This chapter introduces basic extrusion concepts, including types, processes, mechanics, and the principal variables and their effects on extrusion. The chapter defines the two basic types of extrusion commonly used in the aluminum extrusion industry, direct and indirect. The chapter discusses the mechanics of extrusion including plastic deformation and metal flow, plastic strain and strain rate, extrusion pressure, and extrusion force. The principal variables of extrusion, including billet material flow stress, extrusion ratio, dead-metal zone semiangle, speed of deformation, and extrusion temperature are discussed.

This chapter discusses how aluminum and other alloying constituents are added to prepare a furnace charge for the melting process, and how it is cast into billets of various aluminum alloys. Fundamental aspects of billet casting are covered to give an overview of the casting process. The melting practice is discussed, as well as grain refining and degassing. Charge material, grain refining, degassing, filtration of melt, casting systems, and casting variables are discussed. The chapter concludes with a discussion of casting defects.

This chapter discusses the extrusion technology of soft- and medium-strength aluminum alloys. The relative extrudability ratings of some soft- and medium-grade alloys are given. The chapter presents useful extrusion parameters and their relationships associated with day-to-day production practices in the aluminum extrusion industry. Useful parameters discussed include: extrusion runout; extrusion pressure; ram or extrusion speed control; and butt or extrusion discard thickness control. The chapter provides fundamental approaches to introducing and developing the design of experiments (DOE) for the aluminum extrusion plant to improve overall productivity. It also focuses on heat treatment of aluminum alloys.

In this chapter, process control of each operational stage is discussed, with a detailed process-control flow diagram to provide a better understanding and to create a process-control document of each operational process stage. This chapter also presents fundamental ideas of a complete process- and quality-control framework system of an aluminum extrusion plant, starting from alloy and billet making to the final heat treatment process parameters required to bring the extrusion to the final alloy and temper designation to meet product requirements.

This chapter discusses the scope of research and development in aluminum extrusion technology. Research in the key technology areas of friction, thermodynamics, and die wear are discussed. The chapter also highlights future developments in extrusion technology.

This chapter presents the following groupings of metals and alloys that are soldered together: steel and iron-base alloys, aluminum and aluminum alloys, and copper and copper alloys. It also presents the ancillary materials and process methods that assist the solder filler metal in completing the solder joint through induction heating. The chapter focuses on the selection of fluxes and the use of inert gases or even vacuum to realize an oxide-free base material surface both before and during the soldering process.

The appendix contains detailed simulation examples through which readers learn how to format and analyze problems using the LAMMPS molecular dynamics simulator. By means of simulation, readers will determine the thermal expansion coefficient of copper, generate stress-strain plots for aluminum at different temperatures, calculate the surface energy of copper for different crystal orientations, investigate diffusion effects in BCC iron, estimate the sliding friction between graphene layers, compare the stacking fault energy of silver and aluminum, and analyze the properties and behaviors of liquids and gases. All examples employ a systematic problem-solving approach and include necessary input code.

This introduction presents an overview of the discovery of aluminum, the origins of the aluminum industry, and the evolution of the industry.

This chapter describes the process steps in the production of smelter grade aluminum, the environmental issues with aluminum production, and the importance of recycling. It also provides a discussion on the refining, or Bayer, process and the smelting, or Hall-Héroult, process.

Casting is one of the most economical manufacturing processes for providing shape to components of machinery and is used in a wide range of industries. This chapter is a brief account of the advantages, applications, limitations, and market growth of aluminum casting. It also provides information on the process of conversion of steel and iron parts to aluminum.

This chapter provides information on comparative attributes of sand molds and metal molds for aluminum casting. The cooling rates and microstructures obtained with each mold type are discussed. In addition, the chapter explains why sand castings work successfully in certain applications.

This chapter discusses the advantages, limitations, and applications of various aluminum casting processes, namely green sand casting process, air set or no-bake molding process, vacuum molding process, evaporative foam casting process, and die casting process. The processes covered also include gravity permanent molding, low-pressure permanent molding, counter pressure, squeeze casting, investment casting, rapid prototype casting, cast forge hybrid, and semisolid metal processes.

This chapter discusses the development of aluminum, its industry growth, and its modern uses in manufacturing. It begins with the biography of Charles Martin Hall, who invented the process for reducing aluminum from its ore. The evolution of aluminum production from the Pittsburgh Reduction Company to a pilot plant on Smallman Street in Pittsburgh, to a production plant in New Kensington, and to Niagara Falls, New York, is then described. This is followed by a discussion on early aluminum applications and the usage of lower-cost raw materials. The chapter provides information on aluminum production process integrated by Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) and the numerous technical problems and solutions related to Alcoa's research from World War I to World War II. The aerospace applications for aluminum alloys are also presented. The chapter concludes with a section on aluminum alloys developed by Alcoa.

This chapter describes the effects of metallurgical variables on the corrosion of aluminum alloys. Emphasis is placed on the effect of constituent particles on pitting corrosion of aluminum.

This chapter addresses the general effects of composition, mechanical treatment, surface treatment, processing, and fabrication operations on the corrosion resistance of aluminum and its alloys. Different types of surface treatments covered include claddings, anodizing, and conversion coatings. The processing steps that can have relatively significant impact on corrosion resistance are homogenization, rolling, extrusion, quenching, aging, and annealing.

The properties of cast iron are determined primarily by the form of carbon they contain, which in turn, is controlled by modifying compositions and cooling rates during casting. Certain alloys (such as Si, Al, Ni, Co, and Cu) promote graphite formation, while others (such as S, V, Cr, Sn, Mo, and Mn) promote the formation of cementite. This chapter examines the relative potencies of these alloys and their effect on microstructure. It covers the five most common commercial cast irons, including white, gray, ductile, malleable, and compacted graphite, describing their compositional ranges, distinguishing features, advantages, limitations, and applications.

Aluminum has many outstanding properties, leading it to be used for a wide range of applications. It offers excellent strength-to-weight ratio, good corrosion and oxidation resistance, high electrical and thermal conductivity, exceptional formability, and relatively low cost. This chapter examines the metallurgy, composition, processing, and mechanical properties of aluminum and its alloys, both cast and wrought forms. It also covers heat treating and basic temper designations, including annealed, work hardened, solution heat treated, and solution heated treated and aged. The chapter concludes with information on corrosion and oxidation resistance.

The refractory metals include niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, and rhenium. These metals are considered refractory because of their high melting points, high-temperature mechanical stability, and resistance to softening at elevated temperatures. This article discusses the composition, properties, fabrication procedures, advantages and disadvantages, and applications of these refractory metals and their alloys. A comparison of some of the properties of the refractory metals with those of iron, copper, and aluminum is given in a table. The article concludes with a brief section on refractory metal protective coatings.