Numerical simulation and experimental verification of a novel double-layered split die for high-pressure apparatus used for synthesizing superhard materials

Based on the principles of massive support and lateral support, a novel double-layered split die(DLSD) for high-pressure apparatus was designed to achieve a higher pressure-bearing capacity and larger sample cavity. The stress distributions of the DLSDs with different numbers of divided blocks were investigated by the finite element method and compared with the stress distributions of the conventional belt-type die(BTD). The results show that the cylinders and first-layer supporting rings of the DLSDs have dramatically smaller stresses than those of the BTD. In addition, increasing the number of divided blocks from 4 to 10 gradually increases the stress of the cylinder but has minimal influence on the stress of the supporting rings. The pressure-bearing capacities of the DLSDs with different numbers of divided blocks, especially with fewer blocks, are all remarkably higher than the pressure-bearing capacity of the BTD. The contrast experiments were also carried out to verify the simulated results. It is concluded that the pressure-bearing capacities of the DLSDs with 4 and 8 divided blocks are 1.58 and 1.45 times greater than that of the BTD. This work is rewarding for the commercial synthesis of high-quality, large-sized superhard materials using a double-layered split high-pressure die.

STUDY ON DESIGN TECHNIQUES OF A LONG LIFE HOT FORGING DIE WITH MULTI-MATERIALS

A new design technique for the long life hot forging die has been proposed. By finite element analysis, the reason .for the failure of hot forging die was analyzed and it was concluded that thermal stress is the main reason for the failure of hot forging die. Based on this conclusion, the whole hot forging die was divided into the substrate part and the heat-resistant part according to the thermal stress distribution. Moreover, the heat-resistant part was further subdivided into more zones and the material of each zone was reasonably selected to ensure that the hot forging die can work in an elastic state. When compared with the existing techniques, this design can greatly increase the service life because the use of multi-materials can alleviate the thermal stress in hot forging die.

Die wall lubricated warm compaction of iron-based powder metallurgy material

Lubricant is harmful to the mechanical properties of the sintered materials. Die wall lubrication was applied on warm compaction powder metallurgy in the hope of reducing the concentration level of the admixed lubricant. Iron based samples were prepared by die wall lubricated warm compaction at 175 ℃, using a compacting pressure of 550 MPa. Emulsified polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) was used as die wall lubricant. Admixed lubricant concentration ranging from 0 to 0.5% was tested. Extremely low admixed lubricant contents were used. Results show that in addition to the decrease in ejection forces, the green density of the compacts increases with the decrease of admixed lubricant content until it reaches the maximum at 0.06% of lubricant content, then decreases with the decrease of admixed lubricant content. The mechanical properties of the sintered compacts that contain more than 0.06% admixed lubricant are better than those of the samples that contain lesser lubricant. No scoring was observed in all die wall lubricated experiments.

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.

High Temperature Mechanical Properties of Ni-Al-Cr Based Alloys for Advanced Die-Materials Applications

In this study, we report on advanced Ni3Al based high temperature structural alloys with Zr and B addition in order to apply in the fields of die-casting and high temperature press forming as die materials. Microstructures and mechanical properties of Ni3Al based intermetallic alloys produced by vacuum arc melting were investigated in terms of phase analysis by using a scanning electron microscope （SEM） equipped with an X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer （EDS）, an X-ray diffractometer （XRD） and tensile test. The duplex microstructural feature consisting of γ＇ matrix phase and small intermetallic dispersoids was observed to be distributed over the whole microstructure. The ultimate tensile strength of the present alloy was superior to commercial iron-based and Ni-based die-materials especially in the high temperature region.

Composition,Processing Technology and Property of Ceramic Die Materials Containing Rare Earth Additives

Development and application of new ceramic die materials is one of the important topics in the field of die research. The composition, processing technology, mechanical property and engineering performance of the ceramic materials such as cermet, ZTA, TZP, TZP/Al2O3, TZP/TiC/Al2O3, PSZ and Sialon, etc., with rare earth yttrium, lanthanum and cerium, and so on working as additives, were investigated and analyzed in the present study. Problems existed in the research and application of rare earth ceramic die materials were discussed. Rare earth additives can effectively improve the mechanical property and engineering performance of ceramic die materials. Thus, it will have further perspectives of wider application. More attention should be paid in the future to the toughening and strengthening of the ceramic die materials, the adding forms and kinds of rare earth elements and acting mechanisms of rare earth additives in ceramic die materials.

