Effect of Process Parameters and Definition of Favorable Conditions in Multi-Material Extrusion of Bimetallic AZ31B–Ti6Al4V Billets

Abstract

This paper investigates the extrusion process to manufacture bimetallic cylinders combining a magnesium alloy core (AZ31B) and a titanium alloy sleeve (Ti6Al4V) of interest in aeronautical applications. A robust finite element model has been developed to determine the most influential parameters and to study the effect of them on the extrusion force and damage induced by means of Design of Experiments (DOE) and Taguchi method. The results show that the most influential parameters in the extrusion forces are the friction between sleeve and container/die and the height of the cylinder; and the less influential ones are the process temperature and ram speed. Moreover, minimum values of forces along with low damage can be reached by favorable interface contact conditions, minimizing the friction at the core-container/die interface, as the main influencing factor; followed by the geometrical dimensions of the billet, being the billet height more important when paying attention to the minimum forces, and being the core diameter when considering the minimum damage as the most important criterion. The results can potentially be used to improve the efficiency of this kind of extrusion process and the quality of the extruded part that, along with the use of lightweight materials, can contribute to sustainable production approaches.

Selection of Die Material and Its Impact on the Multi-Material Extrusion of Bimetallic AZ31B–Ti6Al4V Components for Aeronautical Applications

“…This study continues the work mentioned by Fernández et al [19], but taking into account the material of the die as the driven factor to analyze the effect of the remaining extrusion parameters on the extrusion force, damage, and wear distribution.…”

“…of aluminum and steel, while Fernández et al [19] analyzed the effect of different extrusion process parameters and determined the most relevant using the Taguchi method. Regarding the LACE process, a very complete study was performed by Thürer et al [20] to manufacture coaxially reinforced hollow profiles made of aluminum alloy EN AW-6082 and AISI5120 case-hardening steel 20MnCr5, including the results of shear compression test in the hybrid profiles to measure the shear strength of the bonding area.…”

“…Nevertheless, there are not too many studies combining different metallic alloys such as titanium and magnesium alloys in terms of density, tensile strength, yield strength, and elastic modulus. Behrens et al [18] performed a lateral angular coextrusion (LACE) to product semifinished products consisting of aluminum and steel, while Fernández et al [19] analyzed the effect of different extrusion process parameters and determined the most relevant using the Taguchi method. Regarding the LACE process, a very complete study was performed by Thürer et al [20] to manufacture coaxially reinforced hollow profiles made of aluminum alloy EN AW-6082 and AISI5120 case-hardening steel 20MnCr5, including the results of shear compression test in the hybrid profiles to measure the shear strength of the bonding area.…”

Special Issue of the Manufacturing Engineering Society 2020 (SIMES-2020)

“…Regarding the specific contributions of the Special Issue in the journal Applied Sciences, 14 papers about cutting-edge advances in different fields of manufacturing engineering have been finally published after a rigorous review process. In particular, in: advances and innovations in manufacturing processes [6]; additive manufacturing and 3D printing [7]; manufacturing of new materials [8]; Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) technologies [9,10]; robotics, mechatronics and manufacturing automation [11]; Industry 4.0 [12,13]; design, modeling and simulation in manufacturing engineering [14,15]; and manufacturing engineering and society [16][17][18]; production planning [19]. Figure 2 shows the main topics and their percentages in this journal.…”

“…In the field of machining, Blanco et al [6] determined the thicknesses/roughness relationship in drilling of Mg-Al-Mg and Mg-Ti-Mg hybrid component plates for aeronautical applications; and Sánchez et al presented a new approach to the consideration and analysis of critical factors in robotic machining [11]. In the field of metal forming, the multi-material extrusion of bimetallic AZ31B-Ti6Al4V billets is analyzed in the work by Fernández et al [8], leading to the definition of favorable conditions in this kind of process. In the topic "Additive manufacturing and 3D printing", Muñoz et al [7] evaluated the circularity of recycled PLA filaments for 3D printers.…”