Effect of T6 Heat Treatment Parameters on Technological Quality of the AlSi7Mg Alloy

Very well-known advantages of aluminum alloys, such as low mass, good mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, machining-ability, high recycling potential and low cost are considered as a driving force for their development, i.e. implementation in new applications as early as in stage of structural design, as well as in development of new technological solutions. Mechanical and technological properties of the castings made from the 3xx.x group of alloys depend mainly on correctly performed processes of melting and casting, design of a mould and cast element, and a possible heat treatment. The subject-matter of this paper is elaboration of a diagrams and dependencies between parameters of dispersion hardening (temperatures and times of solutioning and ageing treatments) and mechanical properties obtained after heat treatment of the 356.0 (EN AC AlSi7Mg) alloy, enabling full control of dispersion hardening process to programming and obtaining a certain technological quality of the alloy in terms of its mechanical properties after performed heat treatments. Obtained results of the investigations have enabled obtainment of a dependencies depicting effect of parameters of the solutioning and ageing treatments on the mechanical properties (R_m, A₅ and KC impact strength) of the investigated alloy. Spatial diagrams elaborated on the basis of these dependencies enable us to determine tendencies of changes of the mechanical properties of the 356.0 alloy in complete analyzed range of temperature and duration of the solutioning and ageing operations.