Seamless Bra Cup Moulding of Fabric-Foam Laminated Materials

Seamless bra cup moulding is an important manufacturing technique for the apparel industry,and in particular,for bra production.Polyurethane(PU)foams and/or fabric-foam laminated sheets are moulded into a desirable cup shape in order to fit the three-dimensional(3D)breast contour.Such foam cups not only provide a wide range of designs combined with different levels of softness and support,but also reduce production costs with minimum cutting and sewing of seams.In this study,two selected PU foam and fabric materials typically used for bra cup moulding were examined.Their respective performance behaviour in relation to different moulding temperatures and time changes were recorded and analyzed.The results reveal that cup heights are greatly affected by the use of foam and/or fabric-foam laminated materials.High moulding temperatures and/or prolonged dwell time could be required when deforming laminated materials and setting large cup sizes.Nevertheless,cup height cannot be taken as the only criteria to determine the optimal moulding conditions,and this is especially the case for large cup sizes.The design of mould heads is a major factor that affects the dimension changes of foam cups.In this respect,to control the foam moulding process,it is suggested that bra manufacturers examine the fabric/foam material properties to determine the optimal moulding condition,and quantify the shape of foam cups to enhance the design and development process of aluminum mould heads.

Microbial Load (Bacteria, Coliform and Mould Count/Flora) of Some Common Hot Smoked Freshwater Fish Species Using Different Packaging Materials

Three different packaging materials of (37 cm × 25 cm) size (Sealed Transparent Polythene Bag (STPB) Sealed Paper Bag (SPB) (Brown envelope), Open Mouth Polythene Bag (OMPB) (Black incolour)) were used for Oreochromisniloticus (O), Clariasgariepinus (C) and Mormyrusrume (M). Twenty fish samples per species (averaging 250 gm) were hot smoked dried whole for 36 hours at an average temperature of 100?C. Packaged hot at the rate of 6 fishes per package for each species (three packs for each packaging treatment i.e. 18 pieces were packed while the remaining 2 pieces were used for initial bacteria load and microbial load). Microbial load (Total Viable Count (TVC), Total Coliform Count (TCC) and Total Fungi Count (TFC)) for the fresh fish was initial hot smoked and finally at the end of 12 weeks was monitored. The TVC (bacterial load) of O. niloticus dropped from (10.6 - 8.4) × 104 (fresh state-hot smoked) and M. rume (9.8 - 7.0) × 104, while C. gariepinus slightly increased from (12.4 - 12.6) × 104. After hot smoking, highest TVC of 8.6 × 104 (OMPBC), 8.3 × 104 (SPBC) and 8.2 × 104 (STPBC) were recorded in C. gariepinus among the 9 packag- ing at 12 weeks. However highest tendency for heavy TVC is in all OMPB with highest bacteria load in the OMPBC (8.6 × 104), 7.6 × 104 (OMPBO) and 6.6 × 104 (OMPBM). After 12 weeks highest ranged TFC of (0.6 - 0.7) × 104 was recorded in M. rume as against 0.2 × 104 recorded in the initial smoked for all. TCC was highest in C. gariepinus (4.0 - 4.3) × 104. Packaging did not limit the existence of micro-organisms. Six bacteria species (Micrococcus (acidiophilus, luteus), Bacillus (subtilis, cereus, aureus), Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus lactis, Proteus (vulgaricus, morganii), Pseudomonas aureginosa) and three fungi species (Aspergillus (niger, tamari), Rhizopusnigricans, fusariumoxysporum) were represented in all the packages. On the average five bacteria and two fungi species were represented, excepting for OMPBM and OMPBO with six bacteria species.

