Equal Channel Angular Pressing Process Research Articles

In-situ synchrotron diffraction analysis of deformation mechanisms in an AA5083 sheet metal processed by modified equal-channel angular pressing

Severe plastic deformation (SPD) is a process to significantly improve the mechanical properties of materials by grain refinement. For forming at room temperature (RT), higher strengths can thus be achieved; for increased temperatures (HT), greater elongations can be achieved. This great potential has been chiefly applied only on laboratory scale due to a lack of industrial process design. Equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) offers the possibility to integrate these advantages in industrial processes. This paper investigates a modified ECAP process for aluminum AA5083 sheet metal. Two passes of ECAP for sheet metal and an additional heat treatment were used. To study the material deformation on a micro-scale, in-situ synchrotron measurements at DESY (Hamburg) were performed to analyze the evolution of lattice strains and dislocation densities during tensile testing. The mechanical properties of the ECAP-processed sheet material reveal an increase in yield strength and a decrease in elongation at RT. Higher strains can be measured for the processed material at elevated test temperatures. In-situ diffraction results show a changed behavior of the ECAP sheet material compared to the reference material for both temperature regimes. These changes are based on the increased defect density in the material, which leads to increased strength at RT. At HT, dynamic recrystallization occurs during tensile testing, and the prevailing deformation mechanisms reconfigure. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and micrographs are used to interpret and supplement the observations. The findings provide the basis for the in-depth understanding of the deformation behavior of the material and help to apply the ECAP process on an industrial scale.

Influence of Equal Channel Angular Pressing Technique on Mechanical Properties, Corrosion Resistance, and Microstructural Behavior of Al-Alloy 5083

Introduction: During severe plastic deformation (SPD) processing, aluminum alloys exhibit moderate strength and ductility. Nevertheless, the materials' ductility, as determined by tensile testing, does not accurately represent their capacity for plastic deformation. After the tensile test, its material, aluminum alloy 5083, was observed to be super ductile. Method: The results of a more thorough plasticity analysis—applied for the first time to material following SPD processing—are presented in this paper. The aluminum alloy 5083 is examined in the patent both before and after equal channel angular pressing (ECAP). A highly effective aluminum alloy 5083 specimen preparation was suggested. Under heated temperatures, the process involves severe plastic deformation. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for micro-structural research in order to look at the distribution of second-phase particles and the evolution of grain structure. Furthermore, Vickers micro-hardness testing was utilized to assess the mechanical characteristics of the alloy after processing. The outcomes showed that after ECAP processing, there was a significant decrease in grain size and an increase in micro-hardness. Result: Additionally, the production of a finer microstructure with a more uniform distribution of strengthening precipitates was clarified by electron microscopy (SEM). The micro-structural evolution and mechanical behavior of aluminum alloy 5083 under ECAP are well-explained in this patent, which may lead to improved performance in structural applications. This method can be used to forecast fractures in plastic deformation processes and estimate the final plasticity of the materials for various stress-strain states after ECAP processing, as well as the mechanical properties discussed. Conclusion: Due to its unique mechanical qualities, aluminum alloy 5083 shows great potential in a variety of structural applications. The effects of Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) on the hardness and microstructure of aluminum alloy 5083 were examined in this patent work. result: The specimen's mechanical characteristics are at their finest following a single deformation when the temperature reaches 300°C. Compared to the original specimen, the tensile strength observed enhanced after the fourth pass, and breaking elongation (28.3%) was improved. Through second-phase strengthening and fine-tuning, the recrystallized grains and second-phase particles increase the material's strength.

Simulating equal channel angular pressing of commercially pure aluminium using Johnson–Cook model

Optimizing the Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) process for a new material can be a complex endeavour, given the multiple variables such as Coefficient of Friction (COF), channel angle, temperature, etc. To address the need for a material model that can account for temperature-dependent plastic flow, the present study applies the Johnson-Cook plasticity model for simulating ECAP. The present study reports the effects of varying the channel angle (90°, 120°, 150°) and COF (ranging from 0 to 0.15) at room temperature. The results show that the channel angle plays a significant role in influencing the behaviour of the aluminium, with stress and strain exhibiting an inverse relationship with the channel angle. Additionally, the aluminium material experiences a maximum stress distribution and higher flow stress within the COF range of 0 to 0.15 for a channel angle of 90°, as compared to 120° and 150°. This behaviour can be attributed to the restriction of movement at higher COF values. Notably, a maximum shear stress of 56 MPa was observed when the channel angle was set to 90° with a COF of 0.15. Furthermore, across all simulations involving channel angles of 90°, 120°, and 150°, an increase in COF lead to a decrease in curvature. These simulated results are consistent with existing literature. Thus, the Johnson-Cook plasticity model, with appropriate modifications, serves as a viable approach for studying the ECAP process.

