触变模锻成形工艺对镁合金成形件力学性能的影响

采用半固态等温热处理法、近液相线模锻法和等通道角挤压法制备AZ91D—Y镁合金半固态坯料。分别将3种状态的坯料加热到半固态温度区间进行二次重熔后,进行了触变模锻成形。结果表明,在半固态温度为560℃,模锻压力为200MPa的条件下,半固态等温热处理法、近液相线模锻法和等通道角挤压法制备坯料分别保温30,20,15min后触变模锻获得最佳力学性能;随着坯料加热温度的升高,触变模锻成形件力学性能呈现先上升后下降的趋势;增加成形压力有利于触变模锻成形件力学性能的提高;在相同成形条件下,等通道角挤压法制备坯料触变模锻后的力学性能最好,近液相线模锻法次之,半固态等温热处理法较差。     

半固态过共晶Al-Si合金的制备技术

论述了半固态过共晶Al-Si合金的制备技术,包括半固态搅拌、喷射沉积与触变成形、双重铸造、变质与等温处理等。这些技术可有效地改善初晶Si形态,细化初晶Si,获得一定量的球状α相,并控制浆料中的固相率,使合金具有预期的半固态组织。     

Internal cooling to produce aluminium alloy slurries for rheocasting

Rheocasting is becoming the choice of the casting industry which relies on the semi-solid processing for high integrity structural parts. It is thus of great technological interest to identify simple methods to prepare slurries at reduced cost. The potential of internal cooling to produce slurries for rheocasting was investigated in the present work for several aluminium casting alloys which are technologically important for aluminium foundries. Alloys quenched directly from the liquid state were predominantly dendritic while the slurry samples quenched after an initial fraction of solid phase was first formed, were dominated by α-Al rosettes and globules. The solidification of the remaining liquid phase occurred through the growth of the α-Al rosettes and globules which have formed during internal cooling before quenching.     

Process window for manufacturing of semi-solid aluminium alloys

Abstract

The demands of the automotive industry for lightweight technologies stimulate research on new materials and the development of corresponding innovative production methods. The thixocasting process is based on standard high pressure die casting with the exception that mould filling takes place in the semi-solid state. In comparison to other processes, thixocast parts generally have better mechanical properties. For an industrial application and for the safe handling of the partially solidified alloys in series manufacturing, an exact knowledge of the material behaviour is necessary. This paper attempts to give an overview of the relevant parameters influencing the successful processing of semisolid metals with thixotropic properties. With this aim, several parameters considered to be of major importance for the process were selected and analysed and correlated with the desired end properties. The influence of temperature to obtain an optimally heated semi-solid billet with thixotropic properties was the first parameter to be evaluated. Subsequently, the effect of wall thickness (25–0.5 mm) and metal velocity during mould filling on the mechanical properties, grain texture development and segregation phenomena was studied and analysed. As a result of the investigations, a preliminary process window for the successful processing of semi-solid aluminium alloys was defined.     

铝合金半固态成形技术进展

利用半固态成形技术制备高性能铝合金是铝合金成形技术的重要研究方向之一。本文将从半固态成形用铝合金材料、制浆工艺及应用方面开展了大量的研究。研究结果得出：铝合金晶粒明显细化、尺寸更加均匀、制备了细小的等轴的半固态浆料组织、获得的力学性能更佳。指出目前研究中存在的问题,并展望了铝合金半固态成形未来的发展方向。     

On the microstructure formation in chromium steels rapidly cooled from the semi-solid state

Semi-solid metal forming requires precise knowledge concerning the microstructural parameters in the mushy state. For many light metals, the liquid and solid fraction and the size, shape and contiguity of the solid phase can be evaluated easily in the “quenched from the freezing range” condition. For iron-based alloys, however, determining them is more difficult or even impossible because steels may undergo different phase-transformations during cooling. Due to the high processing temperatures, diffusion during quenching is also of more importance. Here we describe the phase formation during rapid cooling from the semi-solid state of two different steel grades, tool steel X210CrW12 and bearing steel 100Cr6. For both of these steels the microstructure in the as-quenched state does not directly reflect the condition in the semi-solid state, and thus no metallographic evaluation of the microstructural parameters is possible. It is also shown here that the microstructure of semi-solid processed steels is completely different from that of the conventionally treated species.     

