Normally our crane structure raw material ASTM A36 will undergo sand blasting process before proceed

the fabrication , the main purpose is remove rust and dirt on the surface of metal.May I know will it increase corrosion resistance or anti-rust on the metal ? [No, it does not improve corrosion resistance. It only cleans up the rusty surface]] 2) Can I using mild steel ASTM A36 material to fabricate the overhead crane if customer have specify that the crane must able to operating at extremely cool temperature (-20 degree celcius).Normally our crane are operating at normal temperature (20 to 40 C) ? [Check the specifications for the mild steel to make sure that it does not get too brittle at -20C] 3) The floor plate have undergo hot dip galvanised process , may I know it is posible to do any welding on the floor plate because may need to add handrail on it? Someone had told me that after done the hot dip galvanised process no welding work are allow , it is true ? [Welding is possible, but the welded joint will no longer be resistant to corrosion because the galvanised zinc layer will be destroyed by the welding heat.]

1) Can I presume all heat treat process will make the surface of metal hard or depend on type of heat treat apply ? [Depend on type of heat treatment. This should be covered in one of your materials science modules.] 2) To maximize strength and dimensional accuracy ,is better to apply cold working process or hot working process ? [Cold working] 3) You mention that cast iron cannot be extrude , any others steel cannot be extrude ? [Any metal that is ductile can be extruded. Cast ironi is too brittle for extrusion.] 4) Forging only done by hot work or both (hot work and cold work) ? [Metals can be hot or cold forged.]

It is to strengthen the metal, not make it ductile. If you want it ductile, you have to anneal it. Sometimes, quenching can harden the surface, eg. induction hardening. -----text of original message----Heat treat (heat & quench in oli) is the process to make the metal become ductile or hardened the surface of metal ?

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What is the dimensional accuracy can be achieved for conventional machining for drilling and milling process ? [Best is in the micron level. With nano-machining, you can go below micron level.] 2) Powder metallurgy will produce weakest strength compare to others process which we have study ? [Yes.] 3) If the holes do not need dimensional acccuray ,can it done by piercing with a punch? {yes] 4) For 2mm aluminium plate with many 3mm holes , can it done by die cast the plate with the holes in situ?

[Yes] What is the dimensional accuracy can be achieved to die cast the above peocess ? [Below 100 microns for a part that is below 15 cm by 15 cm.]

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For stainless steel , mild steel ,Aluminium,Copper,cast iron ; what is the minimum thickness of joining two plate by welding ? [Depends what sort of welding. Usually for thin plates, we use resistance welding and it depends on how stiff it is. If it is too flimsy, you can't hold the two sheets properly. Cast iron usually can't be welded.] 2) For Aluminium (outer diameter 5mm) use as water barrier , can I using extrusion process to produce it? [No. you have to tensile draw it because the diameter is too small.] What is the minimum wall thickness of metal for extrusion mild steel , stainless steel ,Aluminium,copper and cast iron ? [1 mm, but cast iron can't be extruded.] 3) For steel wires 1mm diameter , main purposed for withstand strength , can I produce it by cold rolling process ? [No, diameter is too small. You have to tensile draw it.] 4) May I known what is Mylar ? Mylar 0.1mm tape (PET sheet) for protection against sea-water corrosion , what process can manufacture it ? [Mylar is a plastic material in sheet form] 5) High density polyethylene (10mm outer dia) for protection against wear and sea creatures ,can manufacture by what kind of process? [Extrusion]

Ans: Correct, but you can cold forge as well.

-----text of original message----Forging is the process of heat up metal to plasticaly form and applied force on the mold to made the shape of the metal. Ans: Dimensional accuracy 7 6 5 1 3 2 4 Strength 6 4 5 1 2 3 7

Sand cast Die cast Investment cast Forge, followed by die sinking EDM Shallow draw from cold rolled 2 mm sheet, followed by conventional milling of details and piercing the holes with automatic punch and die Hot roll 5 mm plate, followed by hollowing out using conventional milling and conventionally drilling the holes Powder metallurgy

-----text of original message----If I want to produce 1 million aluminium disk drive covers and rank out the dimensional accuracy and strength ; start with best dimensional accuracy and highest strength.

