improving tensile in production of aluminium alloy 6201 wires
improving tensile in production of aluminium alloy 6201 wires
(OP)
May you advise your comments on how the tensile strength of aluminium alloy wires can be improved during cold process (drawing)and before aging? The material is 6201 aluminium alloy rod dia. 7.62mm and the target wire is 3.23mm. Average tensile achieved is around 265 before aging and about 285 after aging.





RE: improving tensile in production of aluminium alloy 6201 wires
1) increase strain hardening by increasing the area reduction (start with a higher cross-sectional area to achieve a given final area)
2) decrease grain size (prior processing, or this may occur because of item 1 above)
RE: improving tensile in production of aluminium alloy 6201 wires
If the heat treating process is not at fault, then introducing more strain hardening or reducing grain size (or both) as mentioned by CoryPad may be the only options for you to investigate. There is considerable information available on aluminium alloys, heat treating, etc. I recommend you investigate some of the references available from ASM Interntational (http://www.asminternational.org). The following books are all very good:
ASM HANDBOOK Volume 2 Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials
ASM HANDBOOK Volume 4 Heat Treating
ASM SPECIALTY HANDBOOK Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys - this book is a compilation of the information contained in all 20 ASM HANDBOOKS, including Volumes 2 and 4
Heat Treater's Guide: Practices and Procedures for Nonferrous Alloys
RE: improving tensile in production of aluminium alloy 6201 wires
RE: improving tensile in production of aluminium alloy 6201 wires
1. Discuss this problem with your rod supplier. Ask them the questions I asked you regarding solution time, quench rate, quench delay, etc. Perhaps they can improve the strength in the T4 condition.
2. Discuss this problem with someone with direct experience with this alloy. Perhaps your rod supplier has a contact at Alcoa, Pechiney, etc. that would be more helpful.