3. Group Members
1) Rashid Humayun
2) Muhammad Adeel Rauf
3) Ehsan Ali Shaikh
4) Asad Alamgir
5) Tarique Ahmed Baig
6) Munib-Ur-Rehman

4. Investigation and Research
ACTION PLAN OF INVESTIGATION AND
RESEARCH
1. The impact of Thermal Treatment (T6 of a suitable grade of Al-Si
alloy on the microstructure and properties . Also matches the results
before and after treatment
2. Investigate on
 The effect of solutionizing time
 The effect of Aging time
 The effect of cooling rate
on the the properties and microstructure of LM-13 during T6
treatment

5. Investigation and Research
1. The impact of Thermal Treatment (T6 of a suitable grade of
Al-Si alloy on the microstructure and properties . Also matches
the results before and after treatment
 1.1 Grade selection
 1.2 Grade Specification
 1.3 Melt preparation
 1.4 Mould preparation
 1.5 Pouring
 1.6 Heat Treatment
 1.7 Sample preparation
 1.8 Results of analysis before and after treatment
 1.9 Conclusion

6. Investigation and Research
 1.1 Grade selection
LM -13 --- I am selecting such grade because due to the minute %age
of Cu and Mg it good compromise on the properties due to formation of
beta and theta phase which makes results more interesting to research.
 1.2 Grade Specification
Chemical composition
Properties.
% Si %Fe %Cu %Ni %Mg
11.5 – 12.5% < O.6% O.85 – 1.3% O.85 – 1.5% 1.1 – 1.5%
Hardness Tensile
Strength
Elongation Impact
strength
Hardness
65 – 75 HRB 15 – 25
Kg/mm2
3 – 5 % 8 – 10
joules
65 – 75 HRB

7. Investigation and Research
 1.6 Heat Treatment
In above treatment solutionizing and aging both are processed at
electrical bell type furnace
Treatment method
Solutionizing temperature
480 – 510oC
Solutionizing time 6 Hrs
Cooling medium water
Cooling temperature 60oC
Aging temperature
160 - 180oC
Aging time 5 Hrs
Cooling medium Air

8.  1.8 Results of analysis before and after treatment
way of
treatment
Mechanical Properties Microstructure
100X
Hardness Tensile
Strength
Elongation Impact
strength
Before T6
Treatment
32 HRB 10
Kg/mm2
1 % 3.4 joules
way of
treatment
Mechanical Properties Microstructure
100X
Hardness Tensile
Strength
Elongation Impact
strength
After T6
Treatment
60 HRB 15
Kg/mm2
3 % 8.5 joules

9. Investigation and Research
 1.9 Conclusion
 Structure 1 .shows the very coarse particals of eutectic silicon and
dentritic structure
 Structure 2. shows the very fine particles of eutectic silicon and
fine dendrite is also obtained with very homogeneity
 Due to fine structure all properties became enhanced which shows the
effect of treatment

10. Investigation and Research
2. Investigate on
 2.1 The effect of solutionizing time
 2.2 The effect of Aging time
 2.3 The effect of cooling rate
 2.4 The comparison between T6 and Hardening
on the properties and microstructure of LM-13 during
T6 treatment

11. Investigation and Research
 2.1 The effect of solutionizing time
 The solution treatment temperature was carried out at 490oC with various
solution treatment times for 0.5hr, 1hr, 1.5hrs, 2hrs and 4 hrs, followed by
water quenching
 Subsequent aging treatment was carried out at 175oC for 5 hrs (T6 condition)

12. Investigation and Research
Solutionizing time Hardness HRB
0.5 hr 59
1 hr 54
1.5 hrs 45
2 hrs 39
4 hrs 32
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
0.5 hr 1 hr 1.5 hrs 2 hrs 4 hrs
AGE HARDING CURVE
 2.1.2 Results
 2.1.3 Drawing Age hardening curve

13.  2.1.4 Microstructure evolutions
Microstructure of sample after
solution treatment for 30 min.
( at 100X
Microstructure of sample after
solution treatment for 1 hr
Microstructure of sample after
solution treatment for 1.5 hrs
Microstructure of sample after
solution treatment for 2 hrs
Microstructure of sample after
solution treatment for 4 hrs

14. Investigation and Research
 2.1.5 Conclusion
. Structure 1.
Spherical particles of eutectic Si is in very low range while the dentritic alpha
aluminum in higher range
• Structure 2.
the dentritic alpha aluminum is still present
 Structure 3.
Short range of eutectic silicon on the left side
 Structure 4.
Slightly higher range of spherical particles of eutectic Si
 Structure 5.
Higher range of spherical particles of eutectic Si
The HRB values are continuously decrease from 59 to 32 HRB as resulted from the
coarsening of eutectic silicon, increasing of inter particle spacing and dissolution
of the NiAl3 phase