半固态成形轻合金的发展状况

半固态成形技术以其高效、节能、近净形生产以及成形件性能高等诸多优点，已成为21世纪最具发展前景的金属成形工艺之一，但是半固态成形轻合金应用品种的局限性，制约了半固态成形技术的发展。文中介绍了国内外半固态成形轻合金的研究、应用状况以及新型半固态轻合金的设计开发，并分析了半固态成形轻合金的发展前景。     

Microstructure Evolution of Semi-Solid 7075 Aluminum Alloy During Reheating Process

Microstructural evolution of semi-solid 7075 Al alloy manufactured by strain-induced melt activation (SIMA) process was investigated. The effects of different processing parameters, such as isothermal temperature and holding time on the semi-solid microstructures (the liquid volume fraction, average grain size, and degree of spheroidization of the solid particles) during partial remelting have been investigated on 7075 Al alloy that was extruded by an extrusion ratio of 20 before remelting. Experiments of remelting were carried out in the range of 560-610 °C for 10, 20, and 30 min holding time and then the specimens were quenched in cold water. Microstructure of quenched samples were observed under optical microscope and then analyzed via image analysis. The results showed that high semi-solid isothermal temperature would increase the liquid volume fraction and accelerate the spherical processing of the solid particles. Furthermore at long holding time, the globular grains coarsened slightly and the average grains size are increased. The experimental results showed that the optimum process parameters, should be chosen at isothermal temperature of 580 °C with the holding time, <30 min.     

Rheological behavior of semi-solid 7075 duminum alloy at steady state

The further application of semi-solid processing lies in the in-depth fundamental study like rheological behavior. In this research, the apparent viscosity of the semi-solid slurry of 7075 alloy was measured using a Couette type viscometer. The effects of solid fraction and shearing rate on the apparent viscosity of this alloy were investigated under different processing conditions. It can be seen that the apparent viscosity increases with an increase in the solid fraction from 10% to 50% （temperature 620 ℃ to 630 ℃） at steady state. When the solid fraction was fixed, the apparent viscosity can be decreased by altering the shearing rate from 61.235 s-1 to 489.88 s-1 at steady state. An empirical equation that shows the effects of solid fraction and shearing rate on the apparent viscosity is fitted： ηα = [0.871 - 0.00849. γ0.74924]. exp（3.7311, fs） . The microstructure of quenched samples was examined to understand the alloy＇s rheological behavior.     

An X-ray microtomographic and finite element modeling approach for the prediction of semi-solid deformation behaviour in Al–Cu alloys

There is a dearth of published experimental measurements of flow stress behaviour of semi-solids, yet it is critical for simulating phenomena ranging from the processing of metals to the flow of magma. In this paper, a method for calculating flow stress behaviour of semi-solids was developed using a combination of high-temperature compression testing, X-ray microtomography (XMT) imaging and direct finite element modeling (DFEM). This novel methodology was applied to columnar dendritic structures in semi-solid Al–Cu alloys via first quantifying the complex geometry of the semi-solid using XMT. Then these three-dimensional datasets were meshed and their behaviour was simulated using DFEM to derive the stress–strain relationship with a fraction solid (f_S) dependency term. The mechanical behaviour of the solid dendrites near the liquidus temperature was not available in the literature; therefore, samples were fabricated and compression tested using a Gleeble 3500 thermomechanical simulator. The resulting XMT–DFEM-derived constitutive equation predicts the flow stress behaviour of semi-solid in the range of f_S equal to 0.1–0.9, showing good correlation to prior experimental data for both other aluminium and ferrous alloys.     

