Prediction and Experimental of Yield Strengths of As-Quenched 7050 Aluminum Alloy Thick Plates after Continuous Quench Cooling

The aim of this study was to predict the yield strength of as-quenched aluminum alloys according to their continuous quench cooling path. Our model was established within the framework of quench factor analysis (QFA) by representing a quenching curve as a series of consecutive isothermal transformation events and adding the yield strength increments after each isothermal step to predict the yield strength after continuous quench cooling. For simplification; it was considered that the effective hardeners during quenching were the nanosized solute clusters formed at low temperatures, whereas the other coarse precipitates were neglected. In addition, quenching tests were conducted on aluminum plates with different thicknesses. The predictions were compared with the experimental measurements, and the results showed that the predictions fit the measurements well for the 40- and 80-mm-thick plates but overestimated the as-quenched yield strength at the mid-thickness of the 115-mm-thick plates.

Construction of Process Window to Predict Hardness in Tailored Tool Thermomechanical Treatment and its Application

Recently, in order to improve crashworthiness and achieve weight reduction of car body, a hot stamping process has been applied to the production of the part with tailored properties using tailored tool thermomechanical treatment. In the tailored tool thermomechanical treatment process, process parameters influence the mechanical properties of final product such as strength and hardness. Therefore, the prediction of hardness for final product is very important to manufacture hot-stamped part considering various process parameters. The purpose of this study is to propose a process window, which can predict hardness for various process parameters in tailored tool thermomechanical treatment. To determine the process window, finite element (FE) simulation coupled with quench factor analysis (QFA) has been performed for combinations of various process parameters. Subsequently, the process window was constructed through the training of artificial neural network (ANN) and experiment of tailored tool thermomechanical treatment for hat-shaped part was performed to verify effectiveness of hardness prediction. Then, the process parameters were determined from process window for hot stamping of the hat-shaped part with the required distribution of hardness. Hardness predicted by process window was in good agreement with measured one within 3.1% error in additional experiment. Therefore, the suggested process window can be used efficiently for hardness prediction and determination of process parameters in tailored tool thermomechanical treatment of hot-stamping parts.

Quench Factor Analysis

One of the steps of the heat treatment process of age-hardenable aluminum alloys is the quenching process in which the alloy is cooled from the solutionizing temperature. The objective is to quench sufficiently fast to avoid undesirable concentration of alloying elements in the defect and grain boundary structure while at the same time not quenching faster than necessary to minimize residual stresses, which may lead to excessive distortion, or cracking. Various studies have been conducted to predict the relative quench rate sensitivity to yield different properties for age-hardenable alloys. Of these different predictive methods, the one that showed the more realistic results is quench factor analysis (QFA) since it involves a correlation of the cooling curve (time–temperature curve) of the cooling process throughout the quenching cycle for the desired cross-section size of interest with a C-curve (Time–Temperature–Property Curve) for the specific alloy of interest. The QFA numerical procedure has evolved since its original introduction. A review of the basic assumptions of the classical QFA model will be provided here, which will include discussion of the various improvements to the classical model that have been proposed over the intervening years since its introduction.

Hardness Prediction in Hot Stamping Process by Local Blank Heating Based on Quench Factor Analysis

Recently, the hot stamping process using local blank heating has been widely used to manufacture lightweight and crashworthy automotive parts. However, the hardness prediction of hot stamped parts produced using local blank heating is difficult because it involves many process variables, such as the heating temperature, heating time, and cooling rate. The purpose of this study was to predict the hardness of hot stamped parts fabricated using local blank heating based on quench factor analysis (QFA). The volume fraction of austenite was measured to consider the phase transformation in the heating stage, and it was expressed by the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov (JMAK) equation. Additionally, a dilatometry test was performed to measure the hardness according to the cooling rates, which was used to determine the material constants for QFA. Finite-element simulation was performed to predict the temperature histories during the hot stamping process and the results were used to predict the hardness according to QFA with the JMAK equation. A hot stamping experiment with local blank heating equipment was performed, and the predicted and experimental results were compared for verification of the proposed hardness prediction method.

Precipitation Kinetics Analysis of the Cooling Process Following the Solid Solution Treatment of 7B50 Aluminum Alloy

Based on the TTP curves of 7050 alloy, and the continuous cooling curves of 7B50 alloy at different positions of Φ70 mm improved Jominy specimen, the hardness distribution along the thickness direction of 7B50 alloy thick plates was analyzed and predicted by means of the isothermal precipitation kinetics and the quench factor analysis method. The results show that when 7050 alloy is isothermal treated at 200°C~400°C, the exponent n in its Johnson-Mehl-Avrami equation is close to 1, which indicates that the nucleation process of new precipitates is stable. In this equation the coefficient k is 7.420E-03 at 350°C, which indicates that the nucleation and growth rates of new precipitates are very fast. The hardness distribution along the axial direction of the improved Jominy specimen of 7B50 alloy is predicted by the quench factor analysis method. When the distance is no more than 65 mm from the spraying surface of the improved Jominy specimen, the deviation between the predicted and measured hardness of 7B50 alloy in T6 temper is less than 5%. The quench factor analysis method is feasible to predict the hardness distribution along the thickness direction of 7B50 alloy thick plates after quenching and aging. When the quench factor analysis method is extended to predict the actual water spray quenching process of 7B50 alloy thick plates, the average cooling rate is 21.6°C/s in the quench sensitive temperature range of this alloy, at 15 mm from the spraying surface of the plate. At the same position, the corresponding quench factor is equal to 6 and the predicted hardness is 187.4 HV which is equivalent 98.5% of the Hmax (the maximum hardness) of 7B50 alloy in T6 temper.

Development of a partition panel of an Al6061 sheet metal part for the improvement of formability and mechanical properties by hot forming quenching

In this study, the hot forming quenching process was investigated to improve the deficiencies that arise in materials subjected to conventional cold stamping, such as low formability and undesirable mechanical properties. The hot forming quenching process was mainly discussed in terms of formability and mechanical properties in this study and was first evaluated by preliminary tests. To examine formability, an evaluation was conducted using hot-tensile and hemispherical-dome stretching tests at temperatures of 350°C and 450°C, respectively. In addition, the mechanical properties of the formed part were predicted using quench factor analysis, which was based on the cooling temperature during the die quenching process. These preliminary test results were then used to predict the formability and hardness of the partition panel of an automotive part, where the analytical results indicated high performance of the hot forming quenching process, in contrast to conventional forming. Finally, the hot forming quenching experiment of the partition panel was carried out to validate the predicted results and the obtained formability and hardness values were compared with conventional forming at room temperature using T4 and T6 heat-treated sheets. The analytical and experimental results indicate that the hot forming quenching process is a very effective method for obtaining desirable formability and mechanical properties in the forming of aluminum sheets.