• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.161-168
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• 2024

Aluminum alloy sheets, compared to conventional steel sheets, face challenges in press forming due to their lower elongation. To enhance their formability, extensive research has focused on forming technologies at elevated temperatures, specifically warm forming at around 300℃ and hot forming at approximately 500℃. This study proposes that the formability of aluminum alloy sheets can be significantly enhanced using a multi-stage hot forming technique. The research also investigates whether the strength of the A6061 aluminum alloy, known for its precipitation hardening, can be maintained when formed below the precipitate solid solution temperature. In the experiments, the A6061-T6 sheet underwent heating and rapid cooling between 250 and 500℃. The mechanical properties were evaluated at each stage of the process. The findings revealed that when the initial heat treatment was below 350℃, the strength of the material remained unchanged. However, at temperatures above 400℃, there was a noticeable decrease in strength coupled with an increase in elongation. Conversely, when the secondary heat treatment was conducted at temperatures of 350℃ or lower, the strength remained comparable to that of the initial heat treated material. However, at higher temperatures, a reduction in strength and an increase in elongation were observed.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.239-241
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• 1997

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.498-506
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• 1999

The metal forming processes of aluminum alloy wheel forging at elevated temperature are analyzed by the finite element method. A coupled thermo-mechanical model for analysis of plastic deformation and geat transfer is adapted in the finite element formulation. In order to consider the strain-rate effects on material properties and the flow stress dependence on temperatures, rigid-viscoplasticity is introduced in this formation. In this paper, several process conditions were applied to the dimulation such as die speed, rib thickness, and depth of die cavity. Simulation results are compared, and discussed with each case. Metal flow, die pressure distributions, temperature distributions, velocity fields and forging loads are summarized as basic data for process design and selection of a proper press equipment.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.495-502
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• 2022

Anodization is a representative electrochemical surface treatment method that can improve both heat resistance and corrosion resistance by forming an anodization film on the surface of the aluminum. However, these properties can be changed after an additional heat treatment process. In this study, Al 6061 was subjected to an anodization process at 60 V for 1 hour, 5 hours, or 9 hours. An additional heat treatment process was performed at 500 ℃ for 30 minutes. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis revealed that the thickness of the anodized film was increased in proportion to the anodization time. Both pore size and pore diameter of the anodized film was also increased after anodization. After an additional heat treatment process, there were no significant changes in the thickness, pore size, or pore diameter of the anodized film. Heat resistance was confirmed through thermal analysis and chemical resistance was evaluated with a potentiodynamic polarization test.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2011

To develop a 6061 aluminum alloy with low residual stress and high tensile strength, a cryogenic treatment process was investigated. Compared to the conventional heat treatment process for precipitation hardening with artificial aging, the cryogenic treatment process has two additional steps. The first step is cryogenic quenching of the sample into liquid nitrogen, the second step is up-hill quenching of the sample into boiling water. The residual stress for the sample was measured by the $sin^2{\psi}$ method with X-ray diffraction. The 6061 aluminum alloy sample showed 67% relief in stress at the cryogenic treatment process with artificial aging at $175^{\circ}C$. From this study, it was found that the optimum cryogenic treatment process for a sample with low residual stress and high tensile strength is relatively low cooling speed in the cryogenic quenching step and a very high heating speed in the up-hill quenching step.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.98-99
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• 1999

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.41-53
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• 1994

In this paper, rotating-bending fatigue tests of the SiC-whisker- reinforced 6061-T6 aluminum alloy and 6061-T6 alumiunm alloy made by power metallurgy were carried out to investigate the fatigue characteristics of plain and notched specimens at room temperature. The fatigue mechnisms in both materials were clarified through successive surface observations using the plastic replica method. In the case of the SiC-whisker-reinforced composites, there are whisker rich and poor zones and the fatigue crack is nucleated from the end of whiskers near the boundary. On the other hand, in the case of the 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, the fatigue crack is nucleated from defects and propagates by shear. Moreover, the results were discussed based on linear notch mechanics.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.59-66
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• 2015

The production of high value-added products requires efficient processing and this constant demand for complex shape processing has led to the need for hybrid processing. In this study, the surface characteristics of hybrid machining, which combines wire-cut E.D.M and vibration, are examined. The selected experimental parameters are verticality, waveform, amplitude, peak current and frequency. The experimental results provide a guideline for selecting reasonable machining parameters. Surface roughness was improved by increasing the amplitude of the vibration.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.154-158
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• 2002

The mechanical properties of Al 6061 excluded bar were deformed in high temperature with the variable deformation conditions and characterized by the tensile test. Three types of different strain rate were experimentally performed by using hydraulic press, crank press and hammer and two types of the nominal strain 0.5 and 0.8 were achieved. To decide optimum forging process, the relationship among the strain rate, strain and mechanical properties was explained by analyzing the microstructures of the forged and heat heated parts. The strength was deeply related with the strain rate due to the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) in hot forging, and the best forging condition was presented in Al 6061 alloy.

• Metals and materials international
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1232-1240
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• 2018

Corrosion properties of dissimilar friction stir welded 6061 aluminum and HT590 steel were investigated to understand effects of galvanic corrosion. As cathode when coupled, HT590 was cathodically protected. However, the passivation of AA6061 made the aluminum alloy cathode temporarily, which leaded to corrosion of HT590. From the EIS analysis showing Warburg diffusion plot in Nyquist plots, it can be inferred that the stable passivation layer was formed on AA6061. However, the weld as well as HT590 did not show Warburg diffusion plot in Nyquist plots, suggesting that there was no barrier for corrosion or even if it exists, the barrier had no function for preventing and/or retarding charge transport through the passivation layer. The open circuit potential measurements showed that the potential of the weld was similar to that of HT590, which lied in the pitting region for AA6061, making the aluminum alloy part of the weld keep corrosion state. That resulted in the cracked oxide film on AA6061 of the weld, which could not play a role of corrosion barrier.