Engineering Failure Analysis 13 (2006) 18 www.elsevier.

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Investigation of internal cracks in aluminium alloy AA7075 forging

R.K. Gupta *, P. Ramkumar, B.R. Ghosh
Mechanical Engineering Entity, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Trivandrum 695022, India Received 7 January 2005; accepted 8 January 2005 Available online 13 April 2005

Abstract AA7075 aluminium alloy is a high strength age hard enable alloy. Although this alloy is not weldable, critical components fabricated out of this alloy have aerospace applications in the form of forgings in T7352 temper condition. In the case under investigation extruded billet was used as input material, and during ultrasonic testing of the forgings, distinct discontinuities were observed. An exhaustive metallographic investigation was taken up in tandem with progressive machining to physically observe the cracks. Morphology and locations of cracks along with the attributable factors were discussed and the remedial measures were suggested. 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Keywords: AA7075; Ultrasonic discontinuity; Microcracks; Coring

1. Introduction Al alloy AA7075 is one of the most frequently used AlZnMg family of alloys due to its high strength and superior resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in T7352 temper condition. For realisation of a particular component, DC cast billet of diameter 380 mm was extruded to 290 mm diameter, and 440 mm height of a block was used as an input material for the forgings. Forge stock material was processed through a series of forging operations to the pre-machined required dimensions. Ultrasonic testing of the forged block revealed the presence of unacceptable internal discontinuity in the middle of the block (Fig. 1). To analyse the nature of discontinuity and its origin, a thorough investigation was carried out. This paper presents the details of the investigation conducted for the above purpose. Various metallurgical

Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: guptarohitg@redimail.com, rohitkumar_gupta@vssc.org (R.K. Gupta).

1350-6307/$ - see front matter 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd. doi:10.1016/j.engfailanal.2005.01.006

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Fig. 1. Ultrasonic defect location in the billet.

phenomena operative during processing were also carefully analysed and attempts were made to correlate the process parameters with the microstructures to pinpoint the probable reasons of generation of such cracks and suggest the remedial measures.

2. Processing history of forgings DC cast billets homogenized at 470 C for 30 h. were ultrasonically qualied as per class B of AMS 2630A. Subsequently, the billets were hot extruded to diameter 290 mm. Extruded billets were subsequently qualied as per class A. These extruded billets were preheated to the temperature of 440 C for 6 h. (prior to forging) and intermittent reheatings were also carried out with the same cycle during forging operation. Preheated billets were forged to the required size, along with required number of intermittent reheatings. Finishing temperature of forging was maintained at 360 C throughout. A total reduction ratio of 12.8 was given to further improve the ultrasonic quality of the forgings and to meet the mechanical properties and microstructural requirements in T7352 heat treated condition. The forgings were adequately machined to 465 mm diameter 170 mm before imparting T7352 heat treatment and nal proof machining. As an intermediate quality check, the forgings were subjected to ultrasonic inspection to ascertain the soundness of the materials in the as-Forged condition. Ultrasonic signatures clearly revealed presence of discrete discontinuities in the centre region of the forging, resulting in rejection of the forgings. The location of a typical defect in a representative forging is schematically shown in Fig. 1.

3. Experimental Samples from the locations around defective areas were identied for metallographic investigations to understand the general microstructural features around the defects and to validate the ultrasonic test results by physically revealing the defects. Optical metallography was carried out in all the directions. Two sample pieces were cut from a representative forging and demarcated as 1 and 2 as shown in Fig. 2. Notation of specimen for metallography observation from sample piece 1 and 2 is shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 2. Sample pieces selected for metallography.

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Fig. 3. Notation of metallography specimen from the sample pieces.

Four specimens were selected from sample piece 1, as per Fig. 3(a) and two specimens from the sample piece 2 as per Fig. 3(b), to understand the ow pattern of grains and to physically detect the presence of discontinuities/defects. Specimens were conventionally prepared by conventional polishing and etched with Kellers reagent. All the areas of the selected samples were investigated using Olumpus make light microscope. Photomicrographs for specimens from sample piece 1 are presented in Fig. 4. In the case of sample piece 1 (Fig. 3(a)) visual defect was not observed. Samples from the ultrasonic defect region were taken (sample piece 2) and subjected to ultrasonic test again to conrm the discontinuities. Ultrasonic test of sample conrms the presence of defect. The sample was carefully milled to the anticipated depth till the cracks were physically observed on the milled surface. Orientation of cracks is presented in Fig. 5. It is perpendicular to the working direction of the forged billet.

Fig. 4. Photomicrographs of forged billet of the locations, described in Fig. 3(a).

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Fig. 5. Visual observation of crack.

Fig. 6. Full length crack along the cross-section plane of forged billet, 20.