Effect of equal channel angular pressing on magnesium alloys − A review

Magnesium (Mg) alloys own excellent properties that includes better castability, low density and great specific strength. Mg and its alloys are easily available and economical. Necessity of Mg and its alloys for manufacturing and engineering purposes has increased, predominantly in the area of aircraft and automobile applications. The known limitation of magnesium is its poor formability at room temperature, with inadequate slip systems due to hexagonal closed packed construction of magnesium. Formability of magnesium alloys will be enhanced at room temperature by grain structure refinement which improves ductility with grain refined structure. Severe plastic deformation (SPD) procedure induces extreme strain within the sample to produce ultrafine grained structure. Additionally, few shortcomings of magnesium is increased wear mass loss and corrosion rate obstructing the use of Mg and its alloys in several industrial appliances. Wear resistance and corrosion behaviour can be enhanced by SPD thereby increasing the requirement of magnesium alloys for engineering applications. Among SPD, equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) is an efficient approach to develop and vary the mechanical and microstructural properties as per the need. In ECAP approach, the workpiece undergoes shear deformation and large strains are induced in the workpiece with no variation in cross sectional aspect of the workpiece. Microstructure plays a very important role in achieving the required mechanical properties. ECAP process creates ultrafine-grained microstructure with different number of ECAP passes with varying temperatures inducing high strain rate.

Optimization of wear parameters for ECAP-processed ZK30 alloy using response surface and machine learning approaches: a comparative study

The present research applies different statistical analysis and machine learning (ML) approaches to predict and optimize the processing parameters on the wear behavior of ZK30 alloy processed through equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) technique. Firstly, The ECAPed ZK30 billets have been examined at as-annealed (AA), 1-pass, and 4-passes of route Bc (4Bc). Then, the wear output responses in terms of volume loss (VL) and coefficient of friction (COF) have been experimentally investigated by varying load pressure (P) and speed (V) using design of experiments (DOE). In the second step, statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA), 3D response surface plots, and ML have been employed to predict the output responses. Subsequently, genetic algorithm (GA), hybrid DOE–GA, and multi-objective genetic algorithm techniques have been used to optimize the input variables. The experimental results of ECAP process reveal a significant reduction in the average grain size by 92.7% as it processed through 4Bc compared to AA counterpart. Furthermore, 4Bc exhibited a significant improvement in the VL by 99.8% compared to AA counterpart. Both regression and ML prediction models establish a significant correlation between the projected and the actual data, indicating that the experimental and predicted values agreed exceptionally well. The minimal VL at different ECAP passes was obtained at the highest condition of the wear test. Also, the minimal COF for all ECAP passes was obtained at maximum wear load. However, the optimal speed in the wear process decreased with the number of billets passes for minimum COF. The validation of predicted ML models and VL regression under different wear conditions have an accuracy range of 70–99.7%, respectively.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of a Cu-Ni-Sn-Si-Al alloy produced by equal channel angular pressing

Cu-Ni-Sn alloys have attracted attention in the electronics and electrical industries for their good mechanical properties and resistance to stress relaxation. The effect of Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) on the microstructural and properties of a Cu-9.0Ni-1.0Sn-0.5Si-0.5Al alloy were systematically investigated by means of hardness tests, tensile tests, conductivity measurements and electron microscope observations. After 8 ECAPed passes, initial coarse grains were significantly refined, and the average grain size decreased to 0.5 μm. Grain refinement was related to the rotation of deformation twin and the movement of dislocations in the grains during ECAP processing, the strength increment of Cu-Ni-Sn-Si-Al alloy during ECAP was mainly attributed to the low-angle boundaries strengthening (σSGB). After aged at 400 °C for 300 min, the tensile strength, elongation and electrical conductivity of the 8 pass ECAPed sample were 976 MPa, 5% and 13.7% IACS, respectively. The spherical Ni3Al/Ni3Si and Ni3Sn precipitates with the size of about 6 nm formed in 8 pass ECAPed samples after aging. The orientation relationship (OR) between the Cu matrix and precipitates was [1̅1̅1]Cu//[1̅1̅1]p and [2̅00]Cu//[1̅00]p.

