This article describes the results of a study aimed at improving production technology of experimental castings from aluminum alloys by investment casting using models produced by 3D printing. The consumable models were produced using fused deposition modeling (FDM). Biodegradable polylactide (PLA) was used as a material for the models. In order to decrease the surface roughness of consumable PLA  model.  chemical  post-treatment  by  dichloromethane  needs  to  be  performed.  After  immersion  of  the  model  into the solvent for 10s, its surface becomes smooth and glossy. Three-point static bending tests of PLA plates demonstrated a mechanical strength of average ~45.1 MPa. A thermomechanical analysis of polylactide demonstrated that in the course of heating of ceramic shell in excess of 150 °C, the polylactide model begins to expand intensively by exerting significant pressure on the ceramic shell. In order to decrease stress during the removal of polylactide model from ceramic mold, the heating time in the range of 150–300 °C needs to be heated to a maximum. The use of hollow consumable casting models with a cellular structure not higher than 30 % is also sensible. The stresses on the shell will not exceed its strength. Characteristic  temperature  properties  of  PLA  plastic  thermal  destruction  were detected using thermogravimetric analysis. Polylactide was established to completely burn out upon  heating  to 500  °C  leaving  no ash residue. Analysis of the results identified the burning modes of polylactide models from ceramic molds. Using a Picaso 3D Designer printer (Russia), the PLA models were printed used for production of experimental castings from aluminum alloys. It was revealed that the surface roughness (Ra) of a casting produced using a consumable model treated by dichloromethane decreases by 81.75 %: from 13.7 to 2.5 μm.

Thin-walled axisymmetric truncated parts made of sheet billets are actively used in rocket and aerospace engineering. Improvement to their shape formation, based on directed material thickness change will ensure the production of parts with minimum thickness variation. This will also enable aviation and space industry enterprises to attain leading positions, as well as reduce labor costs. This work studies the possibility of obtaining thin-walled axisymmetric parts of truncated tapered shape using one of the methods of sheet metal stamping under flat tensile stress conditions (flanging). The mechanism was identified and the analysis of the stress-strain state of the billet during deformation was carried out. This takes into account the minimizing of the difference between the specified and technologically possible thicknesses. A mathematical model was developed to consider the shaping method based on the process of flanging. Theoretical studies were based on the principles of the plastic deformation theory of sheet materials. This was achieved by the following factors: approximate differential equations of force equilibrium; equations of constraint; plasticity conditions; and fundamental constitutive relations under given initial and boundary conditions. The process of flanging was simulated using the LS-DYNA software package with the following initial data of a conical billet made of 12Kh18N10T steel: cone angle 16.4°, thickness S_billet = 0.3 mm. The aim was to eliminate errors in designing a tool for future implementation of the method on a manufactured die tooling, as well as to confirm the theoretical conclusions on the selection of technological parameters and achieve minimal thickness variation. The steps of computer modeling are presented, indicating the main process parameters such as material model, mechanical characteristics of the workpiece material, type of elements, kinematic loads, conditions of contact interaction of elements with each other, etc.

This work is focused on establishing the regularity of the effect of zirconium (2.21; 3.29; 3.69 and 6.92 wt.% Zr) on structure formation, the nature of distribution of elements and the microhardness of structural components in the Al–Ni–Zr system alloys obtained by aluminothermy using the SHS metallurgy. Regularities of the formation of structural components and their microhardness depending on the content of zirconium in Al–Ni alloys (50 wt.%) have been identified and scientifically substantiated. Structural components were identified by the methods of electromicroscopic studies and X-ray microanalysis of elements. The structure of the initial alloy consists of Al₃Ni₂ (β′-phase) and Al₃Ni nickel aluminides. Zirconium doping of the alloy in the amount of 2.21 wt.% leads to crystallization of zirconium nickel aluminide Al₂(Ni,Zr). With further increase in the content of zirconium (more than 2.21 wt.% Zr), complex alloyed intermetallic compounds crystallize – Zr, W, Si aluminides and Ni zirconides. A regularity was established in the decrease of the solubility of nickel in nickel aluminides Al₃Ni₂ and Al₃Ni and their microhardness as the zirconium content increases in the Al–Ni–Zr alloys from 2.21 to 6.92 wt.%. In nickel aluminide with zirconium Al₂(Ni,Zr), this contributes to a decrease in the solubility of Ni, Al and increase in the concentration of Si and Zr. Zirconium doping of the Al–Ni alloy in the amount over 2.21 wt.% contributes to an increase in hardness (HRA), despite a decrease in the microhardness of the metal base (Al₃Ni₂, Al₃Ni and Al₂(Ni,Zr)). The main reason for increasing the hardness of the Al–Ni–Zr alloys is the crystallization of complex-alloyed intermetallides – Zr, W, Si aluminides and nickel zirconide, which probably have an increased microhardness. Thus, zirconium doping of the Al–Ni alloy makes it possible to obtain a plastic metal base from nickel aluminides Al₃Ni₂, Al₃Ni and Al₂(Ni,Zr) and complex-alloyed intermetallides with high hardness.

