made from A3 steel is smooth and free from exudations and cold shut defects. The as-cast microstructure consists of fine, uniformly distributed equiaxed grains.

Influences of electric-hydraulic chattering on backward extrusion process of 6061 aluminum alloy

The possibility of the electric-hydraulic chattering technology and its application in the cold extrusion were presented.The conventional and electric-hydraulic chattering assisted backward extrusion processes were performed on 6061 aluminum alloy billets at room temperature.The experimental results showed that 5.65% reduction in the extrusion load was attained if the die and ejector were vibrated at a frequency of 100 Hz and amplitude of 0.013 mm in the longitudinal direction.The friction coefficient at the billet and tool system interface determined from the finite element analysis（FEA） decreased from 0.2 without chattering to 0.1 with application of electric-hydraulic chattering.The higher values of instantaneous velocity and direction change of material flow were achieved during the chattering assisted backward extrusion process.The strain distribution of the chattering assisted backward extrusion billet revealed lower maximum strain and smoother strain distribution in comparison with that produced by the conventional extrusion method.

Finite element analysis of pressure on 2024 aluminum alloy created during restricting expansion-deformation heat-treatment

Metals heat-treated under high pressure can exhibit different properties. The heat-induced pressure on 2024 aluminum alloy during restricting expansion-deformation heat-treatment was calculated by using the ABAQUS finite element software, and the effects of the mould material properties, such as coefficient of thermal expansion （CTE）, elastic modulus and yield strength, on the pressure were discussed. The simulated results show that the relatively uniform heat-induced pressure, approximately 503 MPa at 500 ℃, appears on 2024 alloy when 42CrMo steel is as the mould material. The heat-induced pressure increases with decreasing the CTE and the increases of elastic modulus and yield strength of the mould material. The influences of the CTE and elastic modulus on the heat-induced pressure are more notable.

Optimization of process parameters to maximize ultimate tensile strength of friction stir welded dissimilar aluminum alloys using response surface methodology

Aluminium alloys generally present low weldability by traditional fusion welding process. Development of the friction stir welding （FSW） has provided an alternative improved way of producing aluminium joints in a faster and reliable manner. The quality of a weld joint is stalwartly influenced by process parameter used during welding. An approach to develop a mathematical model was studied for predicting and optimizing the process parameters of dissimilar aluminum alloy （AA6351 T6-AA5083 Hlll）joints by incorporating the FSW process parameters such as tool pin profile, tool rotational speed welding speed and axial force. The effects of the FSW process parameters on the ultimate tensile strength （UTS） of friction welded dissimilar joints were discussed. Optimization was carried out to maximize the UTS using response surface methodology （RSM） and the identified optimum FSW welding parameters were reported.

Properties of a reaction-bonded β-SiAlON ceramic doped with an FeMo alloy for application to molten aluminum environments

An FeMo-alloy-doped β-SiA1ON （FeMo/β-SiA1ON） composite was fabricated via a reaction-bonding method using raw materials of Si, Al2O3, A1N, FeMo, and Sm2O3. The effects of FeMo on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composite were investi- gated. Some properties of the composite, including its bending strength at 700℃ and after oxidization at 700℃ for 24 h in air, thermal shock resistance and corrosion resistance to molten aluminum, were also evaluated. The results show that the density, toughness, bending strength, and thermal shock resistance of the composite are obviously improved with the addition of an FeMo alloy. In addition, other properties of the composite such as its high-temperature strength and oxidized strength are also improved by the addition of FeMo alloy, and its corrosion re- sistance to molten aluminum is maintained. These findings indicate that the developed FeMo/β-SiA1ON composite exhibits strong potential for application to molten aluminum environments.

