Papers by Keyword: AA6061

Abstract: Post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) was investigated to evaluate its effects on dissimilar friction stir welded (FSWed) T-joints of AA6061 and low carbon steel. The non-PWHT joint was compared with four PWHT conditions involving solution treatment, quenching, natural aging, and subsequent artificial aging at 0-12 hours. Microstructural characterization revealed a largely continuous Al/steel interface in the non-PWHT joint, while PWHT promoted interfacial cracking and modified precipitation behavior in the stir zone and heat-affected zone of AA6061. Hardness increased monotonically with aging time, reaching ~95–100 HV after PWHT artificial aging at 12 hours. Tensile strength peaked at 212MPa after 4 hours of artificial aging, while maximum strain decreased from ~9% to ~5.3% after 12 h artificial aging, indicating ductility loss under prolonged aging. Fracture location after PWHT consistently occurred at SZ, highlighting a critical failure region governed by joint geometry and microstructural heterogeneity.

Abstract: This study introduces a novel flowformability test aimed at replicating the complex loading conditions of industrial flowforming processes—alternating stress triaxiality, large plastic strains, and high strain rates. A novel Conical Flowformability Test (CFT) configuration was selected for experimental validation due to its ability to achieve a high theoretical thickness reduction while respecting machine constraints. Experiments conducted on AA6061 in O-temper and W+3h states demonstrated substantial thickness reductions. Comparison between the numerical simulations using the software FORGE® and the experimental results is satisfactory despite certain unquantifiable experimental defects such as fish scales and material build-up. The current study paves way to establish a robust framework for assessing material flowformability and damage evolution under realistic process conditions.

Abstract: This research presents a numerical study on the Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) process using AA6061 aluminum alloy, employing Finite Element Analysis (FEA) with ABAQUS/Explicit software. The primary objective is to simulate the deformation behavior of AA6061 under different die angles (60°, 90°, and 120°) and evaluate the simulation results by comparing them to experimental findings. The study focuses on stress distribution, plastic strain, and deformation patterns during the ECAP process to identify the optimal processing conditions. The results provide insights into the effects of die angle on the material's deformation behavior and mechanical properties, offering a foundation for optimizing the ECAP process for AA6061.

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of a simulation model for the Rotary Friction Welding (RFW) process of AA6061 aluminum alloy. RFW, widely used in the aerospace and automotive industries, is known for producing strong welds with minimal heat-affected zones (HAZ). Using ABAQUS software, a numerical model was developed to simulate key aspects of the process, such as heat generation, material flow, and axial shortening. The simulation results were compared with experimental data and previous studies to validate the model’s accuracy. The comparison demonstrated the model’s ability to closely replicate reality welding conditions, making it a reliable tool for optimizing welding parameters and improving the RFW process for AA6061.

Abstract: ABAQUS is a powerful software for simulating nonlinear material models with complex thermo-mechanical behavior. Its robust capabilities make it particularly suitable for simulating the Rotary Friction Welding (RFW) process. In this study, ABAQUS was utilized to simulate the RFW process of AA6061 aluminum alloy, focusing on key aspects such as weld morphology, temperature distribution, and axial shortening. The simulation results were analyzed and validated against theoretical foundations of the RFW process and previous research, demonstrating the model's high reliability. These findings highlight the potential for further development of the simulation model for various applications, aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of RFW in industrial applications.

Abstract: The present work investigates the mechanical characterization of aluminium alloy (AA) 6061 based hybrid nanometal matrix composites (MMCs) fabricated using conventional stir casting process. Two compositions viz., AA6061+1.5 wt.% B₄C+0.5 wt.% SiC (Hybrid A) and AA6061+1.5 wt.% B₄C+1.5 wt.% SiC (Hybrid B) was prepared and its mechanical properties such as microhardness, tensile, compressive, flexural and impact strength were investigated to compare with unreinforced AA6061. SiC and B₄C ceramic particles (purity 99.89%) of average particle size of 50 nm were used as reinforcements. Significant enhancement in microhardness of 30.2% and 31.02% for hybrid A and B are observed respectively. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) increased by 10.72% and 16.55% for hybrid A and B respectively. Improved interaction because of the enhanced surface to volume ratio at the interface resulted in improvement of mechanical properties. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) of the fractured surface shows brittle fracture because of the incorporation of the ceramic reinforcements in the matrix material. The developed AA6061/SiC/B­₄C hybrid nanocomposites show improved mechanical properties for high-performance structural applications.

