Multiaxial fatigue behaviour of A356‐T6

Aluminum alloy A356‐T6 was subjected to fully reversed cyclic loading under tension, torsion and combined loading. Results indicate that endurance limits are governed by maximum principal stress. Fractography demonstrates long shear mode III propagation with multiple initiation sites under torsion. Under other loadings, fracture surfaces show unique initiation sites coincidental to defects and mode I crack propagation. Using the replica technique, it has been shown that the initiation life is negligible for fatigue lives close to 10⁶ cycles for combined loading. The natural crack growth rate has also been shown to be comparable to long cracks in similar materials.     

Modelling of mechanical properties of cast A356 alloy

In this research, to predict the mechanical properties of A356, a relatively new approach is presented that uses artificial neural network and finite element technique which combines mechanical properties data in the form of experimental and simulated solidification conditions. It is revealed that predictions of this study are consistent with experimental measurements for A356 alloy. The results of this research were also used for solidification codes of SUT CAST software.     

Modified Kitagawa–Takahashi diagram accounting for finite notch depths

The Kitagawa–Takahashi diagram in its commonly used form allows to predict, for cracks of given length and stress range, the allowable stress range for infinite life. However, caution is advised if a crack emanates not directly from the plane surface but from a sharp, crack-like notch instead. In this contribution, it is shown that taking the crack length equal to the total flaw depth (sum of notch depth and crack length) gives non-conservative results. Based on a simple mechanical model, a 3-dimensional Kitagawa–Takahashi diagram considering the build-up of crack growth resistance as well as the influence of the notch depth is developed. Comparison of model predictions and experimental results shows good agreement.     

Flow stress and ductility of AA7075-T6 aluminum alloy at low deformation temperatures

The present investigation has been conducted in order to develop a rational approach able to describe the changes in flow stress of AA7075-T6 aluminum alloy with deformation temperature and strain rate, when this material is deformed at temperatures in the range of 123-298 K at strain rates in the range of 4 × 10⁻⁴ to 5 × 10⁻² s⁻¹. The constitutive formulation that has been advanced to accomplish these objectives represents a simplified form of the mechanical threshold stress (flow stress at 0 K) model developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA). Thus, it is assumed that the current flow stress of the material arises from both athermal and thermal barriers to dislocation motion. In the present case, the effect of three thermal barriers has been considered: solid solution, precipitation hardening and work-hardening. The first two effects do not evolve during plastic deformation, whereas the last one is considered as an evolutionary component of the flow stress. Such an evolution is described by means of the hardening law earlier advanced by Estrin and Mecking (1984) [20]. The law is implemented in differential form and is integrated numerically in order to update the changes in strain rate that occur during tensile tests carried out both at constant and variable crosshead speed. The extrapolation of the hardening components from 0 K to finite temperatures is accomplished by means of the model earlier advanced by Kocks (1976) [19]. The results illustrate that the constitutive formulation developed in this way is able to describe quite accurately both the flow stress and work-hardening rate of the material, as well as temperature and strain rate history effects that are present when deformation conditions change in the course of plastic deformation. The evaluation of the ductility of the alloy indicates that the changes in this property are mainly determined by deformation temperature rather by strain rate. When deformation temperature decreases from 298 to 123 K, ductility also decreases from ∼35 to 24%. However, despite these relatively small variations, significant changes in the fracture morphology could be observed on the fracture surfaces of the examined specimens, with the predominance of a mixed ductile-brittle mechanism at lower temperatures.     

