Macro-Observation of the Interface of the Al-22%Si-Cu/Al-7%Si-MG Bi-Metal Parts Fabricated by Thixoforging

Abstract

Thixo-forging has been proved to be able to fabricate bi-metal parts with a complex outline and a relatively regular interface economically. These products have potential applications on high volume stability radiators, brakes, and pistons. However, it is very difficult to evaluate the curved interfaces by micro observations. In this work, Al-22%Si-Cu/Al-7%Si-Mg bi-metal parts were fabricated by thixo-forging; state of the interfaces of the bi-metal parts was investigated by X-ray flaw detector observations and tensile test; optical microscope (OM) observation and scan electron microscope (SEM) observation were applied to assist the analysis. The results show that the metallurgical bonding of the interfaces is of good quality. No large scale flaw was found on the interface in X-ray flaw detector observation. It was found that higher forging pressure decreased the size of the crack on the interface and in the matrix. However, higher forging pressure can slightly improve tensile strength. Large ratio of fresh interface relates to original interface resulted in a slightly better tensile strength. Without heat-treatment, the bi-metal forgings have an average tensile strength of 106 MPa. T6 heat treatment blunted the blades of the plate like crack and nodulized the defects, T6 heat treatment also decreased the size of the Si particles. As a result, the average tensile strength of the bi-metal forgings increased to 200 MPa.