Microstructure modeling for processing of 6xxx extrusion alloys

金属工业的全球化给加拿大金属部门带来了极大的竞争压力。因此，力拓(Rio Tinto)和加拿大铝业(Alcan)等加拿大公司越来越意识到，它们必须专注于高附加值产品。目前的提议是力拓、加拿大铝业和UBC为满足这一需求而进行的合作。这个项目研究了6xxx铝合金的挤压，这些铝合金被用于各种应用，包括建筑和运输部门。这项工作的主要目标是为这一过程开发基于知识的模型，这将有助于行业改进6xxx产品的性能和质量。所采取的方法将是有重点的实验和最先进的建模技术相结合。这项工作的范围将从工业生产的铸态合金开始，然后涵盖该工艺的下列方面：合金的均质化、热挤压和人工时效。给加拿大带来的好处包括：i)向工业合作伙伴力拓加拿大铝业开发和转让特定知识；ii)培养研究生和研究助理(业界已确定需要高素质人才)；iii)扩大不列颠哥伦比亚省的铝合金物理冶金方面的国际领先专业知识。

The globalization of the metals industry is resulting in extreme competitive pressures on the Canadian metals sector. As a result, there is increased awareness by Canadian companies such as Rio Tinto Alcan that they must focus on high valued added products. The current proposal is a collaboration between Rio Tinto Alcan and UBC to address this need. This project examines extrusion of 6xxx aluminum alloys which are used in a variety of applications including the construction and transportation sectors. The primary objective of this work is to develop knowledge based models for this process which will aid industry in improving the properties and quality of 6xxx products. The approach taken will be a combination of focused experiments and state of the art modelling techniques. The scope of the work will start with industrially produced as-cast alloys and then encompass the following aspects of the process: homogenization of the alloys, hot extrusion and artificial ageing. The benefits to Canada include i) the development and transfer of specific knowledge to the industrial partner, Rio Tinto Alcan, ii) the education of graduate students, and research associates (the need for highly qualified personnel has been identified by the industry) and iii) the expansion of internationally leading expertise on the physical metallurgy of aluminum alloys at UBC.