An analysis of crystallographic texture and residual stresses of aluminium alloy RSA-501 after selected processes of twist extrusion (TE)

Abstract

This study presents the residual stress analysis for the twist extrusion (TE) process after the experiment and numerical simulation and the analysis of the crystallographic texture changes and changes in hardness before and after the TE process for an RSA-501 aluminium alloy (Al; Mg5%; Mn1.5%; Sc0.8%; Zr0.4%).Crystallographic textures were obtained with the PANAlytical Empyrean X-ray diffractometer. The stresses were measured by applying the X-ray method with the use of using the PROTO iXRD diffractometer.The use of severe plastic deformation processes in the mass of the material leads to a significant change difference in the stress distribution in the workpiece and a change in texture compared to the reference material. The stress distribution in the sample cross-section and stress values varied and depended on the stage of the twisting process to which the surface was subjected. The highest stress (about 600 MPa) appears at the peaks of the front surface when exiting the twist area die TE. Higher stress values at the edges of the specimen are caused by friction (deformation) of the material against the die surface. The TE process strengthened the highest crystallographic texture background level was 49%.The conducted tests and the obtained results allow the determination of the process parameters and critical areas of the sample by carrying out a numerical simulation.Microhardness increases due to the TE process and the largest values were observed at the edges. This phenomenon is confirmed by the numerical simulation results presented in this paper.