Structure and strain state of aluminum bars at the initial phase of extrusion

Abstract

The structure of insufficiently deformed areas at the non-steady phase of extrusion was studied. The tests at Kamensk Uralsky Metallurgical Works using a 120 MN press and 800 mm dia. container, in order to extrude a 355.6 mm dia. Bar was performed. The bar material is the Al–Mg–Si AD33 aluminum alloy (GOST 4784), similar to ASTM 6061. The percentage reduction was 80 %, and the reduction ratio was 5.06. After that, the macrostructure, microstructure, and average grain size along the radius, mechanical properties at room and elevated temperatures were investigated. It was found that the extruded bar macrostructure is fine-grained, homogeneous, and dense, with no nonmetallic or intermetallic inclusions. The cross-section contained several structures. The central part is weakly deformed preserving the dendritic cell structure inherited from the casting. At the circumference, a streaked structure is formed. Its components are crushed and uniformly distributed. We measured the strength at elevated temperatures and compared the results to the data available in the literature. The tested material strength almost doubled, thus indicating its incomplete softening. The ductility was also performed. The DEFORM-2D software, in order to simulate the low reduction of extrusion was used. The metal at the circumference is exposed to a greater strain from the extrusion beginning. A step-by-step analysis indicated that at the first step, the strain is localized near the die hole. In the second step, a rigid area is formed in the vicinity of the die/container liner interface. The circumference layer of metal with a 1.75–2.00 reduction of area is formed. At the bar center, this range is 0.75–1.00 (half of the circumference value). In the third step, the circumference layer with an elevated strain has a wedge-like shape. In the fourth step, the circumference layer (with elevated strain) has an equal thickness along the extrusion axis. This indicates the steady phase. The plastic strain at the bar front end is higher at the circumference than in the center. This confirms the structural analysis results. They show that the central part of the bar may retain its cast structure, while the circumference is deformed. If the bar central part is required to have some specific properties, the bar has to undergo another manufacturing operation to increase the accumulated strain. Re-extrusion processes the areas insufficiently deformed during the first extrusion.