Ans: Molding is a term used for plastics, eg. Injection molding or Compression molding. Casting can be used for metals and plastics, but mostly for metals. I will teach you plastics when I come back to your class on 24 Oct. Plastics cannot have good strength and accuracy.

-----text of original message----What is the difference for molding and casting ? Which one have better strength and tolerance accuracy ?

Extrusion produce higher strength than forging ? Can you explain more details on it. Can I say extrusion give better tolerance than forging ? [Not true. Forging gives the best strength of all the manufacturing methods. Extrusion is usually done hot, so it gives poor tolerances. Forging can be either hot or cold. Cold working processes give excellent tolerances.] Extrusion more suitable for low melting material or high melting point material? [It is suitable for all the common metals. It's not suitable for those with very high melting point metals like tungsten and molybdenum. ]

I have some questions need to clarify with you. 1) Cold working will create directional properties , after anneal process had been done will the material property in term of strenght higher than hot working material (non directional property) ? [After annealing, the material reverts to its original state (ie. it's strength will be like before the cold working and there will be no directional properties. It's strength will be equal to hot worked material.] 2) Powder metallurgy will produce brittle product , it is under extreme temperature (very cold or very hot) the metal become brittle or the nature of the finish product is brittle and hard ? How about in term of tensile strength compare to others process like extruded or casting ? [The nature of the product will be brittle and weaker than extruded or cast products.]

3) Cold working product have directional property , can you give some example of application for metal with directional property ? [All our pots and pans have been cold worked, as well as the cold rolled metal sheets.] 4) Can I say that die casting product produce good property material than sand casting product ? [Yes, because sand will give the product a rough surface, and die casting provides some pressure during the solidification process, which gives a stronger product.] 5) Can I say casting and forging are same process , just like extruded and rolling are same pocess also ? [No, they are totally different.] What are the sequence in term of tensile strength ? [Forging gives stronger products than casting. Rolling gives stronger products than extrusion.]

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Not all Cold Working produce directional properties, only rolling and extrusion or some form of cold working that is directional. In rolling, during to the process, the grain become elongated. Basically the directional properties that is significant is only the "elongation" or formability - for hardness and tensile strength, the different is not too significant. (please correct if I am wrong). Hot working do not change the properties of the material as it is done hot (like annealing) - it is usually use to reduce the material size (or thickness) at large interval. Cold working can only reduce the material size very little at a time depend on the material, I think maximum is 50% or less. Most material get its properties from 2 main process, one is "Alloying" and the other is cold working, some material can be "heat treated" to further increase its properties. Over here, properties is usually refer to "strength". Hot working is done at higher than annealing temperature and usually during hot working, the surface of the material is very rough and need to be machine off. Annealing do not produce such rough surface and it is usually done, after cold working to a level where the material cannot be cold work -it need to be annealed. Hot working has the same effect as forging which is also done "hot", it compact the material and make it more dense. Basically during casting, there is a lot of "holes" and gaps between the material, this may be due to air bubble, hot working and forging will push out this defect from the material. 2) Powder metallurgy is usually done for material that cannot be casted. It is usually for material that cannot disolved. it is like putting chalk in water. So to get a even distributed chalk in water, you put a later of ice, a layer of chalk powder, another layer of ice, and so on and put them in the fridge, then you produce something like "thousand layer cake". Material like carbide is done is this way. Powder metallurgy usually produce extremely hard material. 3) In our present world, there is basically two main type which product are produced. They are either stamped - this is like Japanese paper folding process (origami) or they are "molded" like plastic molding or casting. All products that you see like the connector, the switches, the casing of notebook(metal) are all stamped from a strip of metal. So all this have directional properties. The directional properties like strength is usually not so significant and important, the only properties is "elongation' and formability. This is usually because of 'manufactur-bility" - meaning can the part be fabricated without cracking if it is done in wrong orientation. 5) Casting is making ice, while forging is like making dough - how can they be the same. Casting you just pour molten liquid into a mold and let it cool and form the shape. forging, you hammer it. Forging is usually done after casting.
Rolling and extruding is similar but extrusion is usually for round while rolling is for "flat" like plate, strip, etc.. extruding is more difficult and the amount of cold work is usually less. Extrusion may create a "hard" outer surface while rolling usually do not. In rolling the material can flow out in 2 direction - length and width while extrusion only in length. If not enough cold work is done, the core of extrusion may have different properties than surface.