Numerical Simulation of Warm Forming Behavior of High Strength Aluminum Alloy 7075

Numerical analysis is critically important to understanding the complex deformation mechanics that occur during sheet forming processes.It has been widely used in simulation of sheet metal forming processes at room temperature in the automotive industry.However,material at elevated temperature behaves more differently than at room temperature and specific material parameters and models need to be developed for the simulation of warm forming.Based on the experimental investigation of material behavior of high strength aluminum alloy 7075(AA7075),constitutive equations with strain rate sensitivity at 140,180 and 220 ℃ are developed.Anisotropic yield criterion Barlat 89 is used in the simulation.Warm forming of limit dome height tests and limit drawing ratio tests of AA7075 at 140,180 and 220℃are performed.Forming limit diagrams developed from experiment at several elevated temperatures in the previous study are used to predict the failure in the simulation results.Punch force and displacement predicted from simulation are compared with the experimental data.Simulation results agree with experimental results,so the developed material model can be used to accurately predict material behavior during isothermal warm forming of the AA7075-T6 alloy.

Homogenization of twin-roll cast AA8079 aluminum alloy studied by in-situ TEM

AA8079 is a commonly used stock material for manufacturing thin packaging foils.The primary alloying elements Fe and Si can form binary and tertiary intermetallics.In-situ TEM simulating homogenization annealing process of the as-cast material was used to analyze the real-time changes of the shape,type,and distribution of these particles.They affect the mechanical properties of the final product and susceptibility of the material to the formation of pinholes and other macroscopic defects.Another set of as-cast samples were annealed in a regime simulating industrial treatment in combination with measurements of resistivity to validate the results of the in-situ experiment.The results show clear temperature intervals of recovery,matrix desaturation,and phase transformations occurring in several stages:spheroidization of the original particles above 450℃,nucleation of new particles at 475℃,particles coarsening above 525℃,and an entire dissolution of the original particles above 550℃.

Damage prediction of 7025 aluminum alloy during equal-channel angular pressing

Equal-channel angular pressing （ECAP） is a prominent technique that imposes severe plastic deformation into materials to en- hance their mechanical properties. In this research, experimental and numerical approaches were utilized to investigate the mechanical prop- erties, strain behavior, and damage prediction of ECAPed 7025 aluminum alloy in various conditions, such as die channel angle, outer comer angle, and friction coefficient. Experimental results indicate that, after the first pass, the yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and hardness magnitude are improved by approximately 95%, 28%, and 48.5%, respectively, compared with the annealed state, mainly due to grain re- finement during the deformation. Finite element analysis shows that the influence of die channel angle is more important than that of outer comer angle or friction coefficient on both the strain behavior and the damage prediction. Also, surface cracks are the main cause of damage during the ECAP process for every die channel angle except for 90°; however, the cracks initiated from the neighborhood of the central re- gions are the possible cause of damage in the ECAPed sample with the die channel angle of 90°.

Inspection of aluminum alloys by a multi-frequency eddy current method

The paper proposes an experimental method of material inspection,which is based on digital processing of multi-frequency eddy current measurement data.The influences of various factors(conductivity,the gap between the sample surface and the sensor,the thickness of the sample) on the obtained hodographs are examined by taking the aluminum alloys for example,and the possibility of separation of various factors is analyzed.The results obtained are indicative of how much promise the proposed method offers for the inspection and testing of products made of aluminum alloys.

Study of high-speed interaction processes between fluoropolymer projectiles and aluminum-based targets

The experimental results and numerical modeling of penetration process of fluoropolymer projectiles in aluminum-based targets are presented. Analysis of mathematical models for interaction of elastoplastic projectile and target without taking additional energy released during interaction of fluoropolymer and aluminum into consideration is carried out. Energy fraction which is spent effectively on the increase in cavity volume is determined. The experimental and calculated results of penetration by combined and inert projectiles are compared.

New Technique for Making Composite Materials—Field Assisted Diffusion Bonding of Alumina to Aluminum

There are two ways to join ceramics to metals: brazing and bonding. However, brazing processes are time-comsuming and energy-comsuming and is limited by the low working temperature. Generally speaking, bonding, or specifically, Diffusion Bonding performs better than brazing. Besides diffusion bonding, a more specialized technique is Field Assisted Diffusion Bonding (FADB).

