Abstract
Micro/meso forming is an economically competitive process for the fabrication of miniature metallic parts. Scaling conventional metal forming down to micro/meso scale leads to the so-called size effects. In this study, the size effects in micro/meso semisolid extrusion–forging (MSEF) of A356 aluminum alloy were numerically and experimentally investigated. An experimental setup for MSEF was developed, and the mechanical performance of A356 aluminum alloy in the semisolid state was tested. Then, the MSEF with various die-hole diameters and various friction coefficients were numerically investigated to examine the size effects in the processes. With certain punch displacements, it was found that the aspect ratio of the extruded pin decreased and the forging load increased during the miniaturization of the die-hole. In addition, the contact condition and the lubrication became increasing critical when the die-hole got smaller. Furthermore, various experiments were performed using A356 aluminum alloy. When the die-hole shrunk in the experiments, the changes of the pin aspect ratio and the forging load followed similar trends with the numerically simulated results. The size effects in the MSEF experiments mainly belong to the first-order size effect. In addition, no significant defect was found in the formed specimens with a die-hole diameter down to 0.55 mm, indicating great formability of the MSEF. The size effects identified in the MSEF process in this study assist in understanding the material flow and the cavity filling in the micro/meso semisolid forming with complicated geometrical shapes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Qin Y (2006) Micro-forming and miniature manufacturing systems—development needs and perspectives. J Mater Process Tech 177(1–3):8–18
Fu M, Chan W (2012) A review on the state-of-the-art microforming technologies. Int J Adv Manuf Tech:1-27. doi:10.1007/s00170-012-4661-7
Ehmann KF, DeVor RE, Kapoor SG (2002) Micro/meso-scale mechanical manufacturing—opportunities and challenges. Paper presented at the JSME/ASME International Conference on Materials and Processing, Honolulu
Engel U, Eckstein R (2002) Microforming—from basic research to its realization. J Mater Process Tech 125–126:35–44
Eichenhueller B, Egerer E, Engel U (2007) Microforming at elevated temperature—forming and material behaviour. Int J Adv Manuf Tech 33(1–2):119–124
Peng LF, Liu F, Ni J, Lai XM (2007) Size effects in thin sheet metal forming and its elastic–plastic constitutive model. Mater Des 28(5):1731–1736
Chan WL, Fu MW (2012) Studies of the interactive effect of specimen and grain sizes on the plastic deformation behavior in microforming. Int J Adv Manuf Tech 62(9–12):989–1000
Rosochowski A, Presz W, Olejnik L, Richert M (2007) Micro-extrusion of ultra-fine grained aluminium. Int J Adv Manuf Tech 33(1–2):137–146
Engel U (2004) Tribology in microforming. Wear 260(3):265–273
Geiger M, Vollertsen F, Kals R (1996) Fundamentals on the manufacturing of sheet metal microparts. CIRP Ann-Manuf Tech 45(1):277–282
Zhang KF, Kun L (2009) Classification of size effects and similarity evaluating method in micro forming. J Mater Process Tech 209(11):4949–4953
Vollertsen F, Biermann D, Hansen HN, Jawahir IS, Kuzman K (2009) Size effects in manufacturing of metallic components. CIRP Ann-Manuf Tech 58(2):566–587
Eichenhuller B, Engel U (2008) Microforming of titanium—forming behaviour at elevated temperature. Proc Inst Mech Eng B-J Eng Manuf 222(1):77–82
Yao Z, Kim G-Y, Faidley L, Zou Q, Mei D, Chen Z (2011) Experimental study of high-frequency vibration assisted micro/mesoscale forming of metallic materials. J Manuf Sci Eng-T ASME 133(6):061009
Yao Z, Kim G-Y, Faidley L, Zou Q, Mei D, Chen Z (2012) Effects of superimposed high-frequency vibration on deformation of aluminum in micro/meso-scale upsetting. J Mater Process Tech 212(3):640–646
Yao Z, Kim G-Y, Wang Z, Faidley L, Zou Q, Mei D, Chen Z (2012) Acoustic softening and residual hardening in aluminum: modeling and experiments. Int J Plasticity 39:75–87
Yao Z, Kim G-Y, Faidley L, Zou Q, Mei D, Chen Z (2010) Micro pin extrusion of metallic materials assisted by ultrasonic vibration. ASME 2010 International Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference (MSEC2010), Erie, pp 647–651
Dzialo CM, Siopis MS, Kinsey BL, Weinmann KJ (2010) Effect of current density and zinc content during electrical-assisted forming of copper alloys. CIRP Ann-Manuf Tech 59(1):299–302
Kim G-Y, Ni J, Mayor R, Kim H (2007) An experimental investigation on semi-solid forming of micro/meso-scale features. J Manuf Sci Eng-T ASME 129(2):246–251
Flemings MC (1991) Behavior of metal alloys in the semisolid state. Metall Trans A 22(5):957–981
Kirkwood DH, Suéry M, Kapranos P, Atkinson HV, Young KP (2010) Semi-solid processing of alloys. Springer, New York
Wu YF, Kim GY (2011) Compaction behavior of Al6061 powder in the semi-solid state. Powder Tech 214(2):252–258
