Aluminium Alloys Overview

Naveed Akhtar
 Contents

1. Introduction
2. Chemistry
3. Classification
4. Applications
5. Manufacturing
6. Heat treatment
7. Common Defects
8. Conclusions

2
 Introduction Abundance

All Others

Iron Oxygen

Silicon
Aluminum Oxide / Bauxite

3
 Introduction Advantages

High strength to weight ratio

High electrical and thermal conductivity
High reflectivity and resistance to
corrosion
Non-toxic (ideal for packaging and cooking
material)
Ductility-easy to cold work and fabricate

4
 History Aluminum Production

The first commercial batch of Aluminum

was produced in 1888
Production Capabilities Lower the Price
Between 1888 and 1893 Aluminum dropped
from $4.86/lb to $.78/lb

5
 History Use

Early uses for Aluminum

Cooking utensils
Electrical wire and cable
Foil
Auto bodies
Engine parts used by the Wright Brothers

6
 Chemistry Alloying Elements

Principal
Alloying
Elements
Cu, Mn, Mg, Si,
Zn, Fe
Additional
Alloying
Elements
Ti, B, Zr, Cr, Ni, Bi,
Pb
7
Role of Alloying Elements

Al 1. Increases strength
and hardness
2. If >12% makes the
alloy brittle
3. Hot cracking tendency
4. Decreases corrosion
resistance

Cu
8
Role of Alloying Elements

Al 1. Increases yield and

tensile strength
2. Improves ductility
3. Good resistance to
corrosion
4. Decrease resistivity

Mn
9
Role of Alloying Elements

Al 1. Increases tensile
strength and hardness
uptil 13% wt.
2. Decrease the hot
cracking
3. Good resistance to
corrosion

Si
10
Role of Alloying Elements

Al 1. Increases strength
and hardness
2. Good resistance to
corrosion
3. Increase weldability
and machinability

Mg
11
Role of Alloying Elements

Al 1. Gives heat treatable

alloys when combined
with Mg
2. Increase strength and
hardness
3. Increased toughness
but susceptible to stress
corrosion cracking

Zn
12
Classification Alloy Designation System
Al

13
Applications 1XXX

14
Applications 2XXX

15
Applications 3XXX

16
Applications 4XXX

17
Applications 5XXX

18
Applications 6XXX

19
Applications 7XXX

20
Production Wrought Al Alloys

21
Extrusion Process

22
 Heat Treatment Al Alloys

Annealing Treatment

Solution heat treatment

Precipitation (Hardening) treatment

23
 Heat Treatment

Before Solution Heat Treatment After Solution Heat Treatment

24
 Heat Treatment

25
Al-Cu phase diagram showing three steps in precipitation hardening
 Common Defects

Casting
Defects

Heat
Extrusion
Treatment
Defects
Defect Defects

Forging
Defects

26
 Casting Defects

Cracks Porosity

Inclusions Segregation

27
 Cracks Types

Centric Radial Loop Transverse

28
Cracks 7075

29
Cracks 2024

30
Inclusions Optical Images

31
Inclusions SEM Images

32
Inclusions SEM Analysis

33
Inclusions Fracture surface

34
Inclusions Fracture surface

35
 Extrusion Defects

Extrusion
Scratches
tears/ cracks

Un-even wall
Fish scaling
thickness

Layer Coarse grain

Formation ring

36
 Drawing Defects

Scratch Bumped ring

Un-uniformity of
Crack
wall thickness

Wrinkle End break

37
Cracks in Extrusion Unetched form

38
Cracks in Extrusion T6 etched form

39
Heat treatment Defects

Unqualified
mechanical Over firing
properties

Coarse grain Quenching cracks

40
Grain Coarsening

41
Control of Grain Coarsening

42
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