Bimetallic AZ31/6060 joints were produced by compound casting. The process involved pouring liquid magnesium alloy onto a solid aluminum alloy insert placed in a mold. Inserts with and without a zinc surface layer were used. For an insert with no Zn layer, the bonding zone was characterized by a non-homogeneous microstructure. In the area adjacent to the AZ31, there was a eutectic (γ and α(Mg)). In the area close to the 6060 alloy, two continuous layers of the γ and β phases were detected. When a 6060 insert with a Zn layer was used, the bonding zone was mainly composed of Mg-Al-Zn phases. The joint without a Zn interlayer had low shear strength (5.5–11.3 MPa). The presence of the Zn interlayer caused a significant increase in the joint strength (39.8–46.6 MPa). The micro-indentation data suggest a less brittle fracture character of the bonding zone with a Zn layer.

Continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams are widely used when heat treating steels and represent which type of phase will occur in a material as it is cooled at different cooling rates. CCT diagrams are constructed on the basis of dilatometry measurements on relatively small testing samples (cylindrical shape with diameter of 4mm and length of 11 mm in this study). The main aim of this work was to demonstrate the possibility of evaluating the tensile test properties using mini-tensile tests from miniature volumes (1.4 × 10⁻⁷ m³ for one sample) subsequent to determination of the CCT diagram and to extend a standard CCT diagram with information about strength, ductility and the estimated value of the work-hardening coefficient. Mini-tensile tests (MTT) were recently developed due to the low availability of experimental material and have already been successfully used for local mechanical property characterization of metals. CCT diagrams were constructed for 42CrMo4 steel prepared by the laser-directed energy deposition (L-DED) process, for commercially available 42CrMo4 steel conventionally manufactured (for comparison of traditional processing and AM preparation) and for H13 tool steel deposited by the selective laser melting (SLM) process.

Al-enriched layer was formed on a magnesium substrate with use of casting. The magnesium melt was cast into a steel mould with an aluminium insert placed inside. Different conditions of the casting process were applied. The reaction between the molten magnesium and the aluminium piece during casting led to the formation of an Al-enriched surface layer on the magnesium substrate. The thickness of the layer was dependent on the casting conditions. In all fabricated layers the following phases were detected: a solid solution of Mg in Al, Al₃Mg₂, Mg₁₇Al₁₂ and a solid solution of Mg in Al. When the temperature of the melt and the mould was lower (variant 1 – 670°C and 310°; variant 2 – 680°C and 310°C, respectively) the unreacted thin layer of aluminium was observed in the outer zone. Applying higher temperatures of the melt (685°C) and the mould (325°C) resulted in deep penetration of aluminium into the magnesium substrate. Areas enriched in aluminium were locally observed. The Al-enriched layers composed mainly of Mg-Al intermetallic phases have hardness from 187-256 HV0.1.

This article deals with the effect of strain-assisted tempering (SAT) on the fatigue properties of 54SiCr6 steel used for spring steel wires in a wide variety of automotive applications, including coil springs. This steel spring wire is extremely strong, having a high elastic limit and yield point, giving the steel excellent energy accumulation and fatigue properties. This combination opens up new possibilities in helical and cylindrical coil spring design, resulting in the reduction of both size and weight. Lightweight coil springs lead to improvements in fuel consumption, stability and vehicle traction. A large plastic deformation and SAT were applied to enhance the yield point of the study material. Improvements in the static and cyclic properties of steel springs were investigated using tensile tests and 3PB fatigue tests at ambient temperature. In addition, an advanced laser shock peening (LSP) process was employed to increase the fatigue resistance of the SAT material. The results presented here show great improvements in the static and fatigue properties over commercial steel treatment. The material quality of the wires was evaluated to be insufficient for further processing with cold coiling.

Absorbed energy obtained from impact Charpy tests is one of the most important values in many applications, for example in residual lifetime assessment of components in service. Minimal absorbed energy is often the value crucial for extending components service life, e.g. turbines, boilers and steam lines. Using a portable electric discharge sampling equipment (EDSE), it is possible to sample experimental material non-destructively and subsequently produce mini-Charpy specimens. This paper presents a new approach in correlation from sub-size to standard Charpy test results.

This paper discusses the joining of AZ91 magnesium alloy with AlSi17 aluminium alloy by compound casting. Molten AZ91 was cast at 650°C onto a solid AlSi17 insert placed in a steel mould under normal atmospheric conditions. Before casting, the mould with the insert inside was heated up to about 370°C. The bonding zone forming between the two alloys because of diffusion had a multiphase structure and a thickness of about 200 μm. The microstructure and composition of the bonding zone were analysed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results indicate that the bonding zone adjacent to the AlSi17 alloy was composed of an Al₃Mg₂intermetallic phase with not fully consumed primary Si particles, surrounded by a rim of an Mg₂Si intermetallic phase and fine Mg₂Si particles. The bonding zone near the AZ91 alloy was composed of a eutectic (an Mg₁₇Al₁₂intermetallic phase and a solid solution of Al and Si in Mg). It was also found that the compound casting process slightly affected the AZ91 alloy microstructure; a thin layer adjacent to the bonding zone of the alloy was enriched with aluminium.