1) Not all Cold Working produce directional properties, only rolling and extrusion or some form of cold working that is directional. In rolling, during to the process, the grain become elongated. Basically the directional properties that is significant is only the "elongation" or formability - for hardness and tensile strength, the different is not too significant. (please correct if I am wrong). [You can get quite a significant increase in strength in the direction of cold work. The problem is that the strength drops along any direction that is perpendicular to the direction of working, so you dont get an evenly strong product.] Hot working do not change the properties of the material as it is done hot (like annealing) - it is usually use to reduce the material size (or thickness) at large interval. Cold working can only reduce the material size very little at a time depend on the material, I think maximum is 50% or less. [Correct]

Most material get its properties from 2 main process, one is "Alloying" and the other is cold working, some material can be "heat treated" to further increase its properties. Over here, properties is usually refer to "strength". [Heat treatment can also refine the grains, resulting in more toughness.] Hot working is done at higher than annealing temperature and usually during hot working, the surface of the material is very rough and need to be machine off. Annealing do not produce such rough surface and it is usually done, after cold working to a level where the material cannot be cold work -it need to be annealed. [Annealing can cause oxidation of the surface, thereby causing it to be rough because of the oxide layer.] Hot working has the same effect as forging which is also done "hot", it compact the material and make it more dense. Basically during casting, there is a lot of "holes" and gaps between the material, this may be due to air bubble, hot working and forging will push out this defect from the material. [Yes, casting defects can be reduced by such production methods.]

2) Powder metallurgy is usually done for material that cannot be casted. It is usually for material that cannot disolved. it is like putting chalk in water. So to get a even distributed chalk in water, you put a later of ice, a layer of chalk powder, another layer of ice, and so on and put them in the fridge, then you produce something like "thousand layer cake". Material like carbide is done is this way. [Yes, tungsten carbide tools are made by PM] Powder metallurgy usually produce extremely hard material. [It depends on the porosity.]

3) In our present world, there is basically two main type which product are produced. They are either stamped - this is like Japanese paper folding process (origami) or they are "molded" like plastic molding or casting. [Generally, the broad classifications are forming, casting and machining (metal removal)] All products that you see like the connector, the switches, the casing of notebook(metal) are all stamped from a strip of metal. So all this have directional properties. The directional properties like strength is usually not so significant and important, the only properties is "elongation' and formability. This is usually because of 'manufactur-bility" - meaning can the part be fabricated without cracking if it is done in wrong orientation. [Yes.] 5) Casting is making ice, while forging is like making dough - how can they be the same. Casting - you just pour molten liquid into a mold and let it cool and form the shape. forging, you hammer it. Forging is usually done after casting. [Forging is classified as a forming operation. It is not the same as casting which melts the metal.] Rolling and extruding is similar but extrusion is usually for round while rolling is for "flat" like plate, strip, etc.. [Extrusion can be for any long part that has uniform cross section.] extruding is more difficult and the amount of cold work is usually less. [Yes. Extrusion is usually done hot anyway, so theres no cold working.] Extrusion may create a "hard" outer surface while rolling usually do not. [Rolling also causes a hard outer surface because it is compressed.] In rolling the material can flow out in 2 direction - length and width while extrusion only in length.

[Right.] If not enough cold work is done, the core of extrusion may have different properties than surface. Extrusion produce better strength than forging. [No, remember extrusion is usually done hot. Forging will give the strongest products out of all the methods of manufacture.]