Abstract: In-situ Al_xNi_y reinforced aluminium matrix composites (AMCs) were produced by stir-casting route by adding 5, 10 and 15 weight percentage (wt.%) of Ni to AA6061 aluminum alloy. The density, porosity, microstructure, hardness and corrosion behaviour of the as-cast AMCs was studied and compared with that of the as-cast AA6061 alloy. The porosity in all the castings was found to be less than 0.1%. Further, the porosity was found to decrease with increase in Ni addition. Optical microscopy studies showed that in-situ formed Al_xNi_y was distributed along the dendritic arms. The distribution became non-homogeneous and coarse with increase in Al_xNi_y content. The coarse distribution of Al_xNi_y in the AA6061 matrix also resulted in the decrease in hardness of the composite, after an initial increase in hardness till 10 wt.% Ni addition. The open circuit potential (OCP) and corrosion potential (E_corr) of the AMCs with 5, 10 and 15 wt. of % Ni addition was noble than that of the AA6061 alloy. This was understood to be due to the presence of Al_xNi_y intermetallic which is known to have a noble corrosion potential than the aluminium alloy. However, the corrosion current (i_corr) increased while the polarization resistance (R_p) decreased with increase in Ni addition in the AMC. This indicates that the coarse non-homogeneous distribution of in-situ Al_xNi_y had a detrimental effect on the corrosion performance of the AMCs.

Abstract: AA6061 alloy was selected as starting material, as this alloy play vital role in aerospace, automotive and naval applications. To enhance mechanical properties and study the structural correlation of AA6061 using one of the promising SPD (Severe Plastic Deformation) technique. In RCS (Repetitive Corrugation and Straightening), repetitive bending and shearing stresses act alternatively on the specimen. The die models and work piece were designed using Creo parametric 2.0 and imported to AFDEX-2014 (Adviser metal Forming Design Expert) for simulation studies. AA6061 was subjected to four passes (8 stages) of RCS. Effective strain observed in AA6061 alloy was 2.389 and strain rate increased during corrugation and less during straightening stages. The theoretical effective strain was 2.65.The experimental effective strain was validated and found to be nearly approximately 92% of the theoretical result. Further, mechanical properties like tensile strength and microhardness increased to 1.5 to 2 times in AA6061 alloy after eight passes of RCS. Keywords: AA6061, RCS, SPD, Microhardness, Tensile strength

Abstract: This research aims to investigate the effect on tensile strength of the recycled chip AA6061 aluminium alloy metal by using powder metallurgy method. Material used is recycled aluminium Chip AA6061 and Al powder. The recycled AA6061 chips mixed together with various compositions of Al powder content were fabricated to form a specimen by hot compaction technique. The compaction using hot pressed at 30 tons with holding time of 60 minutes. The final product was analyzed by tensile test shown the specimen A5 have higher ultimate tensile strength (UTS) 156.404 MPa and yield strength (YS) at 107.399 MPa. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was conducted to observe the microstructure of fracture surface existing on the tensile specimens.

Abstract: The micro-hardness and compression of recycling aluminum alloy AA6061 were investigated as a function of the different microstructure and constituent powder metallurgy method. Five specimens were selected to investigate the compression strength and microhardness. The first, as fabricated specimen (as compacted), the second was as heat treated by quenching and aging process. Three specimens were mixed with Graphite particles as a reinforcement material. Compression strength values were tested for the specimens as fabricated and heat treated which were 195 and 300 MPa, respectively. The improvement ratio was 52% for the specimen as heat treated. On the other hand, high wear resistance was given by the specimen as heat treated, whereas, the lower wear strength was at the specimen mixed with 4.5% Graphite. These results were attributed to that the wear resistance related to the microhardness value.