15. Investigation and Research
 2.2 The effect of Aging time
Prepared test pieces were cleaned from impurity then were realized
the heat treatment which first were solutionizing and then ageing with
different rates
Results:
Heat treatment
operation
Temperature
oC
Hour Hrs Cooling
medium
Solutioning 480±5 6
Water – 20°C
quenching
Ageing 180±10 1 , 3, 5, 9,
,
Air cooling
Heat treatment
operation
Hour Hrs hardness [HRB] Tensile strength
Kg/mm2
Ageing
180±10 oC
1
29 14
3 41 15
5 50 17
9 51 15

16. Investigation and Research
 2.2.3 Drawing different curves & obtaining Microstructure:
Microstructure of sample after Microstructure of
sample after
Aging treatment for 1 hr at 100X Aging treatment for 3 hr at 400X
Microstructure of sample after Microstructure of sample after
Aging treatment for 5hrs Aging treatment for 9hrs

17. Investigation and Research
 2.2.5 Conclusion
Structure 1.
The dentritic alpha aluminum and spherical eutectic silicon is present
• Structure 2.
The dentritic alpha aluminum is improving while spherical eutectic
silicon is still present
 Structure 3.
It shows the sharp needles of dentritic alpha aluminum while the
spherical eutectic silicon in slightly lower in range which shows that
structure going to age and hard
 Structure 4.
Here we can see the final structure where the uniformity in dentritic
structure while spherical eutectic silicon are in very lower range

18. Investigation and Research
 2.2.5 Conclusion
 According to the microstructure results on each aging time the
dentritic structure of alpha aluminium was going to uniform with aging
time and spherical eutectic structure was going to minimize in range
 But here we see that the last value of hardness at aging time 9 hrs i.e
51 HRB is not very much increase in comparison with the 5 hrs aging
value i.e 50 HRB while the value of tensile strength of 9 hrs aging
became decreased to 15 Kg/mm2 in comparison with the 5 hrs
treatment i.e 17 Kg/mm2
 Over aging is due to prolong aging time the θ and β precipitate i.e
Al2Cu and Mg2Si precipitate may slightly dissolve in the structure.

19. Investigation and Research
 2.3 The effect of cooling rate
 The solution treatment temperature was carried out at 490oC for 6 hrs then,
followed by water quenching
 Subsequent aging treatment was carried out at 175oC for 5 hrs (complete T6
condition)
 After aging treatment first sample cools in water , second sample cools at oil
while third sample cools in air
 Results:
COOLING MEDIAM HARDNESS HRB
AIR 65
OIL 74
WATER 85

20. Investigation and Research
Hardness obtained upon different mediums SEM Microgrape at 20micron - Air quenched
SEM Microgrape at 20micron - Oil quenched SEM Microgrape at 20micron – Water
quenched

21. Investigation and Research
 2.3.5 Conclusion
• Structure 1.
The Si phase is colored dark gray and appears
in the shape of very irregular, longitudinal sharp-edged structure while
the Al2Cu phase appears light gray which is less in range
• Structure 2.
The Si phase is colored dark gray and appears in the shape of very
irregular, longitudinal sharp-edged structure while the Al2Cu phase
appears light gray which is slightly higher in range then before
 Structure 3.
The Si phase is colored dark gray and appears in the shape of very
irregular, longitudinal sharp-edged structure while the Al2Cu phase
appears light gray which is higher in range in comparison of other two

22. Investigation and Research
 2.3.5 Conclusion
 According to above results and Scanning electron microstructure
micrograph we see that with the increase of cooling rate the
precipitation of Al2Cu phase increased
 So its mean we can say that hardness value of Aluminum Silicon LM-13
grade alloy relay on the range of precipitation of Al2Cu phase and other
phases like Mg2Si.

23. RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT IN CURRENT
PROCESS

24. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 After all above investigation and research on aluminum alloy we can
alter our current process of heat treatment
 Our current Procedure of Heat treatment consist of
 solution treatment ------------- takes 6 hours
 aging treatment ------------- takes 5 hours
• After changing the process we can achieve same properties and
microstructure results
 solution treatment ------------- takes 2 hours
 aging treatment ------------- takes 5 hours +
 quenched at cold water 15 min

25. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 Benefits on the implementation of new
developed process
 Huge cost benefits to company
 Low Production Time
 Fulfillment of Targets & objectives on time
 Comparatively low consumption of Energy &
Time.

26. Thank You