铝电解槽电热场解析技术的发展

介绍铝电解槽电热解析模型的发展和现状 ,比较了各模型的优缺点。提出了建立铝电解槽三维电热解析模型的必要性和思路     

7085铝合金的热变形组织演变及动态再结晶模型

通过等温压缩实验,系统研究热变形参数(变形温度、应变速率及应变量)对7085铝合金热变形组织演变的影响。结果表明:升高变形温度以及降低应变速率,均有利于7085铝合金的动态再结晶发生,导致变形后的7085铝合金位错密度降低,再结晶晶粒尺寸增大;随着应变量的增加,变形后的合金位错密度降低,动态再结晶体积分数增大。采用线性回归方法建立包括峰值应变方程、临界应变方程、动态再结晶动力学方程以及动态再结晶晶粒尺寸方程的7085铝合金动态再结晶模型。     

The increasing use of aluminum in automotive applications

The average automobile currently produced in North America contains about 90 kg of aluminum. That figure is expected to grow, driven by environmental needs, the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles, safety mandates, consumer preferences, and an increasingly global marketplace. This paper examines those issues, along with current automotive applications for aluminum, the technology being developed to meet future demand, and the forces driving changes in technology.     

Development of fatigue analytical model of automotive dynamic parts made of semi-solid aluminum alloys

Automotive suspension control arm is used to join the steering knuckle to the vehicle frame. Its main function is to provide stability under fatigue stresses of loading and unloading in accelerating and braking. Conventionally, these parts were made of steel; however, fuel consumption and emission of polluting gases are strongly dependent on car weight. Recently, there is a try to develop and design much lighter and better fatigue resistant metal of semisolid A357 aluminum alloys. This work aims at a better understanding of identifying the fatigue strain-hardening parameters used for determining fatigue characteristics of aluminum suspension control arm using analytical and mathematical modeling. The most judicious method is to perform the fatigue tests on standardized test pieces and then plot two Wohler curves, mainly number of cycles as a function of the stress and as a function of the deformation. From these curves and following a certain mathematical and analytical methods, certain curves are plotted and then all of these coefficients are drawn. The new calculated parameters showed a clear improvement of the fatigue curve towards the experimental curve performed on the samples of aluminum alloy A357 compared with the same analytical curve for the same alloy.     

Mechanisms of dynamic deformation and dynamic failure in aluminum nitride

Uniaxial quasi-static, uniaxial dynamic and confined dynamic compression experiments have been performed to characterize the failure and deformation mechanisms of a sintered polycrystalline aluminum nitride using a servohydraulic machine and a modified Kolsky bar. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to identify the fracture and deformation mechanisms under high rate and high pressure loading conditions. These results show that the fracture mechanisms are strong functions of confining stress and strain rate, with transgranular fracture becoming more common at high strain rates. Dynamic fracture mechanics and micromechanical models are used to analyze the observed fracture mechanisms. TEM characterization of fragments from the confined dynamic experiments shows that at higher pressures dislocation motion becomes a common dominant deformation mechanism in AlN. Prismatic slip is dominant, and pronounced microcrack–dislocation interactions are observed, suggesting that the dislocation plasticity affects the macroscopic fracture behavior in this material under high confining stresses.     

The use of rotating-impeller gas injection in aluminum processing

The three major characteristics of liquid aluminum quality are hydrogen content, alkaline content, and inclusion content. The past 20 years have seen considerable development in rotating gas injectors processes, at different steps of liquid metal processing in the casthouses, designed to address these three quality factors. Simultaneously, a great deal of academic work has been done to understand and model these processes, using knowledge from the fields of chemical engineering, thermodynamics, and fluid dynamics. This article shows how very simple efficiency models can be used to represent the processes, combining first-order kinetics for batch treatment and residence time distribution for in-line systems, leading to realistic efficiency laws. These laws are valid for all quality factors under the same form and involve very few parameters.     

The development of aluminum reduction cell process control

It was primarily the improved understanding and control of magnetic fields, assisted more recently by the use of computer modeling, that made modern aluminum reduction cells more stable and has enabled them to grow larger. However, the implementation of improved process control systems has not only underpinned the success of new cell designs, but has also enabled many older technologies to remain competitive. While there is still much room for improving reduction-cell control systems, this task is increasingly difficult due to the diminishing performance gains available. Geoffrey P. Bearne is a manager in the Reduction Division of Comalco Research and Technical Support.     

