An investigation on the hot extrusion process of magnesium alloy sheet

This study investigates the hot extrusion of magnesium alloy sheets at various temperatures, material, speed and lubricant. A multi-speed method is applied to extrude a magnesium alloy sheet at a high extrusion ratio. The experimental results are analyzed to optimize the processing conditions, increase the tensile strength and reduce the extrusion load on the magnesium alloy thin sheet. Nowadays, most magnesium alloy products are manufactured by industrial die casting. Hot extrusion is seldom used to finish magnesium products because the extrusion speed, temperature and extrusion load significantly effect the properties of the product. In this study, the Taguchi experimental method with the orthogonal array is applied. ANOVA is used to investigate how parameters affect the extrusion process. All possible mechanical properties of the product are analyzed to obtain the optimal process parameters. In addition, magnesium alloys with different compositions are experimentally tested to determine the mechanical properties of the extruded product and obtain the relationship between the process parameters and the properties of the material. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.