Project Info

Heat Treatment Optimization of Additively Manufactured Aluminum Alloys 6061 and AlSi10Mg

Additive manufacturing (AM) opens up new ways of producing highly complex parts with custom geometries. Several alloys used in AM were designed to be used in cast or wrought forms, therefore age hardening treatments cannot be directly applied to AM versions of the alloys. In particular, the high strength Al alloys 6061 (typically used in wrought form) and AlSi10Mg (typically used in cast form) require optimization of the solution heat treatments and age hardening heat treatments to maximize mechanical properties. The goal of this project is to evaluate various times and temperatures of post-build heat treatments to optimize mechanical properties, enabling the application of AM Al alloys to high performance structural applications.

A publication related to this project can be found here:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2018.10.026

Grand Challenge: Engineer the tools of scientific discovery

Student Preparation

Qualifications

The student should be interested in physical and/or mechanical metallurgy. Experience with heat treating, hardness testing, light optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy would be helpful, but are not required.

Student is required to attend the basic lab safety training offered by Environmental Health and Safety at Mines.

Time Commitment

Time commitment is flexible and can be varied throughout the semester. Approximately 4-5 hours per week, on average, is supported by the MURF, and is the baseline needed to be able to make significant progress on a project. Should the student have interest in additional work beyond 4-5 hours per week, funding through CANFSA may be available for additional hours, up to 20 per week.

Skills/Techniques Gained

This project will provide a student the opportunity to develop several skills that will be useful for graduate school or a career in the field of physical and/or mechanical metallurgy. The student will gain experience in heat treating, hardness testing, light optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy.

Mentoring Plan

The faculty mentor will meet regularly with the student, and in addition, the student will interact with graduate students and faculty in CANFSA on a weekly basis. Realistic goals will be set at the beginning of the project, and they will be continuously updated as needed. The frequent interaction with Mines professors and graduate students will ensure all resources are being provided to ensure the student gets the most out of the project.