Simulatingthe Effect of Temperature Gradient on Grain Growth of 6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy via Monte Carlo Potts Algorithm

During heat treatment or mechanical processing,most polycrystalline materials experience grain growth,which significantly affects their mechanical properties.Microstructure simulation on a mesoscopic scale is an important way of studying grain growth.A key research focus of this type of method has long been how to efficiently and accurately simulate the grain growth caused by a non-uniform temperature field with temperature gradients.In this work,we propose an improved 3D Monte Carlo Potts(MCP)method to quantitatively study the relationship between non-uniform temperature fields and final grain morphologies.Properties of the aluminum alloy AA6061-T6 are used to establish a trial calculation model and to verify the algorithms with existing experimental results in literature.The detailed grain growth process of the 6061-T6 aluminum alloy under different temperature fields is then obtained,and grain morphologies at various positions are analyzed.Results indicate that while absolute temperature and duration time are the primary factors determining the final grain size,the temperature gradient also has strong influence on the grain morphologies.The relationships between temperatures,temperature gradients and grain growth process have been established.The proposed MCP algorithm can be applied to different types of materials when the proper parameters are used.

Elevated temperature endurance and creep properties of extruded 2D70 Al alloy rods

The elevated temperature performances of 2D70 Al alloy hot extrusion rods after two-stage homogenization and intensive deformation were studied by measuring the elevated temperature enduring strength and the creep ultimate strength. The fracture morphology of some selected samples after testing at different elevated temperatures was observed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The results indicate that, as the test temperature increases, the elevated temperature enduring strength of 2D70 Al alloy decreases gradually. In a comparison between 150 C and 240 C, the notch enduring strength drops from 375 to 185 MPa and the smooth enduring strength drops from 337 to 130 MPa. Enduring strength is not sensitive to the notch. The notch sensitivity ratio （NSR） coefficient is in the range of 1.119 to 1.423 from 150 C to 240 C. The creep test results show that, as the test temperature increases from 150 C to 240 C, the creep ultimate strength of 2D70 Al alloy rods drops gradually from 312 to 117 MPa.

TENSILE PROPERTIES AND CREEP RESISTANCE OF AZ91 ALLOY CONTAINING ANTIMONY

Small amount of antimony addition to the Mg-9Al-0.8Zn-0.2Mn(AZ91) alloy results in the obvious increase of tensile strength at both ambient and elevated temperatures. The creep resistance at the temperatures up to 200°C is also improved significantly by antimony addition. Microstructural observations revealed that the addition of antimony modifies morphology of the β(Mg17Al12) phase and causes the formation of some rod-shaped precipitates Mg3Sb2 at grain boundaries. These precipitates have high thermal stability and play an important role for strengthening grain boundaries at elevated temperatures.

Fabrication and characterization of nanocrystalline Al/Al_(12)(Fe,V)_3Si alloys by consolidation of mechanically alloyed powders

The aim of this study was to produce bulk nanocrystalline Al/Al12（Fe,V）3Si alloys by mechanical alloying （MA） and subsequent hot pressing （HP） of elemental powders. A nanostructured Al-based solid solution was formed by MA of elemental powders for 60 h. After HP of the as-milled powders at 550℃ for 20 min, the Al12（Fe,V）3Si phase was precipitated in a nanocrystalline Al matrix. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） images of the bulk samples represented a homogeneous and uniform microstructure that was superior to those previously obtained by rapid solidification-powder metallurgy （RS-PM）. Nanostructured Al-8.5Fe-1.3V-1.7Si and Al-11.6Fe-1.3V-2.3Si alloys ex-hibited high HV hardness values of～205 and～254, respectively, which are significantly higher than those reported for the RS-PM counter-parts.

DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY AND X-RAY DIFFRACTION STUDIES ON AGING BEHAVIOR OF Zn-Al ALLOYS

Decomposition processes of the quenched Zn-Al alloys were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the stabilities of supersaturated solid solution (SSS) of Zn-Al alloy and α' phase formed by quenching would reduce with the increase of Zn content and the precipitation of η-Zn phases even when aging at ambient temperature, so that the exothermic precipitation peak in DSC curve would disappear. The activation energy of the η-Zn precipitation and the reaction enthalpy were calculated and measured. The kinetics of α' decomposition or η-Zn formation was determined by XRD. The microstructure change during aging was observed by TEM.