Wheel Magnesium Alloy Composition for Low-Temperature Spinning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Magnesium alloys exhibit low strength and plasticity at room temperature, limiting their application in industries like automobile and aerospace, and existing high-strength alloys with high room temperature plasticity are costly and complex to produce, requiring advanced processing equipment and rare earth elements.

Innovation Solution

A magnesium alloy with a composition of Al: 2-3.0wt.%, Zn: 0.5-1.0wt.%, Mn: 0.3-0.5wt.%, Ce: 0.15-0.3wt.%, and La: 0.05-0.1wt.% is developed, allowing for low-temperature spinning and forming with improved mechanical properties, using a smelting and extrusion process that includes stress-relief treatment and air cooling, reducing the need for expensive rare earth elements and complex processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If traditional forging process is used to manufacture wheel hubs, then spokes and wheel rims can be obtained, but super-large tonnage forging equipment is needed, resulting in high processing risk, large metal loss and high cost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process feasibilityVSAvoidforging equipment tonnage requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wheel hub manufacturing process is divided into two separate operations: forging the hub body and spinning the wheel rims. This segmentation allows each process to use appropriately sized equipment, eliminating the need for super-large tonnage forging equipment while reducing processing risk and metal loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If spinning process is used to form wheel rim, then metal utilization rate is improved and forging equipment tonnage is reduced, but the die is not easy to heat and the forging blank loses heat, requiring high low temperature formability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemetal utilization rateVSAvoidspinning process temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The alloy composition is specifically designed with Al (2-3.0wt.%), Zn (0.5-1.0wt.%), Mn (0.3-0.5wt.%), Ce (0.15-0.3wt.%), and La (0.05-0.1wt.%) to change the material parameters, enabling the magnesium alloy to maintain adequate formability at lower spinning temperatures without requiring excessive heating of the die or blank.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If ZK30 magnesium alloy is used for low temperature spinning, then excellent spinning performance is achieved, but preparation cost is high due to Zr element addition

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelow temperature spinning performanceVSAvoidalloy preparation cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive Zr elements with more cost-effective Al, Zn, Mn, Ce, and La elements in specific proportions. This substitution achieves comparable or better low-temperature spinning performance while significantly reducing alloy preparation cost, making the material more economically viable for mass production.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Strength

If magnesium alloy with high room temperature plasticity is prepared by various methods, then plasticity is improved, but preparation cost increases and preparation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroom temperature plasticityVSAvoidpreparation process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite alloy system combining Mg with Al, Zn, Mn, Ce, and La elements. This composite composition achieves high room temperature plasticity through synergistic effects of the alloying elements, avoiding complex preparation methods while maintaining excellent formability and mechanical properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The alloy achieves tensile yield strength of 190 MPa, tensile strength of 280 MPa, and elongation of over 15.8% at room temperature, while being cost-effective and suitable for mass production, with improved high-temperature oxidation resistance and simplified production requirements.

Implementation Method 1

the processes of cutting into blanks and peeling are also included before extrusion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectStress relief treatment: Heat Treatment

Implementation Method 2

A method of preparing a magnesium alloy comprises the following steps: (1) batching, in terms of the mass percentage

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExtrusion: Extrusion

Data Source

PatentEP4144875A1Magnesium alloy for wheel and preparation method thereof
Publication Date: 2023.03.08 CITIC DICASTAL CO LTD
  • EP4144875A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4144875A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4144875A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A magnesium alloy for wheels, comprising in mass percentage: Al: 2∼3.0wt.%; Zn: 0.5∼1.0wt.%; Mn: 0.3∼0.5wt.%; Ce: 0.15∼0.3wt.%; La: 0.05∼0.1wt.%, the balance is Mg. The magnesium alloy of the present invention takes Al element and Mn element as main alloying elements, supplemented by trace Ce and La elements as alloying process, and the nano-scale Mn-rich precipitated phase obtained during homogenization and the segregation of rare earth elements Ce and La at the interface and grain boundary of Mn-rich precipitated phase are used to inhibit the coarsening during extrusion and forging, so as to improve the strength and plastic deformation ability of the alloy.