半固态A356铝合金浆料的充填行为及组织分布

采用流变压铸方法研究了低过热度浇注和弱电磁搅拌制备的半固态A356铝合金浆料的充填行为和组织分布,结果表明：采用该技术制备的半固态A356铝合金浆料,其组织形态优良,经过感应均热后,浆料内部的温度场分布均匀,初生α—Al晶粒更圆整．半固态A356铝合金的浆料温度、压射比压和冲头速度对浆料的充填行为有较大的影响．较高的浆料温度、压射比压和冲头速度都有利于半固态铝合金浆料的充填．在本文的实验条件下,合适的浆料温度为585-595℃,压射比压为15-25MPa,冲头速度为0．072-0．12m／s．得到的流变压铸件的组织分布均匀,无明显的固液相偏析．     

The effects of thermo-mechanical parameters on the microstructure of Thixocast A356 aluminum alloy

In general, semi solid Thixocast (A356) alloys are consisted of extensive globular -Al regions, which are surrounded by eutectic (β) phase. The better formability, higher toughness and structure free porosities, gas cavities and shrinkages are the important advantages of this globular structure. In addition the thermo-mechanical processing is known as one of the most effective processing techniques to control the final mechanical properties. Accordingly, in present work the effects of strain rate and the deformation temperature on the microstructure (morphology of Si phase) of Thixocast aluminum (A356) alloy have been studied. In this regard, hot compression tests at 450, 500 and 540 °C with strain rate of 0.0001, 0.0005, 0.001 and 0.01 s⁻¹ have been performed. The results showed an extensive change in the morphology of eutectic Si fibers through breaking and spheroidization processes.     

Microstructure-based fatigue modeling of cast A356-T6 alloy

High cycle fatigue (HCF) life in cast Al-Mg-Si alloys is particularly sensitive to the combination of microstructural inclusions and stress concentrations. Inclusions can range from large-scale shrinkage porosity with a tortuous surface profile to entrapped oxides introduced during the pour. When shrinkage porosity is controlled, the relevant microstructural initiation sites are often the larger Si particles within eutectic regions. In this paper, a HCF model is introduced which recognizes multiple inclusion severity scales for crack formation. The model addresses the role of constrained microplasticity around debonded particles or shrinkage pores in forming and growing microstructurally small fatigue cracks and is based on the cyclic crack tip displacement rather than linear elastic fracture mechanics stress intensity factor. Conditions for transitioning to long crack fatigue crack growth behavior are introduced. The model is applied to a cast A356-T6 Al alloy over a range of inclusion severities.     

交变应力下A356铝合金疲劳行为及微结构演变

对处于交变应力下A356铝合金的单轴疲劳寿命以及变形行为进行了研究,并与单一应力加载下的加载情况进行了对比.发现先进行高应力加载后换用低应力加载将会显著延长合金的疲劳寿命.合金的循环应变值主要与合金的循环加载应力幅值有关.此外,利用透射电镜的方法观察了在不同循环加载历史条件下合金中微观结构的变化情况,尤其是位错以及位错带的演变规律.并发现了沉淀物附近的位错塞积现象.     

A356铝合金车轮轮辋旋压成形工艺优化

目的 解决A356铸旋铝合金车轮内轮缘部位性能不足,满足客户的试验标准。方法 以某款车轮为研究对象,分析了现有成形工艺下导致内轮缘性能低的主要原因,提出了其性能提升的关键。在此基础上,更改旋轮形状、旋压成形轨迹和旋压参数,以获得内轮缘处更大的塑性变形量,并对该新的成形工艺进行了热旋压试验验证。结果 新的旋压工艺能增加旋压轮辋内轮缘处的变形量,变形组织更加均匀。结论 该旋压工艺的优化,大大提高了内轮缘的性能,力学性能提高10%以上,满足了主机厂的标准,已经应用于批量生产中。     

浇注温度和ECAP对铝合金坯料组织的影响

采用近液相线法结合新SIMA法复合工艺制备半固态A356铝合金坯料,研究了浇注温度、等径角挤压(ECAP)和半固态处理温度、时间对坯料组织的影响.结果表明,适当的工艺参数可以制备出球状初生α-Al相晶粒的半固态A356铝合金坯料,其中较合理的工艺参数为:近液相线浇注温度为610℃,半固态保温温度为580℃,半固态保温时...