In the machinery manufacturing industry, the mechanical forging as a key component, its material selection and performance analysis for the quality and function of the product is very important. The correct selection of materials and an in-depth understanding of their properties ensure the stable and reliable operation of forgings in a variety of working environments. This paper will discuss the importance of material selection and performance analysis of mechanical forgings and its practical application.
Principles of material selection
Application requirements: The primary consideration is the application scenarios and requirements of forgings. Different working environments have different requirements for the strength, hardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance of materials.
Process: Considering the requirements of the forging process, some materials are easier to forge, and some materials may have problems such as cracking and deformation during the forging process.
Economy: Under the premise of meeting the performance and process requirements, the price and availability of materials should be considered to ensure the economy of production.
Commonly used materials and their properties
Carbon steel: It has good malleability, strength and hardness, low cost, and is used to manufacture forgings with various strength and wear resistance requirements.
Alloy steel: By adding alloying elements such as manganese, silicon, chromium, etc., can improve the strength, hardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance of steel, suitable for high strength and special environment forgings.
Stainless steel: has good corrosion resistance and formability, but is usually more difficult to forge, used to make forgings that work in corrosive environments.
Aluminum alloy: light weight, good electrical conductivity, can be used to manufacture lightweight forgings, such as aviation forgings.
Performance analysis methods and applications
Mechanical properties test: Through tensile, compression, bending and other tests, the elastic modulus, yield strength, tensile strength and other mechanical properties of the material are obtained, which provides a basis for material selection and product design.
Metallographic observation: Metallographic microscopy is used to observe the microstructure of the material, understand the grain size and phase composition of the material, etc., to evaluate the malleability and heat treatment response of the material.
Corrosion resistance test: Evaluate the corrosion resistance of materials by exposure to specific environments or using accelerated corrosion tests to ensure the stability of forgings in specific working environments.
Non-destructive testing: ultrasonic, ray, magnetic powder and other methods are used to detect the internal defects of the forging to ensure the integrity of the quality of the forging.
Taking the crankshaft of an automobile engine as an example, its working environment is high temperature, high pressure and high speed. In order to ensure the stability and durability of the crankshaft, alloy steel is selected as the material, and the best forging process and heat treatment parameters are determined by mechanical properties test and metallography observation. The durability test verifies the performance of the crankshaft and ensures the high quality of the product.
Material selection and performance analysis of mechanical forgings is the core link of machinery manufacturing industry, which involves the function, life and economy of products. Correct material selection and in-depth performance analysis can ensure that forgings work stably under various harsh conditions and create greater economic value for enterprises. With the advancement of science and technology, new materials and technologies will continue to emerge, bringing more possibilities and challenges to the manufacturing of mechanical forgings.
