EP1011897B1 - Procede pour former un metal semi-solide - Google Patents

Procede pour former un metal semi-solide Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1011897B1
EP1011897B1 EP98901901A EP98901901A EP1011897B1 EP 1011897 B1 EP1011897 B1 EP 1011897B1 EP 98901901 A EP98901901 A EP 98901901A EP 98901901 A EP98901901 A EP 98901901A EP 1011897 B1 EP1011897 B1 EP 1011897B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
billet
semi
heated
temperature
solid metal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP98901901A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP1011897A1 (fr
Inventor
Gordon Woodhouse
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Amcan Castings Ltd
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Amcan Castings Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from CA002196479A external-priority patent/CA2196479A1/fr
Application filed by Amcan Castings Ltd filed Critical Amcan Castings Ltd
Publication of EP1011897A1 publication Critical patent/EP1011897A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1011897B1 publication Critical patent/EP1011897B1/fr
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
    • B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
    • B22D18/00—Pressure casting; Vacuum casting
    • B22D18/02—Pressure casting making use of mechanical pressure devices, e.g. cast-forging
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21C—MANUFACTURE OF METAL SHEETS, WIRE, RODS, TUBES OR PROFILES, OTHERWISE THAN BY ROLLING; AUXILIARY OPERATIONS USED IN CONNECTION WITH METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL
    • B21C23/00—Extruding metal; Impact extrusion
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21J—FORGING; HAMMERING; PRESSING METAL; RIVETING; FORGE FURNACES
    • B21J5/00—Methods for forging, hammering, or pressing; Special equipment or accessories therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21J—FORGING; HAMMERING; PRESSING METAL; RIVETING; FORGE FURNACES
    • B21J5/00—Methods for forging, hammering, or pressing; Special equipment or accessories therefor
    • B21J5/004—Thixotropic process, i.e. forging at semi-solid state
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C1/00—Making non-ferrous alloys
    • C22C1/12—Making non-ferrous alloys by processing in a semi-solid state, e.g. holding the alloy in the solid-liquid phase

