Continuous Rheological Forming of A6061 Wrought Aluminum Alloy by Using Helical Shape Stirrer and its Thixoforging Process

Abstract

Interest in the rheology forming technology for fabrication of light weight materials and for resolving environmental issues has been growing in industrial and academic society. In this study, the helical shape stirrer was designed to produce rheological material. The experimental variables, which were stirring time 0-1200 sec, stirring velocity 0-100 rpm and melt temperatures for semisolid states, were established. The rheological materials were produced under established experiment conditions, and then mechanical properties were measured. Sequence-production equipments were appended to fabrication system of rheology material to make rheology materials continuously. Therefore, the development of sequence-production system equipped with a specially designed mechanical stirrer in spiral shape was necessary for fabricating fine grains and their uniform globular rheology materials. The thixoforging was experimented with rheological A6061 wrought aluminum alloy fabricated by the spiral shape stirrer. Microstructural morphology of the forged samples was investigated and their mechanical properties characterized.