基于半固态等温热处理工艺制备镁合金非枝晶组织坯料的研究进展

镁合金半固态铸造成形技术作为镁合金研究开发的重要内容之一,其开发成功的一个关键问题是半固态非枝晶组织坯料的制备。半固态等温热处理作为一种比较有发展前途的镁合金非枝晶组织坯料制备方法,对其展开研究将有助于丰富镁合金的半固态形成理论和加速该技术在镁合金上的工业化应用。在半固态等温热处理制备镁合金非枝晶组织坯料已取得研究成果的基础上,回顾了半固态等温热处理工艺对镁合金非枝晶组织形成的影响,分析了半固态等温热处理过程中镁合金非枝晶组织的形成机理,指出了该技术目前还存在的问题,并展望了今后的发展方向。     

Hot cracking of welds on heat treatable aluminium alloys

Abstract

The Spot Varestraint test was used to evaluate the hot cracking susceptibility of several aluminium alloys namely 6061-T6, 6061-T6 (H), 7075-T6, 7075-T6 (H). The effects of augment strain, the number of thermal cycles and cold working (rolling) on the cracking susceptibility were investigated, and the total crack length was used to evaluate the hot cracking susceptibility. The results indicate that the number of thermal cycles is irrelevant to the hot cracking susceptibility in the weld fusion zone, but does affect this susceptibility in the heat affected zone (HAZ). More thermal cycles correspond to larger hot cracks in the HAZ, especially in the weld metal HAZ. The hot cracking susceptibility of materials increased with augment strain in both the fusion zone and the HAZ. Cold working of the materials can reduce their hot cracking susceptibility. The hot cracking susceptibility of 7075-T6 aluminium alloys is higher than that of 6061-T6. There was significant Cu segregation in the HAZ of 7075-T6 aluminium alloy, resulting in a higher susceptibility to hot cracking in this zone.     

Hardness and microstructural developments of spray formed aluminium alloys with high Mg2Si content during hot extrusion and heat treatment

Abstract

Spray forming offers the possibility of producing alloys with very fine, homogeneous microstructures. Even materials with high contents of intermetallic precipitates, which cannot be produced by casting because of the high solidification rates required, can be distributed homogeneously. Alloying aluminium with high contents of Mg and Si (>20 wt-%Mg₂Si) gives an increase in stiffness plus a significant reduction in density, but a very fine distribution of the Mg₂Si particles in the aluminium matrix is required. Therefore, such alloys are commonly produced by spray forming. Post-spraying processes such as forming and heat treatment are generally carried out to optimise properties. To examine the microstructure and hardness as a result of subsequent processing, aluminium alloys with high Mg₂Si content (22–30 wt-%) have been produced under a variety of spray forming conditions. The duration and temperature of heating before extrusion were varied. In addition, some specimens were preheated without extrusion. The influence of subsequent heat treatment was investigated by varying the age hardening parameters. Hardness measurements were conducted and the distribution and size of the precipitates were evaluated by light microscopy. Image analysis was used to study the coarsening behaviour of primary Mg₂Si. The results indicate that the subsequent processing conditions have a strong influence on the microstructure and hardness of the material. Further, a significant dependence of coarsening rate during subsequent processing on the initial state of the material after spray forming was observed. Knowledge of correlations between process parameters and microstructural development offers the possibility of optimising the hot extrusion and heat treatment parameters for high Mg₂Si containing aluminium alloys.     

Investigations of the shear behaviour of aluminium alloys

Shearing is particular economic for the production of forging raw parts but not implemented as an industrial production process because of insufficient shear qualities. To take advantage of the shearing of aluminium alloys, an experimental shear tool is developed. With this tool the fracture mechanism during the shearing process and the influencing parameters on the shear plane quality of aluminium alloys are investigated fundamentally. The considered influencing factors include especially the shear rate, the shear clearance and the microstructure of the raw part material. Those factors are investigated for several technically relevant alloys. The determination of the basic principles in combination with practical experiments allows an assessment of the shearing process for aluminium applications. Within the performed investigations, all considered experimental parameters show an effect on the shear quality. Particularly the shear clearance proves to be the most distinctive parameter to influence the result of the shear result.     

