Microstructure and mechanical properties of A356 aluminum alloy wheels prepared by thixo-forging combined with a low superheat casting process

作者：Wang, Shun cheng^*; Zhou, Nan; Qi, Wen jun; Zheng, Kai hong

来源：Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 2014, 24(7): 2214-2219.

DOI：10.1016/S1003-6326(14)63335-5

• aluminum alloy wheel
• semi-solid metal
• thixo-forging
• low-superheat casting

The A356 aluminum alloy wheels were prepared by thixo-forging combined with a low superheat casting process. The as-cast microstructure, microstructure evolution during reheating and the mechanical properties of the thixo-forged A356 aluminum alloy wheels were investigated. The results show that the A356 aluminum alloy billet with fine, uniform and non-dendritic grains can be obtained when the melt is cast at 635 degrees C. When the billet is reheated at 600 degrees C for 60 min, the non-dendritic grains are changed into spherical ones and the billet can be easily thixo-forged into wheels. The tensile strength and elongation of thixo-forged wheels with T6 heat treatment are 327.6 MPa and 7.8%, respectively, which are higher than those of a cast wheel. It is suggested that the thixo-forging combined with the low superheat casting process is an effective technique to produce aluminum alloy wheels with high mechanical properties.

• 出版日期2014-7
• 单位广州有色金属研究院