Search Results for aluminum alloy powders

This article discusses the production of aluminum and aluminum alloy powders with emphasis on the gas atomization method and the atomizing nozzle. It illustrates the particle formation mechanism and details the requisites for particle size distribution, control, and morphology. The article presents information on the mean oxide thickness formed on atomized powders. It also describes the mechanical and physical properties of aluminum and aluminum alloy powders, as well as their applications.

The powder metallurgy (PM) process is a relatively efficient and economic process that can be used to produce high quantities of aluminum components with a reasonable degree of precision and finds application in camshaft bearing cap (cam cap) production. The article discusses the production steps involved in cam cap manufacturing: powder production, compaction, sintering, repressing, and heat treatment. In addition, it reviews the R&D work involved in improving the structural properties of emerging aluminum alloy systems.

This article discusses the applications of high-strength aluminum powder metallurgy (P/M) alloys, detailing the advantages, properties, and the various steps involved in P/M technology, including powder production, powder processing, and degassing and consolidation. Three areas of design efforts to push the inherent advantages of aluminum alloys to new limits are also covered: high ambient-temperature strength with improved corrosion and stress corrosion cracking resistance; improved elevated-temperature properties so aluminum alloys can more effectively compete with titanium alloys; and increased stiffness and/or reduced density for aluminum alloys to compete with organic composites. An appendix provides a detailed account of the properties, processing, and applications of conventionally pressed and sintered aluminum P/M alloys.

The aviation industry has been driving the use of additive manufacturing (AM), moving from one-off demonstrator or pathfinder components toward higher-volume serial production applications. This article presents an introduction to AM in aviation, explaining how aviation requirements apply to AM. It also presents advancements, standards, and future expectations of aviation.

This article describes the characterization techniques, mechanical tests, and nondestructive evaluation methods that are commonly used for metal-matrix composites. It also tabulates typical methods of particle size and size distribution measurement, as well as mechanical test specifications for aluminum-matrix composites.

Aluminum powders can be formed into components by several competing technologies, including powder metallurgy (PM), metal injection molding, powder forging, and additive manufacturing. This article explores PM methodologies that are being exploited to manufacture such components. It reviews emerging technologies that promise to offer exciting ways to produce aluminum parts. The article discusses the various steps involved in PM, such as powder production, compaction, sintering, repressing, and heat treatment. It provides information on aluminum production statistics and the wear-resistance applications of PM.

Milling of materials, whether hard and brittle or soft and ductile, is of prime interest and of economic importance to the powder metallurgy (PM) industry. This article discusses the principles of milling, milling parameters, and the powder characteristics required for the process. It discusses the changes in powder particle morphology that occur during milling of metal powders produced by various processes such as microforging, fracturing, agglomeration, and deagglomeration. The article also provides useful information on milling equipment such as tumbler ball mills, vibratory ball mills, attrition mills, and hammer and rod mills.

This article provides an overview of the general methods of metal powder production. It details the primary methods for particle sizing used in additive manufacturing: sieving, laser diffraction and scattering, and digital image analysis. Methods of interpreting and understanding particle size distribution (PSD) data are presented, with an emphasis on the differences between count- and volume-based PSDs. The article then outlines practices for both qualitative and quantitative assessment of particle morphology.

This article focuses on the effects of mechanical plasticity on workability; that is, process control of localized stress and strain conditions to enhance workability. It describes the nature of local stress and strain states in bulk forming processes, leading to a classification scheme, including testing procedures and specific process measurements, that facilitate the application of workability concepts. Using examples, the article applies these concepts to forging, rolling, and extrusion processes. The stress and strain environments described in the article suggest that a workability test should be capable of subjecting the material to a variety of surface strain combinations. By providing insights on fracture criteria, these tests can be used as tools for troubleshooting fracture problems in existing processes, as well as in the process development for new product designs.

This article presents the history of standardization in additive manufacturing (AM). It explains the need and structure for standardization in AM, including the application of AM standards by the industry sector. It also presents the primary purposes of these standards to create AM qualification and certification frameworks.

The primary market for metal powder is the production of powder metallurgy (PM) parts, which are dominated primarily by iron and copper powders. This article reviews the chemical and pyrotechnics applications of ferrous and nonferrous powders. It describes the characteristics of iron powder used in oxygen scavengers and chemical reactive warmers and heaters. Metal powders used as fuels in solid propellants, pyrotechnic devices, explosives, and similar applications are reviewed. Atomized aluminum, magnesium, tungsten, and zirconium powders are also discussed.

Discontinuously reinforced aluminum (DRA) alloy metal-matrix composites (MMCs) represent an advanced aluminum materials concept whereby ceramic particles, or whiskers, are added to aluminum-base alloys through the use of either ingot-melting or casting and/or powder-metallurgy (P/M) techniques. This article begins with a summary of general observations on the forging of discontinuously reinforced composites. It provides information on some of the specific experimental results obtained on various DRA systems, including 2xxx DRA alloys and cast DRA alloys. The article reviews the efforts on the modeling of behavior of specific alloy systems, with a comparison of experimental results to the modeling attempts. It concludes with information on the properties of deformation-processed DRA alloys.

Metal powders are used as fuels in solid propellants, fillers in various materials, such as polymers or other binder systems, and for material substitution. They are also used in food enrichment, environmental remediation market, and magnetic, electrical, and medical application areas. This article reviews some of the diverse and emerging applications of ferrous and nonferrous powders. It also discusses the functions of copier powders and the processes used frequently for copier powder coating.

This article describes the benefits that can be achieved by using thermal spray on particular engine parts of an automobile. These include improvement in fuel consumption, wear resistance and bonding, and reduction of oil consumption, exhaust heat loss, and cooling heat loss. Typical engine parts are cylinder blocks, cylinder bores, cast iron cylinder liners, piston rings, connecting rod bearings, turbochargers, engine valve lifters, exhaust system parts, and oxygen sensors. The article also describes the benefits of using thermal spray on transmission parts such as synchronizer rings and torque converters.

This article describes the widespread use of diffusion coatings for elevated-temperature protection of the turbine components for aircraft engines and gas turbines. The principles of pack diffusion coating, namely, aluminizing, chromizing, and siliconizing, are discussed. The article presents information on the coating formation mechanism of superalloys and explains the steps involved in a typical pack cementation process. It concludes with information on the processing procedures and properties of pack aluminized steels.

This article describes the various specimen preparation procedures for lead, lead alloys, and sleeve bearings, including sectioning, mounting, grinding, polishing, and etching. The microscopic examination and microstructures of lead and lead alloys are discussed. The article also provides information on the microstructures of sleeve bearing materials.