Effect Of Shortened Heat Treatment On The Hardness And Microstructure Of 320.0 Aluminium Alloy

Improvement of Al-Si alloys properties in scope of classic method is connected with change of Si precipitations morphology through: using modification of the alloy, maintaining suitable temperature of overheating and pouring process, as well as perfection of heat treatment methods. Growing requirements of the market make it necessary to search after such procedures, which would quickly deliver positive results with simultaneous consideration of economic aspects. Presented in the paper shortened heat treatment with soaking of the alloy at temperature near temperature of solidus could be assumed as the method in the above mentioned understanding of the problem. Such treatment consists in soaking of the alloy to temperature of solution zing, keeping in such temperature, and next, quick quenching in water (200C) followed by artificial ageing. Temperature ranges of solution zing and ageing treatments implemented in the adopted testing plane were based on analysis of recorded curves from the ATD method. Obtained results relate to dependencies and spatial diagrams describing effect of parameters of the solution zing and ageing treatments on HB hardness of the investigated alloy and change of its microstructure. Performed shortened heat treatment results in precipitation hardening of the investigated 320.0 alloy, what according to expectations produces increased hardness of the material. The micro structural and mechanical characterization of heat treatable 6xxx (Al-Mg-Si-Cu based) wrought aluminum alloys was studied. The aim of this work was to produce a fine grained, high strength 6xxx series aluminum alloy by adjusting the processing conditions, namely deformation, solution zing and aging.