Experimental Study and Simulation of the Effect of Temperature in Thixoforging Process, Case Study: Producing of the 62 Model Helical Gearbox Cap

Authors

azad , khomeini shahr

Abstract

Semi-solid metal (SSM) processing has been used to produce of the engineering components with the suitable properties and at the closet form of the final part. Thixoforging is one of SSM processes that in this process the forming operation is performed on materials with the solid fraction of less than 55%. The purpose of this paper is to discuss on the temperature (mold and specimen temperature and holding time) for the producing of a relatively complex piece. The characteristics of the microstructures and mechanical properties of thixoforged Al-A356 alloy were studied. For this aim, some experimental tests were done. Also the results of these tests are compared with the results of simulations. The results showed that by increasing mold temperature, causes more inhomogeneous microstructure and therefore the hardness and forming force decreased %12.5 and %20.6 respectively. Also the results showed that increasing the specimen temperature and holding time, the grain size of primary α–al phase increased. For example in holding time of 5 min, by increasing the temperature from 570°C to 600°C, the grain size of primary α–al increased 3.5 percent. Also in the temperature from 570°C, by increasing holding time of 5 min to 30 min, the grain size of primary α–al increased 73.9 percent. In this work, the T6 heat treatment process was used for improving the hardness. The hardness was increased %17.3, because of changing in primary α–al phase and produced the homogeneous microstructure.