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to semi-solid metal forming and more particularly to the formation and use of magnesium billets in semi-solid metal die casting and semi-solid forging processes.
  • Metal die casting is a process in which molten metal is caused to flow into a cavity defined by a mold.
  • molten metal is injected into the cavity.
  • semi-solid metal die casting processes a metal billet is pre-heated to a point of softening, to a temperature above the solidus and below the liquidus to produce a partially solid, partially liquid consistency prior to placing the billet or "slug" in a shot sleeve in the casting machine.
  • Semi-solid metal die casting enables control of the microstructure of the finished part to a degree which produces a stronger part than is possible with conventional molten metal die-casting processes. As compared with conventional metal die-casting processes, semi-solid metal casting produces parts of improved casting quality in that they exhibit lower porosity, parts shrink less upon cooling enabling closer tolerances and physical properties are better. In addition, semi-solid metal casting has a reduced cycle time and the lower temperatures utilized result in decreased die wear. Because of the absence of molten metal there is less pollution and safety hazards are reduced.
  • a billet is first formed which is treated to form fine grained equiaxed crystals as opposed to a dentritic structure. Subsequent heating, forming and solidification of a formed part using a treated billet avoids the formation of a dentritic structure in the finished part.
  • the grain structure of a billet must exhibit the necessary degree of lubricity and viscosity to give good laminar flow in the die cavity.
  • an untreated DC cast billet will shear along its dentritic axis rather than flow hence the need for fine grained equiaxed crystals.
  • Metal forging is another process in which metal is caused to flow into a cavity defined by a mold. Unlike die casting, metal is not injected as a liquid into the cavity, but rather a solid billet or slug is placed between dies which are subsequently forced together to squeeze the billet or slug into the cavity as the die is closed. In semi-solid metal forging, the metal billet is pre-heated to a partially solid, partially liquid consistency prior to forging. The consistency is similar to that used for semi-solid metal die casting.
  • the billet should consist of fine grained equiaxed crystals rather than a dendritic structure to optimise the flow of metal between the dies and to optimise the physical characteristics of the finished parts.
  • An earlier process for forming a treated billet involves in the use of magnetic stirring during the cooling of the cast billet to break up and avoid the formation of the dendritic structure. Magnetic stirring is however a relatively slow and expensive process.
  • US Patent Number 4415374 (Young et al) describes an alternate process forming a billet of aluminium for use in a semi-solid metal die casting process.
  • the object of the process is to produce a fine grained metal composition, and comprises the following steps:
  • the ingot produced according to the process described in Young may be shaped during the original reheat of the alloy to a temperature above its solidus temperature, i.e. during step 7.
  • the ingot produced may be subsequently heated to a semi-solid die casting temperature and formed into a part in a die casting process.
  • a process for producing a billet for use in a semi-solid metal forming process having the following steps:
  • a billet for use in a semi-solid metal forming process the billet being obtainable by a process according to the first aspect.
  • molten metal 10 is poured from a ladle into a mold 12 and allowed to solidify into a cast billet 14.
  • the cast billet 14 is heated, for example by inductive heating coil 16 to a temperature above its recrystallization temperature and below its solidus temperature.
  • the heated cast billet 14 is then extruded through an extruding die 18 to form an extruded column 20.
  • the extruded column 20 is cut to a suitable length billet 22 for use in a semi-solid metal die casting process.
  • the billet 22 is heated to a forming temperature corresponding to a semi-solid state, for example by induction coils 24, and transferred to a die casting apparatus 26.
  • the heated billet 22 is squeezed by the die casting apparatus into a cavity 28 between mold parts 30 and 32 to form a part 34 conforming in shape to that of the cavity 28.
  • the heated billet 22 may be transferred to a forging apparatus 40 where it is squeezed into a cavity defined between a movable die 42 and a fixed die 44.
  • the billets were produced initially as an 8 1/2 in. direct chill cast billet.
  • the billets were cooled at a high chill rate utilizing copper molds and a water spray to provide a chill rate of at least 2°C per second at the billet centre.
  • the billets were cut into 2 ft. long sections and the diameter machined down to 8 in. to remove imperfections to the outside edge.
  • Grain sizing of the 8 inch billet perpendicular to the extrusion axis was 38 microns at the outside, 48 microns at the half radius and 48 microns at the center. As expected, the grain size in the longitudinal or extrusion direction was somewhat larger being approximately 51 microns at the outside, 64 microns at the half radius and 74 microns at the center.
  • the billets were then heated in 4-6 minute intervals in three induction furnaces.
  • the furnaces heated the billets to 100°C, 200°C, 300°C (total heating time approximately 15 minutes.)
  • the billet was then placed in the extrusion chamber, which was at 380°C and the billet was extruded at between 330°C and 350°C, in one stage down to a 3 in. diameter extrusion billet.
