Kenji Miwa

Fluidity and Microstructures Characteristics of AZ 91D by Using New Type Semi-Solid Injection Process

This research has been investigated fluidity and microstructures characteristics of AZ 91 D alloy using new type semi-solid injection machine. To ensure good casting products, uniform temperature distribution was required during heating in the injection cylinder of this machine. So, the injection cylinder was divided with six heating zones. Then temperature distribution in the injection cylinder was precisely controlled. AZ 91 D billets were heated to the desired temperatures in the injection cylinder, and injected into the permanent mold with injection speed about 430 mm/s. Fluidity was measured by using spiral permanent mold with the cavity of 1045 mm in length and 5 mm in thickness. The fluidity test has been done with the fraction solid from 0% - 60%. The fluidity was 905 to 153 mm for fraction solid 0% to 60%, respectively. At the fraction solid from 50% to 60% microstructures are consisted of spherical solid particles and the solid particles surrounded by liquid phase. The shape of solid particles begins to change at the fraction solid of 40%.

On the role of vibration frequency on the solidification of AZ91D magnesium alloys during electromagnetic vibration

In the present paper, we solidified magnesium-based AZ91D alloys in a superconducting magnetic field when an alternating current flowed through the alloy. As the direction of the magnetic field is perpendicular to that of the alternating current, a periodic electromagnetic force is produced to activate an electromagnetic vibration (EMV) on the alloy during solidification. The microstructure formation and microtexture evolution processed by EMV were examined. A significant difference arises in electrical resistivity between a solid and a liquid in the mushy zone of the alloy, making the solid move faster than the liquid and thus generating uncoupled motion, from which melt flow is initiated. The texture evolution obtained by x-ray diffraction and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) mapping reveal a strong dependence of melt flow intensity versus vibration frequency. A further analysis reveals that melt flow is rather weak when the vibration frequency is too low and thus the segmentation of growing crystals cannot be thoroughly completed. At medium vibration frequencies, severe fluid flow occurs, which favors fragmentation and thus results in a refined microstructure and a random microtexture. When the vibration frequency is too high, the relative leading distance covered by the mobile solid is rather short and melt flow once again becomes weak. Meanwhile, the static magnetic field makes the crystals orient to their easy magnetization direction and thus yields highly aligned textures. Experimentally, the present systematic observation indicates that the role of melt flow is of substantial importance in revealing the origin of structure formation when the alloy is solidified at various vibration frequencies.

Effects of processing variables on microstructure formation in AZ31 magnesium alloys solidified with an electromagnetic vibration technique

In the present study, we solidified magnesium-based AZ31 alloys by an electromagnetic vibration technique in a superconducting magnetic field at a vibration frequency of 500 Hz. Two groups of processing variables were used to carry out experiments; one is that the electric current is set as 60 A so as to testify to the influence of magnetic flux density on microstructure development from 1 up to 10 T. The other is that the electric current increases from 10 up to 120 A in the static magnetic field of 10 T, from which the dependence of structure formation on electric current is revealed. It is found that with the increase of both magnetic flux density and the level of electric current, solidified structures experience a transition from coarse dendrites to equiaxed grains. The melt fluid induced by the vibration force during solidification may promote the dendrite to a fragment. Meanwhile, the solids can be driven to move out of the operating region of the solute redistribution boundary. These effects make it difficult to form a complete dendrite but a refined structure. Furthermore, the vibration force can result in the formation of deformation twins in the alloy that has a low critical stress for basal slip. Regarding the effect of the electric current on microstructure, heat (measured in joules) can be produced when a large electric current is imposed, which can ripen the microstructure and induce a nonuniform structure. The slow cooling rate also makes the number fraction of deformation twinning decrease due to a rapid migration rate of atoms at high temperatures.

Effect of Volume Fraction Solid and Injection Speed on Mechanical Properties in New Type Semi-Solid Injection Process

We have developed new type semi-solid injection process, that is, runner-less injection process which can obtain high material yield of about 90% for magnesium alloy. In this process, alloy billets are heated to the semi-solid temperature in the injection cylinder and are injected into a permanent mold. In order to investigate the effects of volume fraction solid and injection speed on microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ91D magnesium alloy injected into the permanent mold, semi-solid forming testing machine which has the same system as a runner-less injection machine, has been made on an experimental basis. The magnesium billet precisely controlled at given temperature has been injected into a permanent mold with two kinds (slow and high) of speed and plate-like specimens with each fraction solid have been fabricated. Microstructure has been observed by optical microscopy and X-ray computerized tomography (CT) scanner. Mechanical properties have been measured by tensile test. The effects of volume fraction solid of the alloy slurry and injection speed on mechanical properties have been clarified.

