DOI: 10.5176/2251-1857_M312.34
Authors: G Dinesh Babu, M Nageswara Rao
Abstract: Cast aluminum alloy 354 is widely used for production of critical automobile components, owing to its outstanding castability and attractive combination of mechanical properties in heat-treated condition. With the engines of higher performance entering the scene, there has been a steady demand to further improve the mechanical behavior of the castings made of the alloy. Exploring improvements in processing has been one important approach in this context. The present study explores the possibility of improving tensile properties of the alloy by adopting certain non-conventional aging treatments. The treatments include aging cycles similar to T6I4 and T6I6 referred to in the published literature, artificial aging in two steps instead of in single step and artificial aging preceded by various natural aging times. The results show that none of these non-conventional treatments leads to all-round improvement of tensile properties compared to the standard T61 treatment. There is significant natural age-hardening taking place in this alloy. Changing the time of natural aging preceding artificial aging was found to have insignificant effect on tensile properties.
Keywords: Cast aluminum alloy 354, Compressor wheel, Non-conventional aging treatments, Tensile properties, Quality indices
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