Aluminum Extrusion Quality for Anodizing Characteristic
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Aluminum Extrusion Quality for Anodizing Characteristic IHAA 17th Technical Symposium Jerome Fourmann – September 19-21, 2018 – Seattle, WA Proprietary Statement The following information is the property of Alcan Primary Products Company LLC, a member of the Rio Tinto companies (collectively "Rio Tinto"). This information is being provided to the attendees of the 17th Technical Symposium by IHAA under a limited right and license to use said information in furtherance of a business relationship with Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto makes no representations or warranties to the attendees of the 17th Technical Symposium in relation to the information contained herein and shall have no liability for 1) any actions taken by reliance on such information; or 2) any actions taken by any individuals or entities who attendees of the 17th Technical Symposium chooses to share said information with. 2018 Rio Tinto – September 2018 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA © Rio Tinto 2018 “As pioneers in mining and metals, we produce materials essential to human progress.” Commercial 3 © Rio Tinto 2017 Rio Tinto - An integrated aluminium supplier 44 Mt 8 Mt Secured 3.6 Mt In 60 power countries 05 Bauxite mines 04 Alumina refineries 08 Power stations 19 Aluminium casthouses 550 Customers 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 4 © Rio Tinto 2018 Outline Aluminum alloys Alloys selection 1. 2. Extrusion process Defects 3. 4. 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 5 © Rio Tinto 2018 Designation System For Wrought Alloys • *1000 series: Al – dilute alloys Al > 99% • *2000 series: Al + Cu • *3000 series: Al + Mn • *4000 series: Al + Si • 5000 series: Al + Mg • *6000 series: Al + Mg + Si • *7000 series: Al + Zn + Mg/Cu • *8000 series: Al + Other elements * Most extrusions are made from these alloy series Heat treatable alloys, other are non-heat treatable 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 6 © Rio Tinto 2018 2xxx – Al + Copper • Where strength is a primary consideration with good fracture toughness Applications Structural members aerospace & military (2014 / 2024) Machining stock (2011) Disadvantages Low extrudability High demands on cooling speed Bad corrosion properties 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 7 © Rio Tinto 2018 4xxx – Al + Silicon Not widely used in extruded form, except: • 4032 Forging stock for pistons where wear resistance and thermal stability are required • 4021 ABS brake components, machineable, strength close to AA6061 / AA6082 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 8 © Rio Tinto 2018 5xxx – Al + Magnesium • Where good corrosion resistance is needed • Where good weldability and good post-welded strength are required • Alloys with useful strength (~5% Mg) are difficult to extrude Applications Ship superstructures Cryogenic applications Offshore construction Automotive 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 9 © Rio Tinto 2018 6xxx – Al + Magnesium + Silicon (Soft) • 6060 / 6063 / 6360 / 6560 − Most popular extrusion alloys − Fast extruding, lower strength, anodize well − General applications i.e. door and window, heat sinks, architectural, transportation • 6463 / 6463A − Specialized “6063” type to give bright finish after chemical brightening. i.e. tub and shower, picture frame 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 10 © Rio Tinto 2018 6xxx – Al + Magnesium + Silicon (Medium Strength) • 6061 / 6082 / 6005 / 6005A − Medium strength, transportation, ladders, scaffolding, general engineering, gas cylinders, forging stock, welded construction… 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 11 © Rio Tinto 2018 7xxx – Al + Zinc-Magnesium • Where strength >6xxx is required, along with extrudability, ease of quenching and weldability. Stress corrosion has to be managed • Can be processed on standard presses Applications Bumpers systems Automotive Transportation Military bridging 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 12 © Rio Tinto 2018 7xxx – Al + Zinc-Magnesium-Copper • Where high strength and toughness are required • Available Complex process route, low extrudability - not compatible with standard extrusion operations Applications Major structural members - Aerospace Military application Medical cylinders 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 13 © Rio Tinto 2018 8xxx – Other aluminum alloys • Other alloying elements: Li, Fe, Zr… Applications Al-Li: high stiffness, low density Aerospace structural components 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 14 © Rio Tinto 2018 Outline Aluminum alloys Alloys selection 1. 