Fabrication of High-Strength, Lightweight Metals for Armor and Structural Applications

This proposal is for the continued development of large scale Equal Channel Angular Extrusion (ECAE) in order to lay the groundwork for commercialization. Included is the addition of die modifications to insure isothermal processing required for multiple pass operation and at practical production rates. Also included: modifications to the die and punch to insure proper tolerances at the expected heating temperature, modifications to the billet manipulater for better handling, the addition of a rotation table to facilitate imnproved billet handling/rotation and improved guidance in the tooling for billet feeding.Subsequently, these multi-pass nanograin billets will be rolled in order to evaluate properties (proven at smaller scale in Phase I) at large scale for applications.Also included is the design and engineering work for automated billet handling to further enable the practical higher volume production in the future. The small and large scale ECAE processing of magnesium is also proposed with the expectation of similar improvements over the existing materials and offering further weight savings opportunities. EPM will develop processing requirements for magnesium utilizing our development facilities in Whitmore Lake, Michigan and then transfer this to the large scale tooling which will be utilized at Texas Elwood Forge in Houston