Deformation behaviour of A356, Al-11Si-2.5Cu-0.6Fe, and Al-18Si-2.5Cu-0.6Fe alloys forged under different processing conditions

The present paper aims to investigate the feasibility of bulk processing of Al-Si alloys under different processing temperatures. Three different compositions of Al-Si alloys (namely A356, Al-11Si-2.5Cu-0.6Fe, and Al-18Si-2.5Cu-0.6Fe) have been forged between flat die platen at 300 and 500°C processing temperatures. High-speed forging was performed with the help of power hammer. The results obtained are discussed critically to illustrate the interaction of various processing parameters associated with the processing of the alloys. The results reveal severe crack generation on the outer periphery of forged billets, while it reduced with low amount of silicon in the alloy. During processing, microstructural refinement and improvement in the mechanical properties were observed. The present work provides valuable insight into producing complex formed products of Al-Si alloys for extensive industrial applications.