2. Extrusion process Defects 3. 4. 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 15 © Rio Tinto 2018 Alloy Selection – extrudability Extrudability falls with increasing flow stress and lower melting point 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 16 © Rio Tinto 2018 Alloy Selection – Mechanical Properties 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 17 © Rio Tinto 2018 Alloy Selection – Heat treatment process Natural ageing: ambient temperature slow hardness increase over time Artificial ageing: heat treat. forming precipitates enhancing the properties 1xxx Some extruders specialize in 3xxx these products 5xxx Formal SHT* SHT* in Press Specialized Process 2xxx 6xxx Possible on most Difficult to cast 7xxx 7xxx commercial presses (Al-Zn-Mg-Cu) (Al-Zn-Mg) * SHT: Solution heat treatment 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 18 © Rio Tinto 2018 Outline Aluminum alloys Alloys selection 1. 2. Extrusion process Defects 3. 4. Photo courtesy of FEM, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 19 © Rio Tinto 2018 Thermal profile of the extrusion process Billet supplier Dependent Extruder Dependent ˚F 650 1200 ºC / 500 932 450 Temperature Temperature 842 185 365 Casting Homogenisation Preheating Extrusion Cooling Ageing DC casting mold Time 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 20 © Rio Tinto 2018 Temperature through the extrusion process 1200 650 Melting starts (solidus) 1100 600 Quench 1000 550 Mg and Si in solution (solvus) F) 500 o 900 450 800 C) Critical o Critical 400 700 preheat quench range range 350 600 300 500 Temperature ( 250 Temperature ( Temperature 400 200 300 Induction 150 furnace 900oF/min 100 200 Preheat o 250 C/min Extrusion 50 100 Nano-sized MgSi precipitates 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Time (mins) Process has to put Mg and Si in the correct form for ageing 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 21 © Rio Tinto 2018 How is this metallurgical process monitored? Billet temperature Extrusion temperature Quench rate Ageing temperature = Thermal Profile of the Extrusion Process 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 22 © Rio Tinto 2018 Outline Aluminum alloys Alloys selection 1. 2. Extrusion process Defects 3. 4. 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 23 © Rio Tinto 2018 Defects framework – the alloy influence Common Extrusion Alloys Soft Alloys 6360 “high performance” 6063 “general purpose” Extrudability Properties decrease increase 6063 “high strength” -T54, -T65 6005A Medium Strength Alloys 6061 / 6351 6082 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 24 © Rio Tinto 2018 Defects framework – the extrusion process influence EXTRUSION SPEED INSUFFICIENT PRESSURE SOFT ALLOY MORE AVAILABLE PRESSURE SOFT ALLOY HIGH EXTRUSION POOR RATIO SURFACE COMPLEX SHAPE FINISH OPERATING WINDOW TEARING COARSE Mg Si 2 PICK-UP THICK SURFACE SECTIONS MELTING NON-CRITICAL MAX PROPERTIES PROPERTIES COMPLEX SHAPE LOW MECHANICAL PROPERTIES BILLET TEMPERATURE 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 25 © Rio Tinto 2018 During Extrusion / Mill Finish After Extrusion - Metallurgical After Anodization MgSi at Coarse Atmos. Acid Pick-up Blister grain MgSi corrosion corrosion boundary Coarse Speed Orange Alkali Rinse water Tearing grain Cracking peel corrosion corrosion banding Micro die Corrosion Corrosion Spacer Chloride Die line line pitting fingerprint marking contami. Coloring Corrosion Die streak Snap mark Water stain Dull finish due to fretting MgSi Front-end Back-end Spacer Excess White etch Spangle TW Coring marking lubricant bloom Inclusion Longit. Inclusion Inadequate Castle and Hot spots extrusion weld cast-in rinse moat process 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 26 © Rio Tinto 2018 Welds During Extrusion / Mill Finish Pick-up Blister Speed Tearing Cracking Micro die Die line line Die streak Snap mark Front-end Back-end TW Coring Longit. Hot spots weld 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 27 © Rio Tinto 2018 Welds definition Transverse Weld Longitudinal Weld Coring ID OD Transverse weld (non-balance port) Longitudinal welds Back-end condition / Coring 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 28 © Rio Tinto 2018 1- Longitudinal weld 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 29 © Rio Tinto 2018 1- Longitudinal weld Good Bad 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 30 © Rio Tinto 2018 1- Longitudinal welds - can be unsatisfactory for several reasons 17th Technical Symposium – 19-21 September, 2018 – Seattle, WA 31 © Rio Tinto 2018 2- Metal flow in direct extrusion Container Die Extrusion Billet Surface