This article describes approaches to the optimization of regimes of selective laser melting (SLM) used in the fabrication of porous materials from medical grade Ti–6Al–4V alloy with thin structural elements and a low level of defect porosity. Improved fusion of thin elements based on SLM regimes is achieved due to a significant decrease in the distance between laser passes (from 0.11 to 0.04–0.05 mm). Moreover, the balance between the laser energy density and building rate is compensated by changing the laser speed and laser power. The results of the study of defect porosity and hardness of samples fabricated according to experimental SLM regimes allowed three promising sets of parameters to be defined. One was selected for studying mechanical properties in comparison with the reference SLM regime. In the aims of this study, the samples were developed and fabricated using the structures of rhombic dodecahedron and Voronoi types with a porosity of 70–75 %. The decrease in defect porosity was established at ≈1.8 % to 0.6 %, depending on the SLM regime. This promotes a significant increase in strength properties of the material, including an increase in the yield  strength  of  rhombic dodecahedron from 76 to 132 MPa and the Voronoi structure from 66 to 86 MPa. The low Young module (1–2 GPa) remains, corresponding to the rigidity level of spongy bone tissue.

The aim of the study is to examine the possibilities of sputtering of multilayer coatings at a high rate of deposition on products of complex shape using inverted magnetrons. The formation of texture and residual stresses in magnetron four-layer Ta/W/Ta/W coatings deposited at voltages from 0 to –200 V on cylindrical and flat copper substrates imitating elements of the surface of complex shape products was evaluated using the X-ray method of inverse pole figures and the sin²Ψ method. The patterns of texture formation in coatings depend mainly on the bias voltage on the substrate (U_s), while at U_s = –200 V they differ for W and Ta layers. At U_s = –100 V, the epitaxial mechanism of texture formation is realized. In the case of a cylindrical substrate, this leads to intense texture (111) of all four layers. In the case of a flat substrate, this can lead to the formation of a single-crystal texture (111) in all layers with a texture maximum width of 12°–14°. The presence of a single-crystal (111) tantalum texture corresponds to the maximum Young moduli and, accordingly, the interatomic bonding forces normal to the coating plane. This suggests that multilayer coatings with an external Ta layer have high tribological characteristics. Increasing the voltage on a flat substrate from 0 to –200 V leads to an increase in residual compressive stresses from 0.5 to 2.7 GPa for the four-layer coating under study.

This study investigates the impact the hot extrusion process variables on the physical and mechanical properties of Ti–3Al–V alloy The research examines four tube segments extracted from various hot-extruded tubes of Ti–3Al–2.5V alloy, with an outer diameter (OD) of 90 mm and a wall thickness of 20 mm. The manufacturing process involves expanding sleeves with a horizontal hydraulic press to achieve an OD of 195 mm, followed by heating to 850–865 °C prior to extrusion. The tube segments are labeled as 1, 2, 3, and 4, corresponding to their order of production. Our findings demonstrate that an increase in the number of extrusions in the α + β area from tube 1 to tube 4 leads to a reduction in the primary α-phase volume fraction and an increase in the β-transformed structure volume fraction. These changes are attributed to the higher final extrusion temperature resulting from more intense deformation heating during hot tooling (die and mandrel) processes. Additionally, elevating the final extrusion temperature from tube 1 to tube 4 leads to a notable decrease in the residual β-solid solution volume fraction and a reduction in the “sharpness” of the α-phase tangent-oriented texture. The alterations in the structural and phase state of the alloy from tube 1 to tube 4 are found to influence the contact modulus of elasticity and microhardness. These identified relationships can be utilized to optimize the process variables for the extrusion of multiple Ti–3Al–2.5V alloy tubes.

Aluminum matrix composites reinforced with ultra-fine refractory titanium carbide feature a unique combination of properties. They are promising structural materials. Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) is an affordable and energy-saving composite making process. It involves the exothermic reaction between titanium and carbon (or their compounds) directly in the melt. We studied the properties of SHS composites based on the AMg2 and AMg6 commercially available alloys reinforced with 10 wt.%TiC. We investigated the macroand microstructure of the samples with XRD and EDS analysis. It was found that the β-phase is separated from α-solid solution of aluminum as early as the air cooling stage. We conducted experiments aimed at studying the effects of additional heating on the sample structure and properties and found the optimal temperature and time values. We also proposed a phenomenological model of the structural transformation sequence. We compared the physical, mechanical, and manufacturing properties and corrosion resistance of the original cold-hardened AMg2N and AMg6N alloys and the composites before and after heat treatment. It was found that additional heating reduces porosity and maintains electrical conductivity. It was also found that the compressive strength and relative strain of the composite based on the AMg2 alloy change insignificantly, while for the AMg6-based composite the reduction is more significant. Heat treatment increases the composite hardness while maintaining sufficient plastic deformation. It is confirmed by the measured values of the relative strain and the reduction ratio close to that of the original matrix alloys. It was also found that the composites retain high resistance to carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide corrosion.