1235铝合金动态再结晶动力学模型及氧化夹杂的影响

通过Gleeble热模拟试验建立动态再结晶动力学模型,研究氧化夹杂对1235铝合金的动态再结晶行为的影响。研究表明,经不同净化处理的1235铝合金在热变形条件下均发生一定程度的动态再结晶。动态再结晶体积分数的计算值与实测值接近(相关系数R大于0.92),相关性高。在相同热变形条件下,含杂量越低,热压缩时动态再结晶的速度越慢,细小的夹杂物阻碍了动态再结晶晶粒的长大,再结晶晶粒细小。     

Modeling the initiation of dynamic recrystallization using a dynamic recovery model

Dynamic recrystallization flow curve was studied in AISI 410 martensitic stainless steel by performing hot compression tests in a temperature range of 900-1150 °C and at strain rates of 0.001-1 s⁻¹. The Estrin and Mecking's equation for dynamic recovery was used to model the work hardening region of the flow curves. The critical strain and stress for the initiation of dynamic recrystallization were determined using the method developed by Poliak and Jonas. The critical dislocation density for starting dynamic recrystallization was estimated using the Estrin and Mecking's dynamic recovery model. A modified Arrhenius-type equation was used to relate the critical dislocation density to strain rate and temperature. The proposed model was also verified by the model proposed by Roberts and Ahlblom and developed to describe the variation of dislocation density and fractional softening due to dynamic recrystallization up to the peak of flow curve.     

Fatigue of a laterally constrained closed cell aluminum foam

An experimental investigation into the constant stress amplitude compression–compression fatigue behavior of closed-cell aluminum foam, both with and without lateral constraint, was conducted. Results show that while the early stages of strain accumulation due to fatigue loading are independent of constraint, the rapid strain accumulation stage behaviors are sensitive to the constraint. This was ascribed to the noticeable hardening with plastic deformation observed under constraint during quasi-static loading, which in turn reduces the effective maximum stress experienced by the foam specimen during fatigue loading. This was demonstrated through a simple empirical model that connects fatigue strain accumulation without constraint to that under constraint. Complementary X-ray tomography experiments suggest that the fatigue behavior of the foams is relatively less sensitive to morphological defects such as missing walls than the quasi-static mechanical properties such as plastic strength. Evaluation of the energy absorption behavior suggests that the damage that accumulates during fatigue does not affect the energy-absorbing ability of the foam adversely.     

发泡工艺参数对闭孔泡沫铝胞结构的影响

采用压缩空气法制备闭孔泡沫铝,研究空气流量、搅拌速度和发泡温度对胞结构的影响。结果表明泡沫铝的胞直径为4-11mm,密度为0.10-0.22g/cm3,孔隙率最高达96.3%;泡沫铝的胞直径随着空气流量和发泡温度的增大而增大,随搅拌速度的增大而减小,其中空气流量对胞直径的影响最显著;壁厚和结点尺寸随空气流量和搅拌速度的变化规律与胞直径相反;在相同的搅拌速度下,泡沫铝的密度随着胞直径的增大而减小且与胞直径存在对应关系,搅拌速度为600r/min时,关系式为ρ=0.0278 0.3602.e-0.132d。     

Fatigue-life prediction of SiC aluminum composite using a Weibull model

The feasibility of the acoustic emission technique in predicting the residual fatigue life of 6061-T6 aluminum matrix composite reinforced with 15 vol.% SiC particulates (SiC_p) is presented. Fatigue damages corresponding to 40, 60 and 80% of total fatigue life were induced at a cyclic stress amplitude. The specimens with and without fatigue damage were subjected to tensile tests. The acoustic emission activities were monitored during tensile tests. The number of cumulative AE events increased exponentially with the increase in strain during tensile tests. This exponential increase occurred when the material was in the plastic regime and was attributed mainly to SiC particulate/matrix interface decohesion. Cumulative events during post fatigue tensile tests reduced with a decrease in the residual fatigue life. Based on the high cycle fatigue damage accumulation model, a Weibull probability distribution model is developed to explain the post fatigue AE activity of specimens during tensile tests. Using the model, the residual fatigue life can be predicted by testing the specimen in tension and monitoring the AE events. In high cycle fatigue, it was observed that the residual tensile strengths of the material did not change significantly with prior cyclic loading damages since the high cycle fatigue life was dominated by the crack initiation phase.     

