Fabrice Wagner | Christian Bollmann | Thiemo Brüggemann

IBF | Alvance | Hydro

Summary

In the AMAP project P19, the aging of aluminum alloys of the Al-Mg-Si system was on the agenda. These alloys have a good combination of age-hardening, formability and corrosion properties and, due to their low specific density, can be used excellently in lightweight construction, for example for the production of automotive outer skin components, as Fabrice Wagner from IBF RWTH Aachen University explained in the lecture “Simulation of Microstructure and Yield Stress during Natural Aging and Artificial Aging in Al-Mg-Si Alloys”.
In the industrial manufacturing process chain, a workpiece undergoes a complex sequence of different thermomechanical process steps. The strength of these Al-Mg-Si alloys is determined by the existing precipitation state, which is largely dependent on the temperature history. Of central importance here is the process of cluster formation of Al-Mg-Si alloys during natural ageing and its influence on subsequent artificial ageing at higher temperatures.
For the purpose of optimizing the industrial manufacturing process with regard to the desired application properties, a simulation tool was developed as part of AMAP project 19, which maps the microstructure development and the resulting yield strength during various cold and artificial ageing processes. For this purpose, the simulation tool had to have a good predictive capability as well as short calculation times and good user-friendliness for industrial application. The aim of the project was the prediction of microstructure and yield strength for the composition range of AA6016 aluminum alloys after complex heat treatments, which include the steps of solution heat treatment, natural aging and artificial aging.

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