What Grade / Temper of Aluminum To Use
What Grade / Temper of Aluminum To Use
(OP)
I have a cylindrical shaped part designed. The design criteria is reduced weight, increased wear resistance on the OD, and strength is not a concern. The dimensions of that part are:
OD = 4.764" +/- .005" , .001" cylindricity
ID = 4.302" +.001"/-.000" , .001" total runout to the OD
Length = 5.079" +/- .005"
The part will be electroless nickel plated, and then heat treated to increase the hardness of the nickel plating at 450 deg F for 4 hours.
My concern is that after the heat treatment the part will not be in spec (dimensionally and in form) if I shoot blindly and just use 6061-T6 Aluminum.
Ideally, I'd like to learn how to asses this problem, and be able to determine a suitable material.
Thanks in advance,
Mike
OD = 4.764" +/- .005" , .001" cylindricity
ID = 4.302" +.001"/-.000" , .001" total runout to the OD
Length = 5.079" +/- .005"
The part will be electroless nickel plated, and then heat treated to increase the hardness of the nickel plating at 450 deg F for 4 hours.
My concern is that after the heat treatment the part will not be in spec (dimensionally and in form) if I shoot blindly and just use 6061-T6 Aluminum.
Ideally, I'd like to learn how to asses this problem, and be able to determine a suitable material.
Thanks in advance,
Mike
RE: What Grade / Temper of Aluminum To Use
What P level? Do you care how magnetic it is?
Every type of NiP that I know uses a HT of 375-400C for 1hr.
I did find aging curves that show a response at 250C, at 35-40 WEEKS.
Wouldn't you be better off using a low P and no HT?
How are you building the cylinder? Roll and weld?
I would suggest that you rough machine and then thermal cycle, beyond the service range a few times.
And then final machine. And good luck machining something this thin and flexible to those tolerances.
Will this have solid ends in it? This will be a very flexible item.
But let's back up, what is this made from now that is too heavy?
There might be some other options.
https://www.nickelinstitute.org/media/1769/propert...
https://industrial.macdermidenthone.com/products-a...
https://advancedplatingtech.com/wp-content/uploads...
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy
RE: What Grade / Temper of Aluminum To Use
No solid ends. This is a new design. The design criteria is to minimize the rotational inertia.
Thank you for the links.
RE: What Grade / Temper of Aluminum To Use
Especially armed with the info provided so far.
RE: What Grade / Temper of Aluminum To Use