Effect of Trace Elements on the Particle Size of Magnesium Silicide in Aluminium Extrusion : The Use of Thermo-Calc and DICTRA in order to Produce Aluminium more Efficiently

Abstract: This project is a feasibility study for Hydro Extrusion Sweden AB, a company that produces extruded aluminium profiles. The main purpose of this project was to analyse the difference of Mg2Si particle sizes in aluminium alloys when varying parameters, such as cooling rate and composition, in aluminium extrusion, particularly the EN AW 6082 alloy. The Mg2Si particles have a great impact on the product’s mechanical properties. This was done in order to investigate whether real-time process parameter control is possible or not. The main software used was Thermo-Calc and the add-on module DICTRA. Thermo-Calc was used to do equilibrium calculations and gather data for the alloy and its phases. Based on this information and data from Hydro, simulations in DICTRA could be performed. The results were then plotted with respect to time and radius. The findings indicate that the cooling rate significantly influences the particle size. As the process becomes more intricate and involves a greater number of trace elements, adjusting the cooling rate could potentially be employed as a means to address this issue. The results also showed that trace elements had a minimal effect on the particle size. However, this probably does not match the reality since other phases affect and block the growth of Mg2Si.The overall results indicate a positive outcome for using DICTRA in determining particle sizes. However, further research needs to be done in correlation with more experiments before this could be a viable research method for Hydro.