Keywords


1. Chou, H.N., Govender, G., and Ivanchev, L. “Opportunities and Challenges for Use of SSM Forming in the Aerospace Industry”, TTP, So. St. Ph., Vol. 116-117, pp. 92-95, 2006.##
2. Nourouzi, S., Bakhshi-juybari, M., Kolahdooz, A., and Hosseinipour, S.J., “Effect of Temperature on the Microstructure of Semi-Solid Casting in Cooling Slope Method, Aer. Mech. J., Vol. 9, No. 3., pp. 55-65, 2013. (In Persian)##
3. Flemings, M.C. “Behavior of Metal Alloys in the Semisolid State”, Metall. Mater. Trans. A., Vol. 22, pp. 957–81, 1991.##
4. Haga, T. and Kapranos, P. “Billetless Simple Thixoforming Process”, J. Mat. Proc. Tech., Vol. 130-131, pp. 581-586, 2002.##
5. Atkinson, H.V. “Modelling the Semisolid Processing of Metallic Alloys”, Prog. in Mat. Sci., Vol. 50, pp. 341–412, 2005.##
6. Kang, C.G., Cho, J.S., and Kim, K.H. “The Effect of Strain Rate on Macroscopic Behavior in the Compression Forming of Semi-Solid Aluminum Alloy”, J. Mat. Proc. Tech., Vol. 88, pp. 159–168, 1999.##
7. Fan, Z. “Semisolid Metal Processing”, Int. Mat. Re., Vol. 47, pp. 49-85, 2002.##
8. Moschini, R. “Production of Automotive Components by Pressure Die-Casting in the Semi-Liquid State”, Proc. Int. Conf. Aluminium Alloys: New Process Technologies, Italy, 1993.##
9. Kenney, M.P., Courtois, J.A., Evans, R.D., Farrior, G.M., Kyonka, C.P., Koch, A.A., and Young, K.P. “Semisolid Metal Casting and Forging”, 9th ed., ASM Int., Metals Park, Ohio, USA, 1988.##
10. Pouyafar, V., Sadough, S.A., Hosseini, F., and Rahmani, M.R. “Design of Experiments for Determination of Influence of Different Parameters on Mechanical Properties of Semi-Solid Extruded Parts”, T. Nonferr. Metal. Soc., Vol. 20, pp. 794-797, 2010.##
11. Fadavi Boostani, A. and Tahamtan, S. “Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of A356 Thixoformed Alloys in Comparison with Gravity Cast ones Using New Criterion”, T. Nonferr. Metal. Soc., Vol. 20, pp. 1608-1614, 2010.##
12. Fadavi Boostani, A. and Tahamtan, S. “Effect of a Novel Thixoforming Process on the Microstructure and Fracture Behavior of A356 Aluminum Alloy”, Mater. Design, Vol. 31, pp. 3769–3776, 2010.##
13. Tahamtan, S. and Fadavi Boostani, A. “Microstructural Characteristics of Thixoforged A356 Alloy in Mushy State, T. Nonferr. Metal. Soc., Vol. 20, pp 781-787, 2010.##
14. Nourouzi, S., Kolahdooz, A., and Botkan, M. “Behavior of A356 Alloy in Semi-Solid State Produced by Mechanical Stirring”, Ad. Mat. Res., Vol. 402, pp. 331-336, 2012.##
15. Kazemi, A., Nourouzi, S., Kolahdooz, A., and Gorji, A. “Experimental Investigation of Thixoforging Process on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of the Centrifugal Pump Flange”, J. Mech. Sci. Tech., Vol. 29, No. 7, pp. 2957-2965, 2015.##
16. Kolahdooz, A., Nourouzi, S., Bakhshi-juybari, M., and Hosseinipour, S.J. “Experimental Study and FEM Simulation of the Effect of Significant Parameters in the Thixoforging of the Gearbox Cap”, J. Sol. Mech. Eng., Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 47-56, 2012. (In Persian)##
17. Hasford, W.F. and Caddell, R.M. “Metal Forming (Mechanics and Metallurgy)”, Sec. Ed., Prentice Hall, Cambridge Uni. Press, UK, 1993.##
18. Besharati, M.K., Davami, K., and Shaygan, M. “An Investigation of Eemperature Effect on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Aluminum (A360) Processed by Thixoforging”, Int. J. Math. & Com. Simul., Vol. 2, pp. 152-157, 2008.##
19. Raki, N., and Kolahdooz, A., “An Investigation on the Parameters of the Cooling Slope Method on the Microstructure and the Hardness of Al-A380 Alloy”, Fou. Res. J., In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 28 April 2018. DOI: 10.22034/FRJ.2018.106034.1009 (In Persian)##
20. Jung, H.K. and Kang, C.G. “Induction Heating Process of an Al–Si Aluminum Alloy for Semi-Solid Die Casting and its Resulting Microstructure”, J. Mat. Proc. Tech.,Vol. 120, pp. 355–364, 2002.##
21. Martin, C., Kumar, P., and Brown, S.B. “Shear Rate Thickening Flow Behavior of Semi-Solid Slurries”, Metall. Trans. A., Vol. 24, pp. 1107-1116, 1993.##
22. Ilegbusi, O.J. and Brown, S. “Mold Filling of Semisolid Metal Slurries”, J. Mater. Eng. Perform., Vol. 4, pp. 486-493, 1995.##
23. Cho, W.G. and Kang, C.G. “Mechanical Properties and their Microstructure Evaluation in the Thixoforming Process of Semi-Solid Aluminum Alloys”, J. Mat. Proc. Tech., Vol. 105, pp. 269–277, 2000.##
24. Kolahdooz, A., Nourouzi, S., Bakhshi-juybari, M., and Hosseinipour, S.J. “Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Temperature in Semisolid Casting using Cooling Slope Method, Proc”, Int. Mech. Eng.; Part E, J. Proc. Mech. Eng., Vol. 230, No. 4, pp. 316-325, 2016.##
25. Nourouzi, S., Bakhshi-juybari, M., Kolahdooz, A., and Hosseinipour, S.J., “Effect of Temperature on the Microstructure of Semi-Solid Casting in Cooling Slope Method, Aer. Mech. J., Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 55-65, 2013. (In Persian)##
26. Kim, I.J. and Kim, D.H. “Semi-solid State Forming in Hypereutectic Al-Si Alloy”, J. Korean Foun. Soc., Vol. 17, pp. 311-318, 1997.##
27. Kurz, W. and Fisher, D.J. “Fundamentals of Solidification”, Tran. Tech. Pub., Switzerland, pp. 34-43, 1984.##
28. Dewhirst, B.A. “Optimization of the Heat Treatment of Semi-Solid Processed A356 Aluminum Alloy”, Master’s Thesis, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2005.##
29. Pearce, J.T.H. and Chairuangsri, T. “Age Hardening and Precipitation Behavior of an Experimental Cast Al-Mg-Si Alloy Treated by T6 and T6I6 Heat Treatments”, Chiang Mai J. Sci., Vol. 37, pp. 269-281, 2010.##
30. Rosso, M. “Thixocasting and Rheocasting Technologies, Improvements Going on”, J. Ach. Mat. & Manu. Eng., Vol. 54, pp. 110-119, 2012.##
Volume 15, Issue 2 - Serial Number 56
September 2020
Pages 145-157
  • Receive Date: 25 April 2017
  • Revise Date: 20 February 2019
  • Accept Date: 19 September 2018
  • Publish Date: 22 June 2019