Evolution of Texture during Thermo-Mechanical Processing of an Al-Mg-Si-Cu Alloy

Abstract

Heat-treatable 6000-series alloys are currently used in selected automotive skin components, and are being considered in further applications towards reducing the weight of automobiles and aircrafts. Despite the advantage in terms of strength to weight ratio, these alloys exhibit lower forming limits. The microstructural characteristics produced during recrystallization, such as grain structure and crystallographic texture, play a dominant role in controlling the mechanical properties and formability of sheet in the T-4 condition. Crystallographic texture plays an important role in forming of materials, as it controls the plastic anisotropy like wall thickness reduction (R-value) and earring properties. It is, therefore, important to understand the evolution of texture and microstructure of these alloys. In recent years, the quantitative texture analysis using three dimensional orientation distribution function (ODF) plots has contributed to improved understanding of the deformation behavior of materials. This technique provides more accurate description of the texture and its correlation with the microstructure developed during deformation. This paper describes some preliminary results of experiments designed to obtain information about the effects of deformation temperature on microstructural changes and development of crystallographic texture in an Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloy. The recrystallization behavior and its effect on the crystallographic texture during solution treatment of hotmore » rolled Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloy has also been studied. The relationship between texture and formability will be reported in a subsequent publication.« less