  • the first 14 ft. of extrusion and the last few feet were discarded.
  • the remainder of the extrusion was cut into 7 in. sections or "slugs".
  • billet 1 and billet 2 Two of the sections of the extrusion billet referred to as billet 1 and billet 2, in AZ61 alloy were examined in the "as extruded" condition by sectioning a 0.5 in. section off the end of each billet, (billets were randomly selected.) A micro was taken perpendicular to the axis of the billet from the centre and from the outside edge. The micros were polished and etched using 2% nitol etchant. The micros were examined at various magnifications to observe grain structure. A photomicrograph was taken at each magnification and the grain size estimated.
  • the purpose for solution heat treating the extrusion billets and analyzing the samples was to determine the effect on grain size and shape resulting from heating and extruding the DC cast billet.
  • the solution heat treating was not carried out under the optimum circumstances as equipment availability necessitated the use of convection heating rather than induction heating.
  • the heating cycle should not exceed 20 minutes and accordingly multi-state induction heating would be preferable over convection heating. Nevertheless the results were quite favourable as set out below.
  • microstructure observed consists of magnesium primary magnesium and aluminum solid solution crystals and eutectic consisting of two phases, secondary magnesium solid solution crystals and Mg 17 Al 12 intermetallic compound.
  • the structure was quite broken up in the "as cast" specimens and grain size measurement is only approximate.
  • Recrystallized grain structure in the solution heat treated specimens was more accurate and well defined in the microstructure.
  • micros taken in the direction of the extrusion axis of the "as extruded" specimens showed long stringers in the microstructure.
  • the corresponding micros taken from the heat treated specimens showed a more evenly distributed recrystallized structure.
  • the amount of breakdown that the grain structure of the as-cast billet will undergo is likely a function of the amount of reduction. In the present case 7 to 1 reduction was used. Some sources suggest that the optimum degree of reduction should be on the order of from 10:1 to 17:1. In practice however the degree of reduction required may be less if the starting alloy is relatively fine grained.
  • a welding test plate die was chosen, heated by oil to approximately 220°C.
  • the material was SSM-castable, but different than other magnesium alloys.
  • the thickwall part (10mm thick) was perhaps not ideal for magnesium casting.
  • Slug heating was performed in a single coil induction heater and optimized such that the slugs were removed from the coil just prior to the onset of burning which corresponded to a softness which allowed dissection with a knife. Total heating time was approximately 230 seconds. Very little metal run-off was obtained during the heating process.
  • a single stage induction heater was utilized for the test as multi-stage induction heating was not available at the test facility. It is expected that better heating would have been obtained with multi-stage induction heating. Ideally at the end of the heating cycle the billet should have a uniform temperature throughout with a well controlled solid to liquid ratio.
  • the first parts were cast using a plunger velocity of 0.3 to 0.8 meters per second. These conditions barely filled the die and visual laps were apparent at the end of the part.
  • the heat treated slugs appeared lighter in color after heating and had less tendency to burn.
  • the SSM parts produced from these slugs also appeared lighter in color.
  • the only parameter varied in making the test plates was the gate or plunger velocity. Accordingly none of the resulting plates could be considered high quality castings. It is expected that much better results would have been obtained if the die temperature had been increased to approximately 300°C and the slugs were heated in the multi-stage induction heater.
  • the cast plates show good physical properties.
  • the casting machine was a single cylinder unit having servo control to carefully control the force driving the slug into the closed die. Optimally the casting process will cause the outer skin of the slug which contains surface oxides resulting from the heating process to be removed from the virgin metal.
  • Photomicrographs of one of the plates were taken at locations M1 and M2 as illustrated in Figure 32.
  • the photomicrographs are reproduced in Figures 33 through 36 as follows:
  • heating of the billet 22 prior to forming should be carried out at a rate of no greater than 30°C per second and even more preferably at a rate of no greater than 20°C per second if aluminum is being used. Heating at a rate greater than 30°C per second may result in the precipitation of silicon from the resulting stresses thereby deleteriously affecting machinability of the finished part. It has been found that a three stage induction heater is particularly well suited to maintaining a desirable heating rate.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Forging (AREA)
  • Extrusion Of Metal (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé permettant de former un métal semi-solide avec une billette de coulée, qui comprend les étapes suivantes: 1) on chauffe la billette de coulée à une température supérieure à sa température de recristallisation et inférieure à sa température dite solidus; 2) on extrude la billette de façon à obtenir une colonne extrudée; 3) on découpe la colonne extrudée de façon à obtenir au moins une billette; 4) on chauffe la billette obtenue à l'étape 3) jusqu'à un état semi-solide; et 5) on presse la billette obtenue à l'étape 4) dans une cavité d'un ensemble filière de formage des métaux, de façon à former une pièce.