SPF model applications for aluminum

A closed-form, plane strain model (PS2) is compared with a finite element model (SUPFORM3) in analyzing the forming of rectangular pans from 2090-OE16 aluminum sheet. The errors introduced by improperly using a plane strain model are quantified. Some preliminary verification of SUPFORM3 is shown, and the effect of friction on the distribution of thickness in the superplastic forming (SPF) of a rectangular pan is presented. SUPFORM3 is used to predict thickness distribution of male formed access doors, selecting proper starting gauges, assessing producibility, estimating forming time, and developing pressure time cycles. SUPFORM3 will be used to form complex parts and flat-bottomed pans such that post-SPF properties samples can be cut from the flat areas of the flat-bottomed pans, yet have the same strain and strain rate history as the critical areas in the complex part. It is concluded that SUPFORM3 is a useful tool for predicting thickness distributions resulting from and pressurization schedules for superplastic forming.     

Rolling process analysis of aluminum strip by a coupled thermo-elastic-plastic model

The phenomenon of longitudinal curvature on an aluminum strip caused by different heat conduction boundary conditions on the top and bottom surfaces of the strip while it undergoes a rolling process is studied. This research adopts large deformation-large strain theory to develop rolling process analysis of an aluminum strip by a coupled thentto-elastic-plastic model using the updated Lagrangian formulation (ULF) and incremental method. The flow stress of the materials is considered as a function of strain, strain rate and temperature, and the finite difference method is used simultaneously to solve equations of transient heat transfer. Finally, the numerical analysis method developed from this study is used to determine the temperature change and deformation of an aluminum strip when it undergoes hot rolling. At the same time, the simulation results on normal stress and contact angle are compared with the results of experiments and other published references; the comparison results verify that the present model is reasonable.In addition, the average rolling force during hot rolling is simulated and comparison is also made with the results of experiments provided by the China Steel Corporation. The simulated results in this article are generally considered to be reasonable.     

Cold gas dynamic spraying of aluminum: The role of substrate characteristics in deposit formation

Aluminum powder of 99.7 wt.% purity and in the nominal particle size range of −75+15 μm has been sprayed onto a range of substrates by cold gas dynamic spraying (cold spraying) with helium, at room temperature, as the accelerating gas. The substrates examined include metals with a range of hardness, polymers, and ceramics. The substrate surfaces had low roughness (R _a < 0.1 μm) before deposition of aluminum in an attempt to separate effects of mechanical bonding from other forms of bonding, such as chemical or metallurgical bonding. The cross-sectional area of a single track of aluminum sprayed onto the substrate was taken as a measure of the ease of initiation of deposition, assuming that once a coating had begun to deposit onto a substrate, its growth would occur at a constant rate regardless of substrate type. It has been shown that initiation of deposition depends critically upon substrate type. For metals where initiation was not easy, small aluminum particles were deposited preferentially to large ones (due to their higher impact velocities); these may have acted as an interlayer to promote further building of the coating. A number of phenomena have been observed following spraying onto various substrates, such as substrate melting, substrate and particle deformation, and evidence for the formation of a metal-jet (akin to that seen in explosive welding). Such phenomena have been related to the processes occurring during impact of the particles on the substrate. Generally, initiation of aluminum deposition was poor for nonmetallic materials (where no metallic bonding between the particle and substrate was possible) and for very soft metals (in the case of tin, melting of the substrate was observed). Metallic substrates harder than the aluminum particles generally promoted deposition, although deposition onto aluminum alloy was difficult due to the presence of a tenacious oxide layer. Initiation was seen to be rapid on hard metallic substrates, even when deformation of the substrate was not visible. The original version of this article was published as part of the ASM Proceedings, Thermal Spray 2003: Advancing the Sciences and Applying the Technology, International Thermal Spray Conference (Orlando, FL), May 5–8, 2003, Basil R. Marple and Christian Moreau, Ed., ASM International, 2003.     