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Fig. 7. Crack morphology in middle-side of the forging (2ML of the Fig. 3(b)).

Fig. 8. Presence of voids in the forging.

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Visually observed cracks on the milled surface of sample piece 2, was subjected to polishing to examine the morphology of crack. Polished phase were etched with Kellers reagent and observed under optical microscope. Full length crack was recorded and presented in Fig. 6. Crack morphology observation is presented in Fig. 7. During the microstructural observation, voids are also noticed, as presented in Fig. 8.

4. Results and discussion It is a common observation that cast and homogenized billet subjected to mechanical working, such as forging, rolling, extrusion, etc. results in uniform metallurgical structure. It means, ultrasonic quality will be at least similar to cast billet quality if not better, due to mechanical working, which renes the structure. But in the case under study, detection of ultrasonic discontinuity in the nal stage (which were absent in the earlier stage) indicates that quality of nal product has not been improved. Optical microstructure shows equiaxed recrystallized grains on the top of the forging (location 1TT of Fig. 3(a)) with the grain size in the range of 100250 lm (Fig. 4(a)). Length direction of forging near the top (location 1TL of Fig. 3(a)) also shows similar equiaxed grains (Fig. 4(b)), since it is the area where eective working is involved, it is expected to have equiaxed grains. But middle of the forging reveals metallurgical structural dierence from the top. Location 1ML of Fig. 3(a), which is complementary location 1TL of Fig. 3(a), shows elongated grains (Fig. 4(c)). It also indicates the lack of sucient working by presence of elongated coring [1]. Middle cross-section of forged billet (location 1MT of Fig. 3(a)) which is complementary to location 1TT of Fig. 3(a), shows thicker cell boundary along with branching (Fig. 4(d)), which is similar to cast cells [1]. Presence of undissolved compound particles similar to AlCrMn precipitate phase [1] were observed in the microstructure. No microcracks have been noticed in sample piece 1 (i.e., sample above of the defective area). Physical observation of the cracks in the sample piece 2 (Fig. 5) and its subsequent microstructural observation (Figs. 6 and 7) reveal the discontinuous microcracks. These cracks were not interconnected. It is found that these cracks are aligned in the direction of elongated grains presented in Fig. 4(c) and 7(a). After the above observation and understanding of the process, a progressive model of the total process with respect to grain orientation and crack morphology is suggested, which is given in Fig. 9. Amount of total working (reduction ratio) imparted on the forging from the input raw material stage is calculated as 12.8 and found to be sucient to break the cast structure. But it could not ensure the absence of discontinuities. Presence of cast cells on the cross-section and elongated coring on the centre of forging suggests the insucient homogenisation of the cast billet, which could not be eliminated/rened during subsequent mechanical working. Voids observed (Fig. 8) in the material are microscopic interdendritic porosities (MIP), a kind of localized shrinkage porosity, which are formed during solidication of the alloy [2]. These voids/porosities could have aligned and attened in the extrusion direction during extrusion. During subsequent forging operations, it continued to change its direction by change in the direction of working. Repeated change in attening direction of these porosities increased its sizes rather than welding it and nally it could have lead to microcrack. Morphology of microcrack (Figs. 5 and 6) reveals that it has originated through porosity, which did not combine because voids did not coalesce and resulted in multiple cracks. Coring and presence of undissolved particles are also attributable to creation of microcracks. The presence of microcracks, as presented in Figs. 6 and 7 is clearly due to the combined eect of the microstructural aberrations carried through from cast ingot and inadequate homogenisation and thus presumably cause low forgeability of the material at the lower range of stipulated forging temperature band.

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Fig. 9. Progressive model for crack generation during processing from billet casting to forging.

5. Conclusions  Presence of macroscopic and microscopic interdendritic and shrinkage porosities is detrimental during forming operations and should be minimized by process control during casting stage.  Presence of coring indicates insucient homogenisation. So homogenisation aspect of the alloy at the ingot stage is to be properly understood to get coring free cast structure, as an input material for subsequent downstream processing like extrusion/forging.  Mechanical working steps with respect to direction are in conformity of the practiced process. However, manipulation of the direction of working and amount of working required in each step, have denitive advantage for processing ultrasonically sound forgings of AA7075 Al alloy.

Acknowledgements We are grateful to Head MCD and his team for timely support extended during metallographic investigations and to Dy. Director, MEE for his constant encouragements and valuable suggestions. Authors are thankful to Director VSSC for his kind permission to publish this work.

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References
[1] Al and Al alloys specialty handbook. Materials Park, OH: ASM International; 1994. p. 502505. [2] Marquis FDS. Microstructural evolution of porosity during casting and thermomechanical processing of aluminium based alloys. In: Proceedings from materials solutions conference. Indianapolis, IN: ASM International; 2001. p. 173181.