Biodegradable materials as binders for IVth generation moulding sands

This paper focuses on the possibility of using the biodegradable materials as binders(or parts of binders' compositions) for foundry moulding and core sands. Results showed that there is a great possibility of using available biodegradable materials as foundry moulding sand binders. Using biodegradable materials as partial content of new binders, or additives to moulding sands may not only decrease the toxicity and increase reclamation ability of tested moulding sands, but also accelerate the biodegradation rate of used binders, and the new biodegradable additive(PCL) did not decrease the strength and thermal properties. In addition, using polycaprolactone(PCL) as a biodegradable material may improve the flexibility of moulding sands with polymeric binder and reduce toxicity.

A NEW AREA IN UTILIZATION OF COAL MINE WASTE-DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW TYPE OF MOULDING MATERIAL

This paper concentrates on the research of plaster-bonded moulding matertal with coal mine waste as its major filler and its process. Having made a careful investigation of various factorsaffecting properties of the moulding material, the authors optimize several new formulations of thismaterial and the prarees which are inexpensive, convenient in application, precise in bokling sizoof moulds.

Plasma spray forming of functionally graded materials mould

A new technology of functionally graded materials(FGM) mould fabricated by plasma spraying and arc spraying was developed. According to applied characteristic of plastic mould, the reasonable coatings of FGM were designed and their microstructures were analyzed. At the same time, some key problems were solved including spray mould fabricating, FGM forming and demoulding, etc. The results show that the service performance of the FGM mould is much more excellent than the one composed of the traditional materials, and the life span can also be greatly increased. The technology will have a significant influence on materials development in mould industry.

Heat Treat ment of Die and Mould Oriented Concurrent Design

Many disadvantages exist in the traditional die design method which belongs to serial pattern. It is well known that heat treatment is highly important to the dies. A new idea of concurrent design for heat treatment process of die and mould was developed in order to overcome the existent shortcomings of heat treatment process. Heat treatment CAD/CAE was integrated with concurrent circumstance and the relevant model was built. These investigations can remarkably improve efficiency, reduce cost and ensure quality of R and D for products.

Mould filling ability and microstructure of aluminum alloy under electromagnetic die casting

In order to solve the mould filling problem of large thin walled aluminum alloy castings effectively, a new casting technology called electromagnetic die casting has been developed. Emphasis has laid on studying the mould filling ability and microstructure under the mentioned method. The results show that the mould filling ability of A357 is increasing continually with the increasing of the input voltage, that is, the magnetic induction intensity. The pressure head of the molten metal increases from the lowest one at the input of the mould to the highest one at the end of the mould while in a conventional mould the pressure head depends invariably on the sprue height. Under electromagnetic die casting, the grains of A357 alloy are refined, and the pattern of eutectic silicon of alloy changes from rough plate to smooth strip.

DIE&MOULD CHINA2002精品荟萃

我国模具制造业的快速发展使得我国模具市场成为国内外著名模具制造商和模具加工设备制造商眼中的一块肥肉 ,也促使了中国国际模具技术和设备展览会规模一届比一届大 ,水平一届比一届高。今年 5月 10～ 14日在上海新国际博览中心举办的第 9届中国国际模具技术和设备展览会在参展单位、展出规模、展商和展品档次等各个方面都是历届模展中最大和最高的一次。文章根据记者在DIE&MOULDCHINA 2 0 0 2上的所见所闻 ,从众多的展品中挑选出一些水平高、代表性强的加工机床及相关设备加以介绍 。

Utilisation of Indigenous Ceramic Raw Materials for the Production of Water Closet

The fact is that Nigeria ceramic raw materials are underutilized as a result of inadequate information on the materials which limits the local production of water closet. The emphasis of this research was on the suitability of the physio-chemical properties of the abundant locally sourced ceramic raw materials from South-west Nigeria. The selected locally sourced raw materials included: kaolin, feldspar, silica and ball clay. The Physical properties carried out on the specimens produced include chemical analysis, shrinkage, porosity, bulk density, modulus of rupture, plasticity and viscosity. The physical property tests were done in accordance with (ASTM C). Standard and the chemical composition were identified by AAS spectrometer. However, the ratio of kaolin, feldspar, quartz and ball clay was varied in five major formulation represented as A, B, C, D and E. The clay, kaolin, quartz and feldspar used in this study were found to belong to alumina-silicate group suitable for the production of standard water closet. The samples’ properties met the required standards;hence, the materials were found suitable for production of water closet of acceptable standards. Composition A specimen gives the most suitable proportions for the production of water closet at 40% of kaolin, 25% of feldspar, 10% of quartz and 25% of ball clay respectively.

