Papers by Keyword: Al-Mg-Si

Abstract: Natural aging during storage of Al-Mg-Si alloys at room temperature can significantly reduce the maximum strengthening potential (T6) during artificial aging and, therefore, is a key topic in aluminium research and industry. Many different strategies to understand and reduce the negative effect of natural aging have been investigated during the last decades, including analysis of different thermal pre-treatments and considering the effect of different microalloying elements. From these investigations, the vacancy evolution and the formation of clusters containing Mg and Si were found to be the governing aging mechanisms behind natural aging. In this work, we present a model to simulate and predict the behavior of these alloys when subjected to room temperature aging after solutionizing and demonstrate the effects of different thermal routes and chemical composition variations. In the implemented model, the evolution of excess quenched-in vacancies and the effect of solute vacancy traps are considered. Special emphasis is placed on co-cluster formation and its contribution to strengthening. The thermokinetic software MatCalc is used for the simulations and the results of the simulations are validated by experimental investigation.

Abstract: The age hardening response of a quasi-binary Al-Mg₂Si alloy was studied using activation distance analysis of precise strain rate sensitivity experiments at 78 and 300K. The alloy of Al-0.7Mg-0.33Si-0.024Fe-0.006Ti(at.%) has a stochiometrically balanced composition of Mg₂Si. The alloy was solutionized at 550°C and ice water quenched before ageing in one of two ways: single-step or multi-step ageing. For single-step ageing: specimens were naturally aged for 70 days at room temperature (RT); pre-aged for 16 hours at 70°C; or artificially aged for 30 min or 10 hours at 175°C. For multi-step ageing: specimens were pre-aged at 70°C for 16 hours after natural ageing for 70 days at RT; artificially aged for 30 min or 10 hours at 175°C after pre-aging at 70°C for 16 hours; or artificially aged for 10 hours at 175°C after natural aging for 70 days at RT. The activation analysis reveals rate controlling obstacle dimensions ranging from 0.3 to 10 nm depending upon the ageing condition. A comparison is made to a prior three dimensional atom probe ageing study of the same alloy [Murayama and Hono, Acta Mater., 47 (1999) 1537-1578.].

Abstract: In this study, the aging behaviour of several Al-Mg-Si alloys (Al-Mg-Si-Cu , Al-Mg-Si-Ag and Al-Mg-Si-Cu-Ag) has been investigated by hardness tests and TEM observations. Comparing the age-hardening rate in the early period of these alloys, the alloys with Cu or/and Ag addition are faster than that of the base alloy, and the aging time to reach the maximum hardness of the alloys with Cu or/and Ag addition is shorter than that of the base alloy.Therefore the aging behaviour of that alloys has been investigated by TEM observations to understand the effect of Cu, Ag and Cu+Ag additions on aging precipitation.

Abstract: The effect of pre-straining and pre-ageing on the age hardening response of Al-0.6%Mg-0.8%Si alloy is studied by Vickers hardness and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It is found that pre-ageing can suppress the formation of unwanted clusters and keeps the structure stable for a certain time. A pre-ageing treatment can effectively reduce or avoid the negative effect of natural ageing on artificial ageing and even produce a positive effect. Cluster formation can also be reduced by pre-straining, but the kinetics of clustering is still similar to that of the as-quenched condition. In contrast, after pre-straining, the peak positions of β and β move to lower temperatures and peak hardness is achieved in a shorter time, indicating that the formation of β and β is accelerated by pre-straining. However, the negative effect of natural ageing still persists after pre-straining. Pre-straining before pre-aging can take advantage of both techniques and produce a positive strength response. For pre-straining after pre-aging, pre-straining tends to destabilize the structure created by pre-ageing and can reactivate the clustering process, which has negative effect on subsequent artificial ageing.

Abstract: Early stages of clustering in quenched Al-Mg-Si alloys during natural ageing were studied by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy utilizing its unique sensitivity to electron density differences in various atomic defects. Two different positron trapping sites could be identified, one related to a vacancy-type defect, the other to solute clusters. The first trap is deep, i.e. irreversibly traps positrons, the second shallow, from which positrons can escape, which creates the signature of a temperature-dependent positron lifetime. During the first 80 min of NA, the vacancy-related contribution decreases, while the solute clusters increasingly trap positrons, thus reflecting their continuous growth and power to trap positrons. Coincident Doppler broadening spectroscopy of the annihilation radiation shows that the annihilation sites are Si-rich after quenching but contain more Mg after 70 min.

