Journal of Materials Processing Technology 177 (2006) 210213

Forgeability of MgAlZn magnesium alloys in hot and warm closed die forging
P. Skubisz , J. Si nczak, S. Bednarek
AGHUniversity of Science and Technology, Faculty of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krak ow, Poland

Abstract The paper presents an investigation on the effect of process variables and material condition on forgeability of magnesium wrought alloys of MgAlZn group, AZ31 and AZ61. The experimental work includes studies of forging capabilities of the alloys in closed-die forging at hot and warm-working temperatures. Forging tests were performed for material both in as-cast and as-worked condition, for two variants of workpiece geometry. The different variants of the workpiece indicated fracture-related problems in forging magnesium alloys in the warm-working temperature regime, which involved interaction between material condition and process variables, and state of stress. By means of numerical calculations it was concluded, that in addition to material condition, a favourable state of stress, provided by a closed-die, can greatly improve the forgeability of AZ Mg alloys in the warm-working range. 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Keywords: Closed-die forging workability; Wrought magnesium alloys; AZ31; AZ61; Warm-forging

1. Introduction Magnesium alloys are considered as the lightest materials with a potential for practical use [1], most of their popularity being gained in casting alloys. One of the reasons for limited use of magnesium wrought alloys for manufacture of forged parts is their low plasticity. Therefore, bulk forming of these materials is carried out at elevated temperatures, usually in the hot-working range [2]. This fact is reected by strength properties of nished parts lower than that of warm-formed. Lower forging temperature provides higher precision, however, with signicant decrease in workability. As state of stress, in addition to material factors (limited number of slip systems in magnesium alloys at low temperatures [3], grain size [2]), resistance of a metal to failure [4] is regarded one of the main factors responsible for plasticity [5], closed-die forging seems particularly advisable technology to apply to account for worse workability of magnesium alloys in that temperature regime. Flashless forging in closed dies provides a few advantages over conventional forging processes, amongst others, providing favourable state of stress. Taking advantage of this fact, it is expected to achieve better mechanical properties of magnesium wrought alloys by means of warm-precision forging.

The aim of the paper is estimation of workability limit of a relatively ductile magnesium alloy AZ31 in as-cast, and more brittle, AZ61 grade in as-forged condition at warm-forging temperatures and in a complex state of stress.
2. Experimental procedure
The forging tests were performed at various temperatures in hot- and warmworking range. The studies of closed-die forging consisted of two parts. The rst was closed-die forging of as-cast material. In addition to variable-working temperature, the effect of state of stress was investigated by using two cases of forging stock geometry, differing in diameter and thereby, in height/diameter ratio (h/d ratio). Values of h/d1 = 0.8, and h/d2 = 2.5 resulted from two possible technological solutions preventing from eccentric placement of workpiece (Fig. 1). The second part of the study involved forging of pre-worked material. As before, effect of variable temperature was investigated. On the basis of tests of forging as-cast material, more favourable variant of geometry (Fig. 1b) was selected and the effect of the condition of the material was investigated. The equipment employed was hydraulic press of capacity 100 t and average forming speed of a ram 1 mm/s. Tool temperature was 200 C. Lubricant used in the experiment was MoS2 . The materials used in the study were magnesium alloys, AZ31 for the rst, and AZ61 for the second part of the research. The experimental part was complemented with numerical analyses, based on the FEM, code Qform3D. Boundary conditions were derived from the experiment. The rheological characteristics of the studied alloys assumed, derived from compression tests [6], are shown in Fig. 2. Obtained maps of effective strain and mean stresses distribution were used for qualitative estimation of the pattern of stresses and effect of state of stress and observed level of effective strain on plasticity.

Corresponding author. Tel.: +48 12 6174141; fax: +48 12 6172576. E-mail address: pskubisz@metal.agh.edu.pl (P. Skubisz).

0924-0136/$ see front matter 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V. doi:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2006.04.091

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Fig. 1. Scheme of forging set for: (a) h/d = 0.8 and (b) h/d = 2.5 where 1 is the hollow punch; 2 container; 3 thermocouple; 4 mandrel; 5 workpiece; 6 heating and 7 is the ejector.

Fig. 2. Flow curves of AZ61 alloy used in the numerical analysis [6].

Since the rst part involved deformation of material in as-cast condition, rather soft AZ31 grade was used. As maximum achievable strength of the softest of AZ group, AZ31, is similar to that of as-cast AZ61 alloy which has much worse workability, studies of as-worked AZ31 seemed unjustied. Therefore, for tests of forging wrought structure in a closed-die AZ61 grade was used. Wrought workpieces of AZ61 alloy were specimens machined from open-die hot-forged material, with the amount of deformation corresponding to effective strain equal to 0.83.

Fig. 3. Plots of load for forging as-cast AZ31 Mg alloy using billet h/d = 0.8; forgings obtained at: (a) 300, (b) 230, (c) 200 C.