Energy parameters in a mathematical model of a dynamic welding arc

Summary

This paper describes a method for experimental determination of the dynamic characteristics of an arc sensor in GMA (MIG/MAG) welding in droplet transfer mode. The method basically involves a vibration device being used to excite sinusoidal waveforms of the torch height as well as data processing by means of an FIR digital low-pass filter and dispersive Fourier transformation (DFT). The experimental results show that the sensitivities of the arc sensor are much greater than in DC open arc welding. The response of the welding current to torch height variation is maximised at around 3 Hz. Although the response continues up to a higher level when the frequency exceeds around 5–6 Hz, the SN ratio is poorer than that at 3 Hz. The response of the welding current shows a phase lag relative to the torch height variation. The response of the welding voltage, however, shows a phase advance relative to the torch height variation, and the response increases with an increasing variation frequency of the torch height, but its SM ratio is much poorer than that of the welding current.

To clarify the effects of shielding gases on the arc sensor, experiments using four types of shielding gas - pure Ar, Ar + 10% CO₂, Ar + 20% CO₂, and CO₂ — were conducted. The results show that, contrary to those obtained in open arc welding, the responses in short-circuiting arc welding using pure Ar are higher than those using Ar and CO₂ mixed gases.

Simulations using an arc sensor model proposed by the authors are also run for short-circuiting arc welding and the results analysed. The analytical results based on this model show the theoretical and experimental results to be similar qualitatively but to disagree quantitatively. The theoretical results further show that not only the average short-circuit frequency, but also the rate of change of the short-circuit frequency induced by variation of the arc length strongly affect the sensitivities of the arc sensor.     

铝合金脉冲MIG焊动态过程辨识

针对铝合金脉冲MIG焊熔池动态过程,设计了阶跃响应试验,利用曲线拟合法对基值电流、送丝速度与熔宽的模型分别进行了辨识,分析了基值电流、送丝速度对熔宽的影响规律,为铝合金脉冲MIG焊过程控制提供了理论依据.     

Self-adjusting dynamic characteristics of pulsed MIG welding for aluminum alloys

Pulsed MIG welding is suitable for aluminum alloys welding, because spray transfer and excellent profile can be arrived during whole welding current range, and the energy of droplet can be controlled to overcome losing of alloy elements with lower melting and steam point by controlling pulse current and pulse time. Because of the special physic properties of aluminum alloys, there are different requirements for pulsed MIG welding between starting arc short circuit and drop transfer short circuit, pulse period and base period. In order to satisfy the need of aluminum alloys MIG welding, self-adjusting dynamic characteristics are designed to output different dynamic characteristics in different welding startes. The self-adjusting dynamic characteristics of pulsed MIG welding are achieved through a short circuit controller and a dynamic electronic inductor. The welding machine(AL-MIG 350) with self-adjusting dynamic characteristics has a high rate of successfully starting arc up to 96%, and the short circuit time during transfer is less than 1ms, in the mean time, the arc is stiffness, spatter is low and weld appearance is good.     

Research on formability of 5052 aluminum alloy sheet in a quasi-static–dynamic tensile process

In order to establish the efficacy of electromagnetically assisted sheet metal stamping (EMAS), the formability of 5052 aluminum alloy sheet in a quasi-static–dynamic tensile process is experimentally investigated using a combined quasi-static tension and the pulsed electromagnetic forming (EMF) method. Data on the formability of aluminum alloy 5052-O employing this combined loading method is compared with data for traditional quasi-static tensile tests. Results show that the formability of aluminum alloy sheet undergoing a quasi-static–dynamic tensile process is dramatically increased beyond that exhibited in quasi-static tensile tests, and a little higher than or at least similar with that obtained in the fully dynamic EMF process. The forming limits of aluminum samples with both low and high pre-strain levels are almost similar in quasi-static–dynamic tensile process, which makes it possible stretching the sheet to a higher quasi-static pre-strain level without weakening its total quasi-static–dynamic formability. This would enable the use of a quasi-static pre-form fairly close to the quasi-static material limits for design of an EMAS process in manufacturing large aluminum alloy shell parts.