FE analysis of 6063 aluminium profiles with complex cross-section during online quenching processes

Thermal-elastic-plastic finite element (FE) theory and solution of thermal-structural coupled field were investigated on the basis of commercial software ANSYS. The FE model used to solve the transient air and water cooling processes of extrusion profiles was built through developed programs on the basis of ANSYS. The calculated temperature and displacement of a plate during water cooling are in good agreement with the measured value and the FE model is reliable. Consequently, the temperature, displacement and equivalent stress of a complex cross-section profile from a plant during online quenching process were investigated. Thickness and boundary conditions difference leads to the temperature difference across the section increases up to about 120C firstly and then decrease to less than 40C. For the complex cross-section profile, the non-uniform deformation is more obviously and the larger thermal stress is the main reason of plastic deformation, fracture generation and occurrence of higher residual stress. A method used external stretching force to improve the distortion was also proposed in quenching processes and the displacement and equivalent stress is reduced sig-nificantly through external stretching force. However, larger external stretching force perhaps results in more serious distortion and fracture.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.mech.21.2.11733

[1]  Pierpaolo Carlone,et al.  Finite element analysis of the steel quenching process: Temperature field and solid-solid phase change , 2010, Comput. Math. Appl..

[2]  S. Caspi.  Calculating Quench Propagation with ANSYS(Registered) , 2002 .

[3]  S. Mukherjee,et al.  A NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF QUENCHING OF CIRCULAR CYLINDERS , 1987 .

[4]  Gary R. Halford,et al.  Investigation of residual stress relaxation under cyclic load , 2001 .

[5]  O. Fayomia,et al.  INFLUENCE OF INOCULANT ADDITION AND COOLING MEDIUM ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF AA 6063-TYPE Al-Mg-Si ALLOY , 2012 .

[6]  P. Carlone,et al.  Development and validation of a thermo-mechanical finite element model of the steel quenching process including solid–solid phase changes , 2011 .

[7]  Eric M. Johnson,et al.  The effect of specimen dimension on residual stress relaxation of carburized and quenched steels , 2011 .

[8]  Chung-Sheng Li,et al.  Analysis of Strip Temperature in Hot Rolling Process by Finite Element Method , 2010 .

[9]  R. Jayaganthan,et al.  A study on the mechanical properties of cryorolled Al–Mg–Si alloy , 2008 .

[10]  M. Abdulwahab,et al.  INFLUENCE OF INOCULANT ADDITION AND COOLING MEDIUM ON THEMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF AA 6063-TYPE Al-Mg-Si ALLOY , 2012 .

[11]  Zhonghong Lai,et al.  FEM simulation of quenching process in A357 aluminum alloy cylindrical bars and reduction of quench residual stress through cold stretching process , 2013 .

[12]  L. Chiesa,et al.  Calculating quench propagation with ANSYS/sup /spl reg// , 2003 .

[13]  A. Bertram,et al.  Simulation of the Distortion of Long Steel Profiles During Cooling , 2007 .

[14]  Hong-ying Li,et al.  Time−temperature−property curves for quench sensitivity of 6063 aluminum alloy , 2013 .

[15]  T. Sheppard.  Press quenching of aluminium alloys , 1988 .

[16]  E. Macherauch,et al.  Residual stress relaxation in an AISI 4140 steel due to quasistatic and cyclic loading at higher temperatures , 1998 .

[17]  Qiang Li,et al.  Thermal–Elastic–Plastic Simulation of Internal Stress Fields of Quenched Steel 40Cr Cylindrical Specimens by FEM , 2011 .

[19]  S. Chumbley,et al.  The Residual Stress Relaxation Behavior of Weldments During Cyclic Loading , 2013, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A.