Effects of Aluminum Content on Plastic Formability of Wrought Mg Alloy Sheet Produced by Twin-Roll Casting Process

Abstract

A total weight reduction approach has been key issue for car manufacturers to cope with more and more stringent requirements for fuel economy. This paper describes the twin-roll casting technology of magnesium alloys that contain relatively high weight ratios of aluminum, such as AZ91,AZ101 and AZ111. The magnesium alloy sheets were cast by a horizontal twin roll caster to manufacture relatively high-strength Mg alloys with high aluminum content. The influences of such process parameters as casting temperature and roll speed were ascertained. The microstructures of cast magnesium alloy sheets were observed to investigate the effects of roll-casting conditions on crystal growth in the cast products. It was found that Mg alloys with high aluminum content can be fabricated at a roll speed of 15 m/min with a horizontal-roll caster. The grain size of the manufactured wrought magnesium alloy sheet was about 10 μm due to rapid solidification in the proposed process.