Hot forging of ermerging aluminum powder metallurgy alloys

在加拿大汽车行业内，以经济的方式制造大量轻质、复杂的零部件是一种坚定不移的需求。铝粉冶金(PM)被认为是实现这一目标的一种新手段，目前在许多国家代表着一个迅速扩大的市场。不幸的是，在这项技术的商业应用中，加拿大实际上并不存在。因此，随着机会主义国家继续利用，加拿大只会进一步落后。为了帮助缓解这一不足，本提案战略性地将学者与领先的粉末冶金零部件制造商(GKN SinterMetals)联合起来，在加拿大铝粉末冶金科学的前沿开展研究。总体而言，该团队将在安大略省圣托马斯进行工业研究，目的是为一系列新兴的铝粉末冶金合金设计热锻造工艺，这些合金最近在Ecka Granules商业化开发，或在Dalhousie University和GKN合作开发。包括具有超高强度(Alumix 431d)、具有增强耐磨性的高强度(Ecka Alumix 231、DAL/GKN Al-12Si)和高温持久强度(DAL/GKN Al-15Ni)的材料。从模压和烧结的角度来看，所有这些都具有工业可行性，并在多孔、烧结状态下提供超过当前使用的传统压制和烧结铝粉末混合材料的机械性能。热锻造将实现完全致密化和显著的性能改善，同时保留粉末冶金近净成形工艺的关键优势。这一创新知识随后将应用于汽车油泵齿轮的工业锻造。虽然齿轮是战略性的目标，但最终这项技术的应用范围是广阔的。因此，为了提高广泛适应的可能性，该小组还将设计一个完整的机械性能数据库，并对锻造产品固有的腐蚀行为进行全面评估。人们希望这些发展将促进加拿大对铝粉末的开采，并最终将加拿大定位为这一新兴行业的合法竞争者。

Within the Canadian automotive sector there exists an unwavering need to manufacture high volumes of light weight, complex parts in an economical manner. Aluminum Powder Metallurgy (PM) is acknowledged as a new means by which this can be realized and now represents a rapidly expanding market in many countries. Unfortunately, there is effectively no Canadian presence in the commercial application of this technology. Hence, as opportunistic nations continue to capitalize Canada merely falls further behind. To help alleviate this deficiency, this proposal strategically unites academics with a leading PM parts manufacturer (GKN Sinter Metals) to conduct research at the forefront of aluminum PM science in Canada. Collectively, the team will conduct industrial research in St. Thomas, Ontario with the intent to devise hot forging procedures for a series of emerging aluminum PM alloys recently developed commercially at Ecka Granules or collaboratively at Dalhousie University and GKN. Included are materials designed for exceptionally high strength (Alumix 431D), high strength with enhanced wear resistance (Ecka Alumix 231, Dal/GKN Al-12Si), and sustained strength at elevated temperatures (Dal/GKN Al-15Ni). All are of proven industrial viability from the perspectives of die compaction and sintering and offer mechanical properties in the porous, as-sintered state that surpass those of conventional press-and-sinter aluminum PM blends in current use. Hot forging would enable full densification and significant property improvements, yet retain the key advantage of PM - near-net-shape processing. This innovative knowledge would then be applied in the industrial forging of automotive oil pump gears. Although gears are strategically targeted, a broad scope of applications is ultimately envisioned for this technology. Thus, to enhance the likelihood of widespread adaptation the team will also devise a complete database of mechanical properties and a full assessment of the corrosion behaviour inherent in the forged products. It is hoped that such developments will foster Canadian exploitation of aluminum PM and ultimately position Canada as a legitimate contender in this burgeoning industry.