S. Malara

Contemporary Forming Methods of the Structure and Properties of Cast Magnesium Alloys

For the reason of growing requirements for materials made from light alloys concerning mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, manufacturing costs and the influence of the environment this efforts can be consider as very up-to-date from the scientistic view and very attractive for investigation. The rising tendencies of magnesium alloy production, show increased need of their application in world industry and what follows the magnesium alloys become one of the most often apply construction material our century. A contemporary technological development makes it necessary to look for new constructional solutions that aim at the improvement of the effectiveness and quality of a product, at the minimization of dimension and mass as well as the increasing of reliability and dimension stability in the operation conditions. For a dozen or so years one can observe a rising interest in the non-ferrous metals alloys including magnesium alloys which are an examination subject in many research and university centres in the country and abroad as well as in major manufacturers of mechanical engineering industry, chemical, power, textile, electronic, paper and aeronautic industries and in particular automotive, shipbuilding, aircraft, sports and even nuclear industries (Baker, 1999; Dobrzanski and Tanski, 2009; Fajkiel and Dudek, 2004). Magnesium alloys which are successfully used for a long time in different industry branches are a combination of low density and high strength. The above features together with low inertia have significantly contributed to the wide use of magnesium alloys in fast moving elements, in locations where rapid velocity changes occur and in products in which lowering a final mass of a product is required. The greatest interest in magnesium alloys was shown and is still shown by an automotive industry (Figure 1) (Horst and Mordike, 2006; Kainem, 2003; Tanski et al., 2007). For example, General Motors in their big cars (Savana

Structure and Properties Investigation of a Magnesium Alloy Processed by Heat Treatment and Laser Surface Treatment

The goal of this paper is to present the structure and properties of the magnesium cast alloys in as-cast state and after heat treatment. Moreover the purpose of this paper is to extend a complex evaluation of magnesium alloys after laser surface treatment and the new methodology to determine thermal characteristics of magnesium alloy using the novel Universal Metallurgical Simulator and Analyzer Platform (UMSA). The presented results concern X-ray qualitative and quantitative microanalysis as well as qualitative X-ray diffraction method, light and scanning microscope.

Technology Foresight Results Concerning Laser Surface Treatment of Casting Magnesium Alloys

In accordance with the concept presented, innovations, understood as valuable, innovative ideas, should be the way to achieve economic growth and to solve the contemporary prob‐ lems of the climate change, increased consumption and depletion of conventional energy sources, food security, healthcare, and the advancing ageing of societies. To tackle this chal‐ lenge, the European Commission has formulated the Europe 2020 strategy [1] andhas set up the Innovation Union [2]. It is estimated that the level of R&D and innovation investments until 2020 is to reach aggregately 3% of the EU’s GDP from public and private funds. In or‐ der to achieve satisfactory economic and social effects, the stream of investments should be channelled into those fields of science and industries bringing the highest added value, with special consideration given to the role of small and medium sized enterprises. The aim of foresight research conducted broadly in Europe and Poland, also in the field of material en‐ gineering, is a quest for innovative areas deserving financial support [3-7]. Technology fore‐ sight serving to identify the priority, innovative technologies and the directions of their strategic development was pursued for materials surface engineering, as well [8]. One of 14 thematic areas analysed under such foresight research are laser technologies in surface engi‐ neering. Laser remelting and alloying / cladding is one of the critical technologies having the best development prospects and/or being of key significance for the industry selected for the detailed research carried out with the Delphi method.