Research on Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Cu-Ag Alloys Designed for the Construction of High Magnetic Field Generators

The individual sections, wiring and construction of electromagnet windings responsible for strong magnetic field impulses may be one application for hypoeutectic Cu-Ag alloys. High electrical properties and mechanical properties (tensile strength, yield strength, impact strength) as well as high heat, fatigue and rheological resistance are required for these kinds of applications due to the unique nature of such operations (strong vibrations of high frequency and amplitude resulting from Lorenz forces and the possibility of significant and rapid heating from Jule’s heat). The limited solubility of copper and silver in the solid state enables the effective modification of the alloys’ microstructure through heat treatment and further shaping of their high mechanical and electrical properties via cold plastic working. The article presents the manufacturing of Cu-Ag alloys with the weight percent of Ag between 3 and 7 using the continuous casting process along with research on the physicochemical, mechanical and electrical properties of the obtained casts. The research on the amount of plastic deformation and its influence on the wire drawing process and the mechanical and electrical properties of the wires is also discussed. The temperature coefficients of resistance were defined in order to determine the temperature influence on the electrical resistance changes dynamics. The microstructural analysis was carried out in the as-cast state. The preliminary research conducted indicates that the obtained Cu-Ag alloys in the as-cast state exhibit a set of high mechanical and electrical properties. The prospective next stage of research includes the selection of favourable heat treatment parameters which would provide optimally modified microstructure of the alloys, as well as determining the deformation coefficients allowing for further increases in the mechanical and electrical properties.

Artificial Intelligence Approaches to Determine Graphite Nodularity in Ductile Iron

The complex metallurgical interrelationships in the production of ductile cast iron can lead to enormous differences in graphite formation and local microstructure by small variations during production. Artificial intelligence algorithms were used to describe graphite formation, which is influenced by a variety of metallurgical parameters. Moreover, complex physical relationships in the formation of graphite morphology are also controlled by boundary conditions of processing, the effect of which can hardly be assessed in everyday foundry operations. The influence of relevant input parameters can be predetermined using artificial intelligence based on conditions and patterns that occur simultaneously. By predicting the local graphite formation, measures to stabilise production were defined and thereby the accuracy of structure simulations improved. In course of this work, the most important dominating variables, from initial charging to final casting, were compiled and analysed with the help of statistical regression methods to predict the nodularity of graphite spheres. We compared the accuracy of the prediction by using Linear Regression, Gaussian Process Regression, Regression Trees, Boosted Trees, Support Vector Machines, Shallow Neural Networks and Deep Neural Networks. As input parameters we used 45 characteristics of the production process consisting of the basic information including the composition of the charge, the overheating time, the type of melting vessel, the type of the inoculant, the fading, and the solidification time. Additionally, the data of several thermal analysis, oxygen activity measurements and the final chemical analysis were included.Initial programme designs using machine learning algorithms based on neural networks achieved encouraging results. To improve the degree of accuracy, this algorithm was subsequently adapted and refined for the nodularity of graphite.

The Importance of TDA Thermal Analysis in an Automated Metallurgical Process

The article presents the results of research and work related to the implementation of the research and development project POIR.01.01.01-00-0120/17 co-financed by the EU, through the NCBR, entitled: Innovative technology using thermal analysis, TDA, of self-feeding manufacturing of high-quality cast iron to produce new generation, enhanced performance casts. In many foundries, thermal derivative analysis (TDA) is used in addition to chemical analysis to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of an alloy while it is still in the melting furnace or ladle and before it is poured into the mold. This fact makes it possible to improve the metallurgical quality of the alloy by introducing alloying additives, carburizers or modifiers into the furnace as part of the pre-modification or primary or secondary modification in the ladle or when pouring into molds. Foundry machinery (modifier dosing systems and spheroidizing station) is very important in these operations. Only the full synergy of modern equipment with modern technology ensures high quality and repeatability of the casting process. The article mainly discusses the obtained parameters of TDA analysis (with the use of the ITACA system) at different stages of melting and how to improve them by using modern and fully automated dosing systems (Itaca OptiDose, ItacaWire and ItacaStream). Special attention was paid to the minimum temperature of the eutectoid. The change of its value after the modification process, its influence on the quality of the melted metal, a very strong correlation with the number of nuclei and the number of graphite precipitations in the casts were shown.