Effect of equal-channel angular pressing on microstructure, aging kinetics and impact behavior in a 7075 aluminum alloy

Among the precipitation hardenable 7xxx series aluminum alloys, AA7075 alloys (one of the most important engineering alloys) due to their low density (lightweight), high toughness and strength, and enhanced fatigue behavior have been used over the years in aerospace, aircraft, automotive, construction and marine applications. In the present study, the influence of the artificial aging through conventional heat treatment (i.e., precipitation hardening) and the thermomechanical treatment (equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) + post-ECAP aging) on the quasi-static tensile, impact toughness and precipitation behavior as well as on the microstructure of an AA7075 alloy is investigated systematically. The results indicate that the ECAP process as well as post-ECAP aging result in considerably increased strength and hardness of the AA7075 alloys because of the superimposed effects of grain boundary strengthening (Hall-Petch relation), strain hardening (by means of the increased dislocation density) and precipitation hardening (due to the fine precipitates formed in Al matrix). Multi-pass ECAP processing has been found to result in a considerable decrease of the impact toughness (from 15.3 J·cm−2 to 7.6 J·cm−2) associated with the failure mode (i.e., ductile-to-brittle transition) of the AA7075 alloys, whereas the artificial peak aging leads to a marked improvement (∼67 %) in the impact toughness in ECAPed conditions. Moreover, the ECAP process noticeably accelerates the precipitation kinetics of AA7075 alloys: The peak aging time in the ECAPed alloy is reduced significantly – from 30 h to 4 h. The results of the present study provide a deeper understanding of the combination of ECAP and heat treatment, and their effect on the fracture mode and toughness under impact loading, the aging kinetics and the microstructural evolution of an AA7075 alloy.

Excellent strength-ductility synergy properties of Mg–Sn–Zn–Zr alloy mediated by a novel differential thermal ECAP (DT-ECAP)

The application of structural magnesium (Mg) alloys in engineering industry is usually impeded by the challenge of strength-ductility synergy. In this study, a considerable ductility (elongation, ∼27–33 %) and high ultimate tensile strength (UTS, ∼340–370 MPa) Mg–Sn–Zn–Zr alloy was developed by a combination of aging, extrusion and novel differential thermal equal-channel angular pressing (DT-ECAP) process. Both dislocation slip and (double) cross-slip are primary deformation mechanisms of the alloy. Furthermore, jogs or kinks induced by the interaction between high density of dislocations were also observed in the alloy before and after tensile test, indicating good deformability. More importantly, based on the two-beam bright-filed TEM under three g conditions, multiple slip systems containing pyramidal <c + a>, prismatic and basal <a> dislocations were activated to accommodate both c-axis and a-axis strains of the alloy, leading to superior work-hardening effect and thus superb ductility. On the other hand, the DT-ECAP process was in favor of grain refinement and ultrafine second phases with ∼54–63 nm. Therefore, the principal strengthening mechanisms of the DT-ECAPed alloys were grain boundary strengthening, precipitation strengthening and dislocation strengthening. The contributions of the three strengthening mechanisms to TYSs of second pass (2P) and forth pass (4P) alloys are ∼77 MPa and ∼66 MPa, ∼30 MPa and ∼27 MPa, ∼34 MPa and ∼27 MPa, respectively. The current work develops a novel DT-ECAP process for preparing a new Mg–Sn–Zn–Zr alloy with strength-ductility synergy and provides a strategy to break the strength-ductility tradeoff dilemma of rare-earth-free Mg alloy.