Claims (9)

  1. Processus pour produire une billette à utiliser dans un processus de formage de métal semi-solide comprenant les étapes suivantes :
    i) obtention d'une billette coulée en coquille en première fusion qui a été refroidie à une cadence dépassant 2 °C par seconde pendant sa production ;
    ii) chauffage de la billette coulée en coquille en première fusion de l'étape i) à une température supérieure à sa température de recristallisation et inférieure à sa température de solidus ;
    iii) réduction du diamètre de la billette chauffée de l'étape ii) et décomposition de sa structure granulaire en l'extrudant à travers une filière d'extrusion pour former une colonne extrudée, et
    iv) découpage de la colonne extrudée pour former ladite billette.
  2. Processus suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel la billette coulée en coquille en première fusion utilisée à l'étape i) présente une taille de grain maximum inférieure à 100 microns.
  3. Billette à utiliser dans un processus de formage de métal semi-solide, la billette pouvant être obtenue par un processus suivant l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes.
  4. Processus de formage de métal semi-solide comprenant les étapes suivantes :
    i) obtention d'une billette coulée en coquille en première fusion qui, pendant sa production, a été refroidie à une cadence dépassant 2 °C par seconde ;
    ii) chauffage de la billette coulée en coquille en première fusion à une température supérieure à sa température de recristallisation et inférieure à sa température de solidus ;
    iii) réduction du diamètre de la billette chauffée de l'étape i) et décomposition de sa structure granulaire en l'extrudant à travers une filière d'extrusion pour former une colonne extrudée ;
    iv) découpage de la colonne extrudée en billettes ;
    v) chauffage de la billette de l'étape iv) à une température de formage supérieure à sa température de solidus et inférieure à sa température de liquidus, et
    vi) formage d'une pièce à partir de la billette chauffée (a) en plaçant la billette chauffée dans une chambre d'injection dans une machine à couler sous pression semi-solide, en injectant la section de billette chauffée dans un moule pour former une pièce, et en retirant la pièce du moule ; ou (b) en plaçant la billette chauffée entre un jeu de filières dans une machine à forger, en actionnant la machine à forger pour presser la billette entre le jeu de filières pour former une pièce et en séparant les filières et en retirant la pièce.
  5. Processus de formage de métal semi-solide suivant la revendication 4, dans lequel la billette coulée en coquille en première fusion utilisée à l'étape i) présente une taille granulaire maximum inférieure à 100 microns.
  6. Processus de formage de métal semi-solide suivant la revendication 5, dans lequel un alliage approprié d'aluminium est utilisé et est chauffé à l'étape v) dans un four à induction à trois étages à une cadence ne dépassant pas 30 °C par seconde.
  7. Processus de formage de métal semi-solide suivant la revendication 6, dans lequel la cadence de chauffage à l'étape v) ne dépasse pas 20 °C par seconde.
  8. Processus de formage de métal semi-solide suivant la revendication 6, dans lequel à l'étape v) la billette est chauffée à sa température de formage à une cadence comprise entre 20 °C par seconde et 30 °C par seconde.
  9. Processus de formage de métal semi-solide suivant la revendication 4, dans lequel :
    la billette coulée en coquille en première fusion est d'un alliage de magnésium AZ61 qui, pendant sa production, a été refroidi à une cadence dépassant 2 °C par seconde ;
    à l'étape (ii) la billette est chauffée à une température d'environ 300 °C, et
    à l'étape (iii) la billette est extrudée en une colonne extrudée à une température comprise entre environ 330 et 350 °C.
EP98901901A 1997-01-31 1998-02-02 Procede pour former un metal semi-solide Expired - Lifetime EP1011897B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA2196479 1997-01-31
CA002196479A CA2196479A1 (fr) 1997-01-31 1997-01-31 Procede de coulee d'un metal semi-solide
CA2227828 1998-01-23
CA002227828A CA2227828C (fr) 1997-01-31 1998-01-23 Procede de formation d'un metal semi-solide
PCT/CA1998/000062 WO1998033610A1 (fr) 1997-01-31 1998-02-02 Procede pour former un metal semi-solide

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1011897A1 EP1011897A1 (fr) 2000-06-28
EP1011897B1 true EP1011897B1 (fr) 2003-09-17

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EP98901901A Expired - Lifetime EP1011897B1 (fr) 1997-01-31 1998-02-02 Procede pour former un metal semi-solide

Country Status (6)

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EP (1) EP1011897B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2001509085A (fr)
AU (1) AU5850098A (fr)
CA (1) CA2227828C (fr)
DE (1) DE69818282D1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1998033610A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102139337A (zh) * 2011-02-22 2011-08-03 重庆大学 一种镁合金铸锻双控复合成形方法

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6120625A (en) * 1998-06-10 2000-09-19 Zhou; Youdong Processes for producing fine grained metal compositions using continuous extrusion for semi-solid forming of shaped articles
JP3503521B2 (ja) * 1999-03-31 2004-03-08 マツダ株式会社 鍛造用素材の成形方法、成形装置、並びに上記素材を用いた鍛造部材の製造方法
EP1274525A2 (fr) * 1999-08-24 2003-01-15 Smith & Nephew, Inc. Combinaison de procedes permettant de fabriquer des composants corroyes
DE19956478C2 (de) * 1999-11-24 2001-10-18 Hengst Walter Gmbh & Co Kg Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Herstellen von Gußstücken
CN100347331C (zh) * 2005-03-28 2007-11-07 南昌大学 Az61镁合金半固态坯料的制备方法
JP4558818B2 (ja) 2008-06-27 2010-10-06 ダイキン工業株式会社 半溶融あるいは半凝固成形法および成形装置
CN112872270A (zh) * 2020-12-28 2021-06-01 哈尔滨工业大学 一种6a02铝合金几字型零件的半固态触变-固态塑变复合成形装置及其使用方法

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4415374A (en) * 1982-03-30 1983-11-15 International Telephone And Telegraph Corporation Fine grained metal composition

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102139337A (zh) * 2011-02-22 2011-08-03 重庆大学 一种镁合金铸锻双控复合成形方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69818282D1 (de) 2003-10-23
AU5850098A (en) 1998-08-25
JP2001509085A (ja) 2001-07-10
EP1011897A1 (fr) 2000-06-28
CA2227828C (fr) 2002-11-12
WO1998033610A1 (fr) 1998-08-06
CA2227828A1 (fr) 1998-07-31

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