Set-up of a Generalized Dataset for Crack-Closure-Mechanisms of Cast Steel

In components, crack propagation is subjected to crack-closure-mechanisms which affect the build-up of the relevant threshold stress intensity factor range during cyclic loading. As structural parts are exposed to service loads incorporating a variety of load ratios, a significant change of the long-crack threshold value occurs, leading to a severe stress ratio dependency of crack-closure-mechanisms. Thus, an extensive number of crack propagation experiments is required to gain statistically proven fracture mechanical parameters describing the build-up of closure effects as crack growth resistance curves.The article presents a generalized dataset to assess the formation of crack-closure-mechanisms of cast steel G21Mn5+N. Numerous crack propagation experiments utilizing single edge notched bending (SENB) sample geometries are conducted, incorporating alternate to tumescent stress ratios. The statistically derived, generalized crack growth resistance curve features the impact of closure effects on the crack propagation rate in a uniform manner. To extend the dataset to arbitrary load ratios, the long-crack threshold approach according to Newman is invoked. The generalized dataset for the cast steel G21Mn5+N is validated by analytical fracture mechanical calculations for the utilized SENB-sample geometries. Incorporating a modified NASGRO equation, a sound correlation of analytical and experimental crack propagation rates is observed. Moreover, the derived master crack propagation resistance curve is implemented as a user-defined script into a numerical crack growth calculation tool and supports a local, node--based numerical crack propagation study as demonstrated for a representative SENB-sample. Concluding, the derived dataset facilitates the calculation of fatigue life of crack-affected cast steel components subjected to arbitrary stress ratios.

Numerical Analysis of the Influence of the Modification of the Ladle Shroud on Fluid Flow Behavior in a One-strand Tundish during Continuous Steel Casting

A tundish is a device from which liquid steel is pour into a mold. Therefore tundish hydrodynamic conditions have a significant impact on solidification during continuous steel casting (CSC) process. Modification of ladle shroud workspace, allows for the modification of liquid steel movement in the tundish. In the following work, numerical simulations were performed which allowed the impact of the modification of the ladle shroud workspace on the liquid steel flow structure in a one-strand tundish to be determined. In order to assess the impact of the modification of the ladle shroud on the behavior of the liquid steel in the tundish, simulations were performed, on the basis of which the percentage share of stagnant, ideal mixing and plug flow zones were determined. In addition, the mixing parameters were determined, allowing the estimation of casting duration during sequential casting. The flow fields of liquid steel for each modification of the ladle shroud were performed. The average velocity of liquid steel flowing through the tundish, the Reynolds number and turbulent intensity were also described. The obtained results showed, among others, that the application of three cylinders with a diameter of 0.041 m into the ladle shroud with a diameter of 0.11 m increases the share of active flow in the tundish in relation to the tundish with Conventional Ladle Shroud. At the same time, applying a ladle shroud with a diameter of 0.11 m during casting is the most favorable in relation to the hydrodynamics of the tundish.

Scaling Behaviour of Si-alloyed Steel Slabs under Reheating Conditions

Reheating of steel slabs for further processing such as hot rolling usually takes place in gas-fired pusher furnaces. Temperatures well above 1000°C, combined with an atmosphere containing H2O, CO2, and O2, lead to substantial oxidation of most steel grades. Newly developed advanced steels often contain significant amounts of Si. This element plays a dominant role in the scaling behaviour near the steel-scale-interface, since fayalite (Fe2SiO4) forms a eutectic with wuestite (Fe1–xO) that melts as low as 1177°C.To better understand the high temperature oxidation behaviour, lab-scale trials were performed with different steel grades containing up to 3 wt.% Si. Possible interactions of Si with other alloying elements present in the samples such as Cr, Mn and Al were also of interest. The atmosphere contained 20% H2O, 7% CO2, and 3% O2, resembling reheating conditions in pusher furnaces, and temperatures ranged from 1100 to 1240°C. For metallographic investigation, the oxidised samples were cold mounted under vacuum using taper section angles. After preparation, the sections were examined through light microscopy, SEM/EDS, XRD, and TEM. The local distribution of the alloying elements could be mapped efficiently, and phase identification was successful in most parts. Under the applied experimental conditions, the elements of interest were present in their oxidic form either as pure or as mixed oxides. Higher Si-contents led to an increased build-up of eutectic melting phase at the steel-scale-interface at temperatures above 1177°C, which in turn further accelerated the oxidation.

