Evaluation of Powder Metallurgy Workpiece Prepared by Equal Channel Angular Rolling

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Powder Metallurgy

Background:

• Sintered aluminum alloys offer unique properties but their workability under severe plastic deformation needs thorough investigation.
• Understanding material behavior during processes like equal channel angular rolling (ECAR) is crucial for optimizing manufacturing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the workability and failure mechanisms of sintered Alumix 321 aluminum alloy during equal channel angular rolling (ECAR).
• To analyze the stress-strain state and fracture behavior using computational simulation and experimental testing.

Main Methods:

• Computer simulation using the finite element method (FEM) with Deform 3D software for stress-strain analysis during ECAR.
• Diametrical compression (DC) test combined with digital image correlation and FEM for formability assessment.
• Quantification of failure modes using stress triaxiality and Lode angle parameter.

Main Results:

• Sintered Alumix 321 exhibited shearing fracture during ECAR under stress conditions approximating pure shear (η and θ¯ ≈ 0).
• The diametrical compression (DC) test demonstrated potential for calibrating fracture loci across various stress states.

Conclusions:

• The study elucidates the failure mechanism of sintered aluminum alloy under severe plastic deformation (ECAR).
• The diametrical compression test is identified as a valuable method for characterizing material fracture behavior relevant to ECAR processing.