3. Results 3.1. Forging as-cast material The tests were illustrated with pictures of forged details, showing ability of metal to ll the cavities and with plots of forging load versus time. The plots were expected to indicate possible defects in the form of sudden decrease of the load. In addition to the plots, the closed-die forging tests were illustrated with maps of effective strain and mean stress distribution. As can be seen in results of forging as-cast AZ31 (Fig. 3(ac)) with a decrease in forging temperature, deformation resistance increased, indicated by die lling in the axis of the forging. The decrease in plasticity is also clearly visible in plots of forging load (Fig. 3), when comparing the load courses in initial stages

Fig. 4. Plot of load for forging as-cast AZ31 Mg alloy using billet h/d = 2.5; forgings obtained at: (a) 200 and (b) 280 C.

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of the process. In warm-working temperature plots (200 and 230 C), violent decreases in load indicate cracks formations. As depicted in Fig. 5a, positive values occuring only in free surfaces, show that observed cracks result from large strains due to shearing in the region of the web (Fig. 5b). Closed-die forging of as-cast AZ31 alloy with a use of a forging stock of high slenderness (h/d = 2.5) were performed for two temperatures representative for hot-working range (at 280

Fig. 6. Plots of load vs. time for forging as-forged AZ61 Mg alloy using billet h/d = 0.8; forgings obtained at: (a and d) 150, (b) 200 and (c) 350 C.

and 200 C). None of the efforts were successful. As depicted in Fig. 4(a and b), both forgings are abundant with cracks in the whole volume of a part, which occurred already in the very start of the process, in the stage of upsetting. According to the results of the FE analysis, during the whole stage of upsetting tensile stresses prevailed (Fig. 5c). In addition, earlier lling of the central upper cavity, caused excessive lateral ow of metal and high level of possitive mean stresses in the periphery of forging in the second part of the process. Since this dimensional proportion is the cause of unfavourable state of stress further attempts of forging as-forged material involved only stock of h/d = 0.8. 3.2. Forging wrought material Forging at 350 C with a use of the rst variant of workpiece geometry resulted in obtaining sound and fully formed forging (Fig. 6a), at low values of forging load (Fig. 6). Despite the unlled central cavity, similar results obtained at 200 C, contrary to as-cast, the softer, AZ31 alloy suggested sufcient workability of as-forged AZ61 alloy in upper warm-working temperature range. Also, no defects came up in the region of the web, where high values of effective strain were found. Temperature 150 C appeared to be too low for warm-forging of AZ61 alloy. Although forged part of good surface quality was obtained, in the bottom view (Fig. 6d) a crack can be seen, which is also clearly visible in the plot of forging load (Fig. 5, curve 150). Also the level of forging load is more than twice as much as that for 200 C. 4. Discussion Tests of closed-die forging of magnesium alloys AZ31 showed unsatisfactory results of a use of stock with h/d = 2.5. In early stage of forging, cracking initiated. The brittle nature of the fractures observed at low values of effective strain, even in

Fig. 5. Results of FEM analysis: (a) mean stress distribution for h/d = 0.8, (b) effective strain distribution for h/d = 0.8 and (c) mean stress distribution for h/d = 2.5.

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Fig. 7. Effect of tensile stress on formation of defects: (a) mean stress distribution and (b) the defect location.

case of conventional hot-working temperatures, in accordance with fracture criteria that claim the dependence of plasticity on maximum tensile stresses itself [4,5,7] attributes their formation to positive mean stresses (Fig. 5c). The use of a at workpiece (with diameter equal to the diameter of a container), eradicated the unfavourable state of positive mean stress. Constrained latteral ow of the deformed metal brought hydrostatic stresses and, signicant improvement of plasticity. However, large deformations caused by shearing in the region of the web (Fig. 5b), showed that plasticity of as-cast material is too low to udergo large deformations in a complex state of stress. Only hot-forging test of as-cast material ended with success. As expected, preliminary forging with effective strain equal to 0.83, brought plasticity improvement, allowing complete lling of a die-impression, illustrated by smooth course of forging load (Fig. 6). Both hot-working temperatures and the upper range of warm-working temperatures (200 C), neither surface nor inside defects were reported. Temperature of 150 C, turned out to be too low for forging AZ61 magnesium alloy to withstand shearing. These results suggest, that in closed-die forging of magnesium alloys, taking Tresca criterion of maximum tangential stresses [8] into consideration, in addition to providing hydrostatic stress, shearing occurrence should be avoided. The defects in the inside surface of the wall (Fig. 7) observed at 200 C for as-cast AZ61 alloy indicate consistency with results of bacward extrusion of similar in ow stress values, alloy ZK60 [5]. Similar defects of the same location were reported at the same temperature. It was concluded, that occurrence of such ruptures is conditioned by the presence of maximum tensile stresses. 5. Conclusions The presented study showed that closed-die forging is a versatile test of forgeability in a complex state of stress and strain. Geometry used in the experiment can offer some guidelines for designing forging technology for similar congurations.

It can be concluded, that ashless forging of softer magnesium alloys, such as AZ31 grade, in as-cast condition at warm-working temperatures is feasible. Preliminary deformation of as-cast material to obtain wrought structure, with quite insignicant amount of working (effective strain 0.83) allow warm-forging of much harder magnesium alloys, like AZ61 grade. Apropriate design of the die-impression, resulting in elimination of shearing zones, as weel as, preventing from high values positive mean stresses by proper selection of workpiece proportions, allows a reduction of the forging temperature to the warm-working range. Acknowledgement Financial assistance of MNiI (KBN) No. AGH 11.11.110.559 is acknowledged. References
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