Effect of La addition on semi-solid microstructure evolution of Mg-7Zn magnesium alloy

Semi-solid billets of Mg-7Zn and Mg-7Zn-0.3La alloys were prepared by semi-solid isothermal heat treatment. The effects of the La element on the as-cast and semi-solid microstructures of Mg-7Zn alloy were investigated. Meanwhile, the effects of isothermal temperature and holding time on the evolution of the semi-solid microstructure of Mg-7Zn-0.3La alloy were also studied. Results indicate that the addition of a small amount of La can significantly refine the as-cast and semi-solid microstructure. During the semi-solid thermal transformation, the size and shape factor of solid particles decrease at first and then increase with the increase of isothermal temperature and holding time. The semi-solid microstructure of Mg-7Zn-0.3La alloy obtained by holding at 605 °C for 30 min is the optimal. The average size of solid particles, shape factor, and solid fraction are 42 µm, 1.45 and 61.8%, respectively. At the same time, a comparative study on the coarsening process of particles in the semi-solid billets of Mg-7Zn and Mg-7Zn-0.3La alloys reveals that the addition of La effectively decreases the coarsening rate of solid particles and restricts the growth of solid particles.

     

微成形热挤压试验及模具设计

介绍了采用半固态ZL101铝合金进行挤压成形微型齿轮的试验研究,设计了挤压模具和加热及温控系统.试验结果表明,挤压过程中的坯料温度对零件质量产生重要影响,它决定了半固态合金的触变特性,合适的半固态加工技术可以成形微型零件.     

Mushy/Semi-Solid Metal Forming Technology - Present and Future

Mushy, semi-solid and/or thixo processing of metals (alloys) is becoming popular as a new potential manufacturing technology for parts and components in automobile, electronic and machine industries. Internal structures and mechanical properties of those metals that include solid and liquid fractions are quite different from those of hot or molten metals. Diversified possibilities are known today to process those metals based on die casting, hot metal forming or polymer injection technologies, each of which has its own specific advantages and disadvantages. Up to now thixocasting and thixomolding have been used in industrial applications for light metal alloys. The potentials of those processes are wider by far however. They include the processing of specially designed alloys and composites, the combination of forming and joining processes as well as reduction of production costs and energy consumption.     

Forming of aluminium alloy at temperatures just below melting point

In order to improve the mechanical properties of products, a forming process of a solid material at a temperature just below the melting point is proposed. The material is deformed at the semi-solid temperature due to the heat generation caused by plastic deformation. The tensile strength, elongation, hardness and toughness of the aluminium alloy (Al–7%Si–0.3%Mg) billet extruded at temperatures between 500 and 550 °C are compared with those of the billet extruded in the hot forming (450 °C) and the semi-solid (560 °C) temperatures. The billet temperature during forming is evaluated by the finite element simulation. The tensile strength and hardness of the billet extruded at 550 °C just below the solidus temperature are higher than those for a billet at 450 °C, and they are almost the same as those for a billet deformed at 560 °C in the semi-solid region. The elongation and toughness of the extruded billet at 550 °C are lower than those for a billet at 450 °C. The forming load at 550 °C is almost half of that at 450 °C. Cracking on the surface of the extruded billet occurs at a high punch speed. The calculated temperature when the solid billet is extruded in the semi-solid state agrees well with the experimental one at which the tensile and hardness are improved.     

快走丝线切割加工铝合金工艺研究

利用快走丝线切割机床加工铝及其合金时,由于电极丝表面易粘附氧化铝,会导致导电块和导向块磨损严重,影响零件加工表面粗糙度、精度及加工过程的稳定性,故探讨了有效防止电极丝粘附氧化铝、提高加工效率与质量的措施和方法。     

Fabrication of Al6061 composite with high SiC particle loading by semi-solid powder processing

Aluminum alloys reinforced with silicon carbide (SiC) particles have been studied extensively for their favorable properties in structural and thermal applications. However, there has been only limited research into investigating the loading limit of a reinforcement phase of a metal matrix composite. In this paper, semi-solid powder processing (SPP), a fabrication method that exploits the unique behavior of a solid–liquid mixture, was used to synthesize SiC particle-reinforced Al6061. A high volume loading (>45 vol.%) of SiC in Al6061 matrix was investigated by varying the SiC loading volume fraction, forming pressure, SiC particle size and Al6061 particle size. The compaction and synthesis mechanism of the composite by SPP was discussed based on reinforcement phase compaction behavior and processing parameters. Microstructure, hardness, fracture surface and X-ray diffraction results were also analyzed. Results showed that SPP can achieve over 50 vol.% loading of SiC in Al6061 matrix with near theoretical density.