Kuo JL, Sugiyama S, Hsiang SH, Yanagimoto J (2006) Investigating the characteristics of AZ61 magnesium alloy on the hot and semi-solid compression test. Int J Adv Manuf Tech 29(7–8):670–677
Guan RG, Zhao ZY, Zhang QS, Lee CS, Liu CM (2013) Effect of the casting temperature on temperature field and microstructure of A2017 alloy during an innovative continuous semisolid rolling process with a vibrating sloping plate device. Int J Adv Manuf Tech 67(1–4):917–923
Steinhoff K, Weidig U, Weikert J (2004) Micro semi-solid manufacturing—a new technological approach towards miniaturisation. Steel Res Int 75(8–9):611–619
Kim G-Y, Koc M, Mayor R, Ni J (2007) Modeling of the semi-solid material behavior and analysis of micro-/mesoscale feature forming. J Manuf Sci Eng-T ASME 129(2):237–245
Tang P, Mei D, Yao Z, Chen Z (2012) Numerical simulation of cavity-filling procedures for micro-pin-fin array thixoforming with semi-solid A356 aluminium alloy. Chin J Nonferr Met 22(12):3334–3341 (in Chinese)
Mei D, Qian M, Liu B, Jin B, Yao Z, Chen Z (2012) A micro-reactor with micro-pin-fin arrays for hydrogen production via methanol steam reforming. J Power Sources 205:367–376
Vickery J, Monaghan J (1995) An upper-bound analysis of a forging-extrusion process. J Mater Process Tech 55(2):103–110
Maccarini G, Giardini C, Pellegrini G, Bugini A (1991) The influence of die geometry on cold-extrusion forging operations: FEM and experimental results. J Mater Process Tech 27(1–3):227–238
Wu CY, Hsu YC (2002) The influence of die shape on the flow deformation of extrusion forging. J Mater Process Tech 124(1–2):67–76
Wu CY, Hsu YC (2002) Optimal shape design of an extrusion-forging die using a polynomial network and a genetic algorithm. Int J Adv Manuf Tech 20(2):128–137
Lashkari O, Ghomashchi R (2007) The implication of rheology in semi-solid metal processes: an overview. J Mater Process Tech 182(1–3):229–240
Chung IG, Bolouri A, Kang CG (2012) A study on semisolid processing of A356 aluminum alloy through vacuum-assisted electromagnetic stirring. Int J Adv Manuf Tech 58(1–4):237–245
Park JH, Choi JC, Kim YH, Yoon JA (2002) A study of the optimum reheating process for A356 alloy in semi-solid forging. Int J Adv Manuf Tech 20(4):277–283
Bolouri A, Jeon YP, Kang CG (2014) The effect of billets extruded by a curved and flat-face die on the semisolid characteristics and tensile properties of thixoformed products. Int J Adv Manuf Tech 70(9–12):2139–2149
Nguyen TG, Favier D, Suery M (1994) Theoretical and experimental study of the isothermal mechanical behavior of alloys in the semisolid state. Int J Plast 10(6):663–693
Popov VL (2010) Contact mechanics and friction: physical principles and applications, English edn. Springer, Heidelberg
Yanagida A, Azushima A (2009) Evaluation of coefficients of friction in hot stamping by hot flat drawing test. CIRP Ann-Manuf Tech 58(1):247–250
Vergne C, Boher C, Levaillant C, Gras R (2001) Analysis of the friction and wear behavior of hot work tool scale: application to the hot rolling process. Wear 250:322–333
Jung HK, Kang CG (2002) Induction heating process of an Al-Si aluminum alloy for semi-solid die casting and its resulting microstructure. J Mater Process Tech 120(1–3):355–364
Bakhshi-Koybari M (2002) A theoretical and experimental study of friction in metal forming by the use of the forward extrusion process. J Mater Process Tech 125:369–374
Peterson MB, Calabrese SJ, Li S, Jiang X (1994) Friction of alloys at high temperature. J Mater Sci Tech 10(5):313–320
Wang L (2012) Modelling of friction for high temperature extrusion of aluminium alloys. Dissertation, Delft University of Technology
Flitta I, Sheppard T (2003) Nature of friction in extrusion process and its effect on material flow. Mater Sci Tech 19(7):837–846
Jafari MR, Zebarjad SM, Kolahan F (2007) Simulation of thixoformability of A356 aluminum alloy using finite volume method. Mater Sci Eng A-Struct 454–455:558–563
Peterson MB, Johnson RL (1956) Friction studies of graphite and mixtures of graphite with several metallic oxides and salts at temperatures to 1000 °F—NACA Technical Note 3657. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington
Lee K, Kwon YN, Lee S (2008) Correlation of microstructure with mechanical properties and fracture toughness of A356 aluminum alloys fabricated by low-pressure-casting, rheo-casting, and casting-forging processes. Eng Fract Mech 75(14):4200–4216
Kim G-Y, Ni J, Koc M (2007) Modeling of the size effects on the behavior of metals in microscale deformation processes. J Manuf Sci Eng-T ASME 129(3):470–476
Wang CJ, Shan DB, Zhou J, Guo B, Sun LN (2007) Size effects of the cavity dimension on the microforming ability during coining process. J Mater Process Tech 187:256–259
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yao, Z., Mei, D., Tang, P. et al. On the size effects in micro/meso semisolid extrusion–forging of A356 aluminum alloy. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 73, 1243–1252 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-014-5912-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-014-5912-6