Abstract: Semi-solid metal forming is more than 40 years old but its full potential to near net shape form high strength aluminium alloys has been realised only to a limited degree. Alloys developed for traditional manufacturing processes were initially used but it became apparent that alloys specific to SSM forming needed to be developed. The main alloy development criteria revolved around SSM processing temperature, solid fraction (f_s) versus temperature sensitivity and age hardening potential. This methodology while sound does not fully address the unique processing behaviour of SSM forming. By its very nature SSM requires the controlled solidification of a part of the melt before forming. From basic solidification fundamentals this results in the enrichment of the remaining liquid with alloying elements. During the forming process segregation of liquid phase essentially produces a component with very different compositions in the regions where the liquid solidifies last. From recent work completed on a wide range of standard alloy systems it has become apparent that this segregation effect has a significant impact on aging behaviour and strength. Low melting point structures formed in the these regions result in localised melting in the grain boundary region and along areas of gross liquid segregation during solution heat treatment, contributing to the poor mechanical properties. Although this behaviour can be addressed using modified heat treatment, this cannot be applied to all current alloy systems. Alloy design for SSM forming must take these phenomena into account in order to develop and or specify aluminium alloys with acceptable mechanical properties.

Abstract: The effect of Cu or Ag addition on 2 step aging in Al-Mg-Si alloy has been investigated to understand precipitation for this alloy. The maximum hardness of two step aged alloy was higher with increasing pre-aging time for Al-Mg-Si alloy. There was no remarkable difference between the peak-hardness of the Ag addition alloy with and without pre-aging. The hardness decreased once for the Ag addition alloy aged at 473K just after pre-aged at 343K for 600ks and then increased to the peak hardness with increasing aging time, which means the reversion of the Ag addition alloy.

Abstract: In our previous study, we reduced the slide marks on material surfaces by optimizing the lubricant for push-through bending. In this study, we investigate contact conditions of material deformation in dies during push-through bending. We also attempt to reduce slide marks by investigating the die material, die surface treatment of the die, and roller die set and to clarify the following. Bending deformation and flange wrinkling occur in fixed dies during push-through bending. Sliding between the material and the die begins inside the fixed die. A cemented carbide die is excellent for obtaining ideal surface roughness of the slide marks. Hard metal dies tend to have excellent sliding characteristics. Cold die steel (SKD11) and high-speed steel (SKH51) have almost equal hardness, and their qualities exist harmoniously between the bending member and the die material without the above relationship. When we treat the die surface or use the above dies, roughness of slide marks increases. The die-surface roughnesses in Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) processing and Toyota Diffusion Coating Process (TD) are minimal, and the surfaces of their bending members are smooth. Furthermore, their efficiency is nearly equal to that of cemented carbide dies without surface treatment. Using a roller die effectively reduces slide marks. However, a roller die contacts the bending member locally, and the contact pressure is higher than with a normal die. Thus, a roller die is inferior to a normal die in its curvature, deformation, and flange wrinkling. The structure of the roller die is most suitable for parts with small curvatures.

Abstract: The push-through bending process can be regarded as a bending mechanism with two fixed diepoints and two movable diepoints, resulting in a total of four points. It can also be regarded as acontinuous four-points bending. As compared to other bending processes, there is severe friction at the contact area betweenthematerial and die in push-through bending. In this paper, we clarify different aspects of lubrication and research excellent lubrication oil in push-through bending. Based on theresultsobtained, it was found that adhesion occursdepending on the lubricant used and the occurring force. It was also confirmed, that olefin is effective as a remedy for oiliness, in case of using a mineral oil-based lubricant. In addition, it was confirmed that excellent lubrication oil could be obtained by increasing the alcohol content and adjusting the content of synthetic ester. This is a good alternative to the more expensive olefin.

Abstract: The cross-section shape change was investigated to determine the effects of proof stress, r value, wall thickness, and cross section in push-through bending of a square extruded pipe. Extruded A6063 aluminium alloy (40×40×2.0 mm) was used in the experiment. The push-through bending machine used has a six-axis NC controller. In this study, a two-dimensional single curvature shape was adopted in order to investigate the fundamental bending properties. A high-proof-stress material with severe bending workability was examined in this experiment to clarify the effect of bending workability on the material properties. Workability was evaluated by examining wrinkles and shape change of the cross section; the change in thickness was also evaluated, as were n and r values. The results are as follows. The high-proof-stress material was bent, resulting in significant cross-section deformation. The size of wrinkles caused by bending increased due to the large bending radius, and the wrinkles produced were deep. The effect of the r value on the cross-section deformation after bending could not be determined. In the present experiment range, the bending limit was determined by the size of wrinkles in internal bending. In A6063-T1, the wall thickness had a significant effect, and the forming limit of the thin-walled material was low. The bending limit was low for A6063-T5, and the effect of the wall thickness was slight. The bending limit of a 60×60mm cross-section piece was considerably lower than that of a 40×40 mm cross-section piece, for the same wall thickness; it was particularly significant in A6063-T5.