HYDROSTATIC EXTRUSION OF ALUMINUM-LITHIUM ALLOYS

HYDROSTATIC EXTRUSION IS AN ADVANCED HIGH TECHNOLOGY FOR METAL WORKING AND IS IDEALLY SUITED FOR DIFFICULT-TO-FORM MATERIALS, SUCH AS AL-LI ALLOYS. IT EMPLOYS HIGH FLUID PRESSURE TO EXTRUDE A BILLET THROUGH A DIE, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PRESSURE INDUCED INCREASE OF DUCTILITY OF THE BILLET MATERIAL, AND OF HYDRODYNAMIC LUBRICATION THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE BILLET AND THE DIE WALLS DURING EXTRUSION. INTERNATIONAL TECH TRAN, INC. IS A LEADER IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF HYDROSTATIC EXTRUSION TECHNOLOGY. WE PROPOSE TO APPLY TECHNIQUES USED FOR EXTRUDING OTHER METALS TO AL-LI ALLOYS. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH STUDIES IS TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF EMPLOYING HYDROSTATIC EXTRUSION TECHNOLOGY TO AL-LI ALLOYS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY ACTUALLY CARRYING OUT LABORATORY TESTING FOR HYDROSTATIC EXTRUSION OF AL-LI ALLOYS THROUGH VARIOUS DIES IN THE FORM OF SOLID CYLINDERS, THIN-WALLED TUBES, AND MULTI-HOLLOW PLATES. THE SECONDARY OBJECTIVE IS TO GENERATE EXPERIMENTAL DATA, SUCH AS EXTRUSION PRESSURE AS A FUNCTION OF EXTRUSION RATIO, EXTRUSION VELOCITY, EXTRUSION STABILITY OR DIMENSIONAL STABILITY OF EXTRUDATES, THE EXTENT OF PLASTIC DEFORMATION, AND THE SURFACE FINISH. THE FINAL OBJECTIVE IS TO DETERMINE OPTIMUM CONDITIONS FOR EXTRUSION OF AL-LI ALLOYS AND THE BEST CONFIGURATION OF DIES AND MANDRILS.