On some Features of the Grain and Subgrain Size in a Cu-Cr-Zr Alloy After ECAP Processing and Aging

A Cu-1Cr-0.1Zr alloy has been subjected to ECAP processing via route Bc and aging at 250-800°C. Electron BackScatter diffraction (EBSD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and X-Ray Diffraction Line Profile Analysis (XRDLPA) techniques have been used to unveil some peculiarities of the grain and subgrain structure with a special emphasis on the comparison of the grain size estimated by the three techniques. For the alloy ECAP processed and aged up to 16 passes, the grain size (from EBSD, 0.2 &amp;lt; d &amp;lt; 5 μm), subgrain size (from TEM, d ~ 0.75 μm) and “apparent” average crystallite size (from XRDLPA, d &amp;lt; 0.25 μm) are manifestly different. The results were compared to the published data and analyzed based on the fundamental aspects of these techniques.

Overcoming the strength-ductility tradeoff of a 3D-printed Al-Si alloy by equal channel angular pressing

The integration of additive manufacturing and severe plastic deformation has produced an Al-Si alloy with superior mechanical properties. The novel processing pathway effectively avoids strength-ductility trade-off, resulting in an elongation increase of three times while maintaining a comparable yield strength to that of the original condition. The implementation of an intermediate annealing heat treatment (HT) before the subsequent equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) processing resulted in the most favorable combinations of strength and ductility. The ECAP process transformed the ultrafine interconnected eutectic network into ultrafine particles. This process also led to the formation of a heterogeneous grain size and the transformation of the 3-dimensional network of aluminides (Al2Cu) and Si-enriched precipitates into particles with varying sizes, ranging from 4 nm to 500 nm. In contrast, the ECAP processing without an intermediate annealing heat treatment led to a maximum yield strength increment of 22%. Notably, this enhancement in strength was achieved while preserving comparable levels of elongation to those observed in the as-built material. Hence, achieving the optimal combination of yield strength and ductility ratio demands a careful balance between various strengthening mechanisms, including subgrains and precipitates.

Effect of microstructural and texture evolution of ECAP-processed Mg-Zn-Zr alloy on the corrosion and wear behaviours for bone repair applications

Mg-Zn-Zr alloys show great potential for replacing the currently used materials in biodegradable applications. They exhibit similar mechanical properties to that of human bones, while possessing favorable biodegradable properties that can be engineered to allow the complete, safe degradation of the alloy in the human body around the time the bones fully heal, without the need for a removal surgery. Literature confirms that grain refinement through processing via severe plastic deformation (SPD) techniques enhances both corrosion and wear behavior of Mg alloys; thus, in this study Mg-3Zn-0.6 Zr (ZK30) billets were ECAP-processed for up to 4-passes of route Bc to investigate their wear and corrosion behaviors improvement in relation to their microstructural and texture evolutions. Electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) was used to study microstructural and texture evolution of the billets, their electrochemical behavior was investigated using a body simulated fluid as a corrosive agent, and wear tests with load, velocity and distance parameters were carried out to investigate the improvements resulting from the produced ultrafine-grained structure and crystallographic texture. EBSD revealed that 4-pass ECAP processing yielded a grain size reduction of 92.7%. Accordingly, this ultrafine-grained structure reduced the corrosion rate by 94%, improved the corrosion resistance by 726%, and notably improved the billets’ wear behavior, compared to the as-annealed condition. Therefore, this in-depth analysis confirms the promising potential of ZK30 alloy for industrial use in bone applications.

Atomistic modeling of idealized equal channel angular pressing process

Severe plastic deformation (SPD) processes are forming techniques that impose large plastic strains to achieve ultra-fine grained and nanocrystalline microstructures. The refined microstructure results in a significant increase in strength and in many cases without a considerable loss in ductility. Despite their long existence, a comprehensive understanding of the deformation and grain refinement mechanisms during SPD is still lacking. Atomistic simulations that are regularly used to obtain insights into material behavior have rarely been used to study SPD processes. In this work, we use large scale atomistic simulations of the molecular statics/dynamics kind to model the equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) process, a specific SPD process. Three different materials—Al, Ni and Cu—are used to model high, medium and low stacking fault energy materials. Large simulation cells are used to facilitate grain refinement at the nanoscale. The simulations are carefully analyzed in terms of stress–strain behavior, dislocation activity and grain refinement. All samples show the formation of deformation twins at the nanoscale, which generally detwin at increased strains via dislocation twin interactions. A significant number of stair-rod dislocations form via dislocation–dislocation interactions and are present at low angle grain boundaries in the early stages of deformation. Such stair-rod dislocations also result in the formation of stacking fault tetrahedra which are present in significant numbers in all samples. Finally, difficulties in studying grain refinement at very large strains in atomistic simulations are discussed.

The microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-Sn-based alloy processed by differential-thermal equal channel angular pressing

Numerous studies of equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) considered the sample and mould temperatures as a whole, ignoring their different control effects during ECAP deformation. In this paper, the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-Sn-Zn-Zr (TZK) alloys were investigated after ECAP deformation at different mould and sample temperatures. The results revealed that higher mould temperatures controlled the actual deformation temperatures and lower sample temperatures prevented grain growth during preheating. After ECAP deformation at mould temperature of 300 °C and sample temperature of room temperature, the alloy consisted of abundant dynamical recrystallisation grains, with an elongation of 30% and a strength of 251.49 MPa. This study would provide a novel idea for the optimisation of the ECAP process.

Effect of ECAP process on deformability, microstructure and conductivity of AA5083 under thermal effect

An alternate method of alloying is to use extreme plastic deformation on commercially available AA5083 to generate an ultrafinegrained microstructure. The objective of this approach is to improve mechanical characteristics without sacrificing corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. Anisotropy in mechanical properties is introduced by plastic deformation leading to the production of a distinct texture. This is a crucial concept to understand in order to build and model structural devices and components from a perspective based approach. The ultrafine-grained structure of AA5083, which was obtained by equal channel angular pressing, is examined in this work. Ex-situ and indirect in-situ thermal studies are used to supplement this investigation while the material is heat treated at different annealing temperatures. The results show that the elastic properties undergo very small change during the annealing process, in contrast to other parameters as thermal expansion, internal friction, or hardness. The strong relationship between the elastic anisotropy and texture highlights the importance and possibilities of using texture into the design and customization of mechanical characteristics. Pure deforms plastically in order to improve mechanical qualities while maintaining biocompatibility and corrosion resistance. Analysis of the materials elastic inhomogeneity and crunchiness in detail. In comparison to other characteristics like as inner conflict thermal enlargement or hardness, the results demonstrate that elastic properties barely marginally change during annealing. The microstructure fragmentation had no influence on the conductivity of the AA5083, which oscillated at 18 MS/m after the ECAP procedure. According to the findings, all deformed specimens strain hardening exponent and capacity were lower than they were in their as-received state. Investigated was the effect of size of grains on the strain hardening comportment of the ECAPed AA5083.

Residual stress, fatigue behavior, and mechanical properties of equal-channel angular pressed commercial pure titanium

Residual stresses, fatigue behavior, and mechanical properties of equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) commercial pure titanium (CP–Ti) are investigated in this study. Residual stresses can significantly affect the performance and reliability of CP-Ti components under cyclic loading conditions. The study focuses on understanding the relationship between ECAP processing, residual stresses, and fatigue behavior in CP-Ti. The ECAP process was employed to produce CP-Ti grade 2 samples, and their fatigue behavior was characterized. The results revealed a significant increment in residual stresses, fatigue strength, microhardness, and tensile strength by ECAP processing on the CP-Ti. The measured fatigue limit of the processed CP-Ti was found to be higher than that of coarse-grained CP-Ti and approaches the fatigue limit of the Ti–6Al–4V alloy. Residual stresses resulting from non-conventional machining processes and surface treatments are known to affect the fatigue life of titanium alloys. Compressive residual stresses have been shown to inhibit the growth rate of fatigue cracks and improve fatigue life. Understanding the effect of residual stresses on the fatigue behavior and mechanical properties of ECAP-processed CP-Ti is crucial to optimizing the design and ensuring the long-term durability of CP-Ti components in engineering applications.

