Tribological simulation analysis of artificially aged A356 alloy with minor addition of copper and zinc

Abstract

This study employed a two-stage stir-casting technique to fabricate experimental alloys and composites using A356 + 1 wt.% Mg as the base alloy and trace copper/zinc as alloying elements and reinforcements. Peak aging conditions were applied through a solutionizing process at 520 °C and subsequent aging at 100 °C and 200 °C. A wear test was conducted using a pin-on-disk tribometer under dry sliding conditions to measure wear and frictional force. The ANSYS software simulated the wear, demonstrating a close approximation to the experimental values. The study emphasized the influence of material hardness and coefficient of friction on the wear coefficient accuracy. A higher hardness yielded closer simulated experimental values, whereas lower friction coefficients enhanced convergence. The increased contact pressure and frictional stress were accompanied by higher applied loads. The study suggests future exploration of thermal changes in frictional contact regions and incorporation of surface irregularities in realistic simulations, requiring advanced computing tools.

Keywords:

• Aluminum metal matrix composite
• aging
• ANSYS
• wear
• coefficient of friction

REVIEWING EDITOR:

• Ian Phillip Jones, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

SUBJECTS:

• Materials Science
• Metals & Alloys
• Materials Processing

Author contribution

Nithesh K: experiment work; Gowrishankar M C: designing the methodology, drafting of paper; Sathyashanakara Sharma: interpretation and analysis; Ananda Hegde: revising the manuscript; Shamanth Bhat M: methodology; Rajesh Nayak: editing the manuscript; Srinivas D: eeview of manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of the study are available from corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nithesh K

Dr Nithesh K is working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, A J Institute of Engineering & Technology, Mangalore, He holds Ph.D in mechanical engineering. He has published 6 papers in journals and conferences. His area of interest includes heat treatment of metals.

Gowrishankar M C

Dr. Gowri Shankar, holds a Ph.D. from the Manipal Institute of Technology, and currently is a Professor at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering of the same institute. His main areas of research include Machining of Materials; Heat Treatment of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Materials.

Sathyashanakara Sharma

Dr. Sathyashankara Sharma is working as Senior Professor and Head in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, MIT, MAHE, Manipal. He holds B.E. (Mechanical), M.Tech. (Materials Engineering) and Ph.D. (Materials Engineering) degrees. He has more than 35 years of teaching experience. His area of interest includes materials engineering, heat treatment of metals and composites and deformation behavior of metals and composites. He has published more than 150 papers in journals and conferences.

Ananda Hegde

Dr. Ananda Hegde is working as Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, MIT, MAHE, Manipal. He holds Ph.D in mechanical engineering. He has more than 10 years of teaching experience. His area of interest includes materials engineering, heat treatment of metals. He has published more than 30 papers in journals and conferences.

Shamanth Bhat M

Shamath Bhat, holds B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering and M.Tech in Manufacturing Engineering at Manipal Institute of Technology.

Rajesh Nayak

Dr. Rajesh Nayak, holds a Ph.D. from the Manipal Institute of Technology, and currently is an Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering of the same institute. His main areas of research include Machining of Materials, Cryogenic machining, Composite materials, Heat Treatment of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Materials.

Srinivas D

Srinivas D holds PhD in Mechanical Engineering. His main areas of research include Materials characterization, aluminum matrix composites.