Interaction of N with White-solidified Cast Iron Model Alloys: The Effect of Mn and Cu on the Formation of Fe and Si Nitrides

Surface remelting and subsequent nitriding improves the surface properties of cast irons. Upon remelting, a white-solidified surface layer forms, which contains coarse Si-free eutectic cementite (θ) and Si-enriched ferrite, pearlite or martensite in the intercarbidic regions between the eutectic θ. Nitriding produces a compound layer at the surface, which is composed of ε and γ’-iron (carbo)nitrides and enhances the corrosion resistance. Nitriding of white-solidified Fe-C-Si alloys, being model materials for remelted low-alloy ferritic cast irons, has shown that Si dissolved in α-Fe notably affects the formation of ε and γ’ in intercarbidic regions while Si simultaneously precipitates as amorphous nitride, X. Under process conditions only allowing for the formation of γ’ in pure Fe, Si dissolved in α-Fe promotes the formation of ε over the formation γ’, whereas Si-free eutectic θ transforms into nitride following the sequence θ → ε → γ’. The present work studies the nitriding of white-solidified Fe-3.5wt.%C-3wt.%-M alloys with additions of M = 1 wt.% Mn, 1 wt.% Cu or 1 wt.% Mn + 1 wt.% Cu, serving as model materials for remelted pearlitic cast irons. The presence of Mn and/or Cu causes notable deviations from the nitriding behavior known from Fe-C-Si alloys. Mn accelerates the precipitation of X in intercarbidic regions and obstructs the transformation of ε formed from Si-free θ into γ’. Cu promotes the formation of γ’ in Si-rich intercarbidic regions, surpassing the ε-promoting effect of Si.

Derivation of Equations for a Size Distribution of Spherical Particles in Non-Transparent Materials

This paper presents a new proposition on how to derive mathematical formulas that describe an unknown Probability Density Function (PDF3) of the spherical radii (r3) of particles randomly placed in non-transparent materials. We have presented two attempts here, both of which are based on data collected from a random planar cross-section passed through space containing three-dimensional nodules. The first attempt uses a Probability Density Function (PDF2) the form of which is experimentally obtained on the basis of a set containing two-dimensional radii (r2). These radii are produced by an intersection of the space by a random plane. In turn, the second solution also uses an experimentally obtained Probability Density Function (PDF1). But the form of PDF1 has been created on the basis of a set containing chord lengths collected from a cross-section.The most important finding presented in this paper is the conclusion that if the PDF1 has proportional scopes, the PDF3 must have a constant value in these scopes. This fact allows stating that there are no nodules in the sample space that have particular radii belonging to the proportional ranges the PDF1.

A New Flexible and Economic Technology for the Low Pressure Sand Casting of Steel Alloys

Low pressure casting is a very well established process for the casting of aluminium alloys. In the field of ferrous materials, however, the process has so far only found a few applications. The crucial reasons for this are the low flexibility and poor economic efficiency of the existing technologies. Since 2016, a new technology has been developed at the Foundry Institute of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, in which an induction crucible furnace can be used as a melting unit and, in combination with a cover including a casting pipe, as a casting unit. The new technology stands out from existing low-pressure casting technologies for ferrous materials, particularly in terms of its flexibility and cost-effectiveness. The main focus of the activities was the development of a casting pipe as well as the verification of its lifetime, the elaboration and verification of process parameters and sequences as well as the upscaling of the technology for an industrial application. In all considerations, the focus was on both the technical feasibility and the economic efficiency of the process. The result is extensive expertise that can be used in the future to offer a finished product for industrial applications as a plug-and-play solution together with an induction furnace construction company.

Directions of the Development of the Metallization of Iron Alloy Products

The article discusses the future of the production of protective coatings based on the hot-dip galvanizing of iron-carbon alloys, such as steel or cast iron. Currently exploited zinc deposits will be exhausted in the next two decades and it will be necessary to start the exploitation of new deposits in order to maintain the supply or quantity of Zn on the global market. In both cases, it will be related to the increasing cost of zinc on world markets. Zinc-based protective coatings (one of the best corrosion protection methods) constitute almost 50% of the world’s zinc consumption. Economic issues with the constant increase in the price of Zn will force the change or modification of hot-dip galvanizing technology. The article presents data on the production, consumption and development of zinc prices on the global market. Possible directions are presented which producers of zinc coatings will have to follow in order to maintain sales markets, such as the modification of chemical compositions of protective alloys which could be an alternative to pure zinc coatings and the possibility of limiting zinc consumption based on the influence of the surface of galvanized elements, i.e. its metal matrix, and surface roughness.