Strengthening of Mechanical Properties and Electrical Conductivity Study on 6061 Al Alloy after ECAP Process

Strengthening of Mechanical Properties and Electrical Conductivity Study on 6061 Al Alloy after ECAP Process

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Mg–Mn–RE alloy processed by equal channel angular pressing

Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) has been used to successfully produce ultrafine-grained ME21 alloy with a good strength-ductility synergy. The microstructure of the as-cast ME21 alloy and its evolution during the ECAP processing were characterized using a combination of optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fracture surfaces after tensile test were also characterized using SEM. Chemical analysis and phase identification were done by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction analysis, respectively. The combination of these techniques enabled the interpretation of the mechanical behavior during the various processing stages of the alloys. The ECAP process was performed up to 16 passes, producing a uniform ultra-fine grain (1 µm) ME21 alloy resulting from full dynamic recrystallization. At room temperature, the yield strength after 16 ECAP passes (191.4 MPa) was 251% higher than that of the as-cast ME21 alloy, accompanied by a good elongation of 8.1%. The hardness increased to 60.7HV which is about 52% higher than that of the as-cast alloy. These improvement in mechanical properties is due to the ultra-fine grains with high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) and the precipitate strengthening effects of the uniformly dispersed fine precipitates of Mg12Ce and Mn formed as a result of the intense shear during the ECAP process.

Investigation of the Effects of Various Severe Plastic Deformation Techniques on the Microstructure of Laser Powder Bed Fusion AlSi10Mg Alloy

In this paper, we present a complete characterization of the microstructural changes that occur in an LPBF AlSi10Mg alloy subjected to various post-processing methods, including equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP), KoBo extrusion, and multi-axial forging. Kikuchi transmission diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to examine the microstructures. Our findings revealed that multi-axis forging produced an extremely fine subgrain structure. KoBo extrusion resulted in a practically dislocation-free microstructure. ECAP processing at temperatures between 100 °C and 200 °C generated moderate grain refinement, with subgrain diameters averaging from 300 nm to 700 nm. The obtained data highlighted the potential of severe plastic deformation as a versatile method for tailoring the microstructure of the AlSi10Mg alloy. The ability to precisely control grain size and dislocation density using specific SPD methods allows for the development of novel materials with ultrafine-grained microstructures that offer the potential for enhanced mechanical and functional properties.

Processing of the Ti25Ta25Nb3Sn Experimental Alloy Using ECAP Process for Biomedical Applications

The development of titanium-β alloys for biomedical applications is associated with the addition of alloying elements or the use of processing techniques to obtain suitable bulk properties. The Ti25Ta25Nb3Sn alloy has been highlighted for its mechanical properties and biocompatibility. To further enhance the properties of titanium alloys for biomedical applications, equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) was used due to its capability of refining the microstructure of the alloy, leading to improved mechanical properties without significant changes in Young’s modulus. This study aims to evaluate the impact of ECAP on the microstructure of the Ti-25Sn-25Nb-3Nb alloy and investigate the correlation between the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosive behavior. Grain refinement was achieved after four ECAP passes, with an average grain diameter of 395 nm and a non-homogeneous structure, and microhardness was slightly increased from 193 to 212 HV after four ECAP passes. The thermomechanical aspects of the ECAP processing have led to the formation of a metastable α″ phase during the first two passes, while after four passes, the structure was composed only of the β phase. The corrosion resistance of the alloy was increased after four passes, presenting the best results in terms of the improvement of passivation corrosion density.

The Microstructural Refinement of the A356 Alloy Using Semi-Solid and Severe Plastic-Deformation Processing

Improving the engineering properties of A356 alloy is an appealing option for the automotive industry. This study aimed at refining and redistributing Si particles and the eutectic phase by applying T6 heat treatment to a semi-solid A356 alloy, followed by severe plastic deformation (SPD). Using a cooling-slope technique, the as-cast and rheocast samples were subjected to heat treatment prior to being processed using equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) and high-pressure torsion (HPT) at room temperature. The results show that the brittle Si particles were effectively fragmented and redistributed in the homogenous microstructure. The grain size reduced from 170 μm to 23 μm in the as-cast sample after combining heat treatment and the cooling-slope. This was followed by the ECAP sample after six passes through route A (where the sample is not rotated between each pass), while it reduced to 160 nm after five turns of the HPT process in a heat-treated cooling-slope sample. The hardness of the heat-treated cooling-slope casting samples increased with the ECAP process; there was an increase from 61 HV to 134 HV for the as-cast alloy after six passes through route A. The hardness of the heat-treated cooling-slope sample improved with the HPT process to 211 HV after five turns.