Effect of sintering parameters on warm compacted iron-based material

Iron-based powder metallurgy material was prepared by warm compaction at 125 ℃ using a compacting pressure of 700 MPa. Sintering temperature ranging from 1 100 ℃ to 1 300 ℃ and sintering time ranging from 40 min to 80 min were used to study the effects of sintering parameters on the compacts. Die wall lubrication polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) emulsion was also applied in combination with warm compaction in hope to increase the compact density and the mechanical properties of the sintered material. Green and sintered density, spring back effect and sinter shrinkage were measured. Mechanical properties of both as-sinter and heat treated samples were also measured. Results show that mechanical properties of the sintered compacts increase with the increase of sintering temperature and sintering time. Sample prepared by die wall lubricated warm compaction always shows higher density and mechanical properties.

Compression properties of cost-efficient porous expanded clay reinforced AA7075 syntactic foams fabricated by industrial-oriented die casting technology

In today’s manufacturing industries,hard competition between rival firms makes it compulsory for researchers to design lighter and cheaper machine components due to the megatrends of cost-effectiveness and anti-pollution.At this point,aluminum syntactic foams(ASFs)are new-generation engineering composites and come into the upfront as a problem-solver.Owing to their features like low density,sufficient elongation,and perfect energy absorption ability,these advanced foams have been considerably seductive for many industrial sectors nowadays.In this study,an industrial-oriented automatic die casting technology was used for the first time to manufacture the combination of AA7075/porous expanded clay(PEC).Micro evaluations(optical and FESEM)reveal that there is a homogenous particle distribution in the foam samples,and inspections are compatible with the other ASF studies.Additionally,T6 aging heat treatment was operated on one half of the produced foams to explore the probable impact of aging on the compressive responses.Attained results show that PEC particles can be an alternative to expensive hollow spheres used in the previous works.Besides,a favorable relationship is ascertained between the aging treatment and mechanical properties such as compression strength and plateau strength.

LOW CYCLE FATIGUE BEHAVIOR OF AZ91HP ALLOY IN AS HIGHP RESSURE DIE CASTING

Fully reversed total strain-controlled low-cycle fatigue tests were conducted at room temperature in air to study the fatigue behavior of AZ91HP magnesium alloy in as high pressure die casting and subsequently heat treatment. All the specimens in different heat histories exhibit cyclic strain hardening in different degrees. It is difficult to distinguish the fatigue behavior of the die casting specimens from that of the solution aging specimens. The solution treated specimens show longer fatigue life at high strain amplitude and shorter fatigue life at low strain amplitude than the die casting and solution aging specimens though they have the lowest yield strength with higher strain hardening. Fatigue fracture surfaces for strain amplitude larger than 0.005 show very similar to those found by monotonic tensile tests. The SEM examination reveals that the regions of fatigue crack growth and final fracture can be characterized by quasi-cleavage mechanisms, but some shallow dimples, slip bands and secondary cracks are found on the fracture surface in the fracture crack growth areas.

Effect of Rare Earth Composite Modification on Microstructure and Properties of a New Cast Hot-Work Die Steel

The effects of RE modification on structure and the properties of a new cast hot work die (CHD) steel were investigated. The grains of the CHD steel are refined by RE modification. With the increase of RE addition, both grain size and inclusion amount are reduced. Appropriate amount of RE results in decrease in inclusion amount and formation of spheroidal inclusions uniformly-distributed in steel, so that the morphology and distribution of inclusions are improved. RE composite modification favors the formation of bainite, austenite and fine lath martensite with dense dislocation. When the residual RE content reaches 0.02%, no obvious changes in strength and hardness are found, while fracture toughness and threshold of fatigue crack growth are increased. The impact toughness, elongation and reduction of cross sectional area are increased by a factor of two, and thermal fatigue resistance is also improved.