Microstructures and Casting Defects of Magnesium Alloy Made by a New Type of Semisolid Injection Process

We have developed a new type of semisolid injection process that allows magnesium alloys to be formed in high material yields approximating 90%. In this process, generic magnesium billets are heated into their semisolid temperature range in an injection cylinder, without cover gas, and then the material is injected into a mold.

Effect of Vibration during Solidification to Obtain High Potential Metallic Materials

We have developed vibration assisted solidification process. It is very useful and effective process to obtain high potential metallic materials which have very fine crystal. Aluminum alloys and magnesium alloys are induced electromagnetic or mechanical vibrations during solidification. Both alloys have fine grain and also decrease casting faults after solidification. In this paper, we introduce and discuss the effect and the mechanism of vibration assisted solidification process.

Microstructure formation and grain refinement of Mg-based alloys by electromagnetic vibration technique

Abstract The microstructure formation and grains refinement of two Mg-based alloys, i.e. AZ31 and AZ91D, were reported using an electromagnetic vibration (EMV) technique. These two alloys were solidified at various vibration frequencies and the microstructures were observed. The average size of grains was quantitatively measured as a function of vibration frequencies. Moreover, the grain size distribution was outlined versus number fraction. A novel model was proposed to account for the microstructure formation and grain refinement when considering the significant difference of the electrical resistivity properties of the solid and the liquid during EMV processing in the semisolid state. The remarkable difference originates uncoupled movement between the mobile solid and the sluggish liquid, which can activate melt flow. The microstructure evolution can be well explained when the fluid flow intensity versus vibration frequency is taken into account. Moreover, the influence of the static magnetic field on texture formation is also considered, which plays an important role at higher vibration frequencies.

Semisolid forming of Al-10mass%Mg alloy by blending of elemental powders

By semisolid processing of metals, not only complicated shapes, but also products with a quality close to forged materials can be produced. In this research the forming temperature range, formability and mechanical strength of Al-10mass%Mg alloy formed by elemental blended powders semisolid forming are investigated. The powders used were gas-atomized aluminum as the high melting point powder, and ball-milled Al-20mass%Mg and Al-30mass%Mg powders as the low melting point ones. Differential thermal analysis has been used to determine the forming ability range. Tensile strength of the product has been evaluated by tests performed on φ 10 × 50 mm specimens. The relation between tensile strength and heat treatment has been also studied. Furthermore, the formability was investigated by forming cup shaped samples (outer diameter φ 424 × length 50 mm) with a thin wall (1 mm).

Effect of Solid Fraction on Microstructure and Casting Faults of AZ91D in New Type Semi-solid Injection Process

We have developed new type semi-solid injection process, that is, runner-less injection process. In order to investigate the effects of solid fraction on microstructure and casting defects of AZ91D in new type semi solid injection process, semi-solid forming testing machine which has the same system as a runner-less injection machine has been made on an experimental basis. Its temperature controlling system has been established to obtain the homogeneous solid-liquid coexisted state in its injection cylinder. AZ91D billets are injected into a permanent mold by this machine in the semi-solid state. A shearing in the part of nozzle of injection cylinder is the most important to reveal thixotropic property of alloy slurry in semi solid forming process by injection machine. So it needs controlling of solid fraction to affect thixotropic property. In order to decrease casting defects and hold homogeneous structure, solid fraction more over 50% is needed. But when the solid fraction increases more than 50%, primary solid particles grow coarser, and then controlling method is required to suppress coarsening. In the case of less than 50% of solid fraction, liquid part preferentially fills inside the permanent mold and alloy slurry continue to fill the mold behind alloy liquid. Then large casting defects form at the boundary of both flows.

Application of semisolid process to Zr-based metallic glass matrix composites

The effect of the cooling slope on the structure of Zr-based metallic glass matrix composites was investigated by changing the cooling slope. The synthesis of bulk metallic glass composites was made by a process combining cooling slope casting and Cu mold casting for Zr66.4Nb6.4Cu10.5Ni8.7Al8 alloys. The results show that the semisolid slurry which consists of the spheroidal or rosette-type BCC crystals and the liquid phase which forms metallic glass phase can be formed by the cooling slope process in this alloy system. However, the semisolid slurry cannot reach to the mold. It is considered that higher viscosity of the liquid phase which forms metallic glass phase causes this result. Thus, parameters of the cooling slope have to be examined further.