Aluminum alloy 6201 is a wrought, heat-treatable alloy, which is used in electricity transmission and distribution lines. The alloy is processed in a commercial continuous casting and rolling system, which includes a series of in-line thermomechanical processes involving hot working, quenching, cold working and artificial aging. In this study and following cold working, the alloy is subjected to a solution heat treatment at 510 °C for an hour, quenched in ice water, and artificially aged at various temperatures for various times (150–200 °C for 2–30 h) (T6-temper) in order to investigate the effect of precipitation on mechanical properties and electrical conductivity. The results show that optimum mechanical properties and electrical conductivity were obtained after artificial aging at 155 °C for 30 h (155-30). The tensile strength was almost equal to that of the as received cold drawn wire of 326 MPa, but interestingly, electrical conductivity significantly increased to 58.6% IACS from a value of 52.7% IACS of the as received cold drawn wire. Intermetallic particles α-AlFeSi (Al₈Fe₂Si) and β-AlFeSi (Al₅FeSi and Al₉Fe₂Si₂) were observed in all samples, which were nucleated during solidification and homogenization; they were not affected by the aging process. β″/β′/β -precipitates formed during artificial aging, which affected the final mechanical properties and the final electrical conductivity.

Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) as a severe plastic deformation (SPD) technique was employed for consolidation of AZ31 magnesium chips. The chips were consolidated at a temperature of 300 °C following ECAP route A up to two passes. The optical and scanning electron micrographs reveal that consolidation have taken place and the quality of consolidation improves with number of ECAP passes and hence the total imposed strain. The Vickers hardness of the processed samples increased from 41 of the as cast used to generate the chips to 47.7 ad 58.5 of consolidated samples after one and two passes respectively. The consolidation of chips was accompanied by the breakage and dispersion of the oxide layer developed on the surface of the chips during and after machining.

Sucker rods are typically made of steel, and are important components of equipment such as reciprocating and progressive pumps used in various downhole applications in oil and gas wells. Chemical and mechanical characterizations were carried out on heat treated continuous sucker rods. These sucker rods were manufactured out of three types of steels by joining a series of coils together and subjecting them to continuous heat treatment during manufacturing. Tensile properties and hardness values were in the accepted ranges required by the operator. The fracture surfaces however demonstrated a shear type brittle fracture despite relatively high elongation-to-fracture. The fracture surface revealed unusual features in which very flat surfaces with sharp edges are present. Conventional sucker rods of grades H and D that were subjected to conventional heat treatments show completely different fracture mode. Comparison of microstructure and fracture surfaces of conventional and continuous sucker rods indicates that continuous rods were perhaps under-tempered, with insufficient tempering time.

Aluminum is a lightweight, durable metal known for its corrosion resistance and high conductivity, making it essential for industries such as construction, aerospace, and automotive. Production of aluminum and its alloys is a major industry in Oman and the Gulf region, and worldwide. Aluminum smelting is the process of extracting pure aluminum from its oxide, typically using the Hall–Héroult process, where alumina is dissolved in molten cryolite and electrolyzed to produce aluminum metal. The anode plant utilizes the Söderberg method to produce anodes for the reduction line. A critical component in the anode is the Clad, also called the Electric Transition Joint (ETJ). The Clad connects the upper part of the stem (made of aluminum) to the lower part, known as the bracket (made of steel). The middle section of the Clad contains titanium, which is explosion-welded on one side and MIG-welded on the other, creating a bond between the upper and lower parts. Some regional smelting plants have reported repeated failures in the anode Clad, which are characterized by elongation or bending. These defects could be caused by uneven stress distribution, high temperatures, and high electrical currents. Clad failure resulting in a tilt of more than 16° in the stem can lead to smelting process failure. In one regional plant, there has been a significant increase in Clad failures in recent years, despite no reports of such failures in earlier years. The main aims of this study were to investigate the Clad failure problem in aluminum smelters, identify the main causes, and recommend appropriate solutions. Various methods were used to investigate the Clad failure, including visual inspection, X-ray inspection, chemical composition testing, welding strength testing, tensile testing, shear testing, and finite element analysis (FEA). The primary causes of Clad failure were identified as lack of fusion, lack of penetration, and porosity in the welded joints, as revealed through visual and X-ray inspections of sectioned samples. FEA of different sections of the Clad, considering the welding layer under mechanical, thermal, and electrical loads, showed that with proper welding quality, the assembly can handle all applied loads without failure. To prevent future issues, it is recommended that welders possess advanced skills (proper licensing and MIG welding experience), welding parameters (such as current, welding speed, and shielding gas) be tightly controlled, and environmental factors (like dust and humidity) be minimized.

This study investigates the effect of introducing an intermediate solution treatment after cold drawing and before artificial aging on the mechanical and electrical properties of the 6201 aluminum alloy. The solution heat treatment was performed at 510 °C for one hour. Aging treatments were conducted at temperatures ranging from 150 °C to 200 °C for durations between 2 h and 30 h. This heat treatment route yielded comparatively softer materials, with a maximum ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of approximately 325 MPa. Electrical conductivity (EC) measurements demonstrated that the T6-temper method consistently produced higher EC values reaching values of around 63 %IACS compared to the conventional process, deomstrating inverse relationship between strength and conductivity. It was found that T6-155-30 condition produces the best combination of strength, ductility and EC of 325 MPa, 11.5% and 58.6 %IACS, respectively.