Effect of Wedge Pressing Deformation Extent on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Gravity Casted ZL401 Aluminum Alloy Tube Blank

In order to eliminate the pores and porosity in the gravity casted ZL401 aluminum alloy tube blank and improve the microstructure and increase the mechanical properties of the alloy, a wedge pressing(the maxmum deformation was 40%)process was performed on the alloy and the microstructure, mechanical property and tensile fracture were studied. The results show that the wedge pressing process could obviously eliminate the pores and porosity generated during gravity casting and the strength and elongation increased with the increase of deformation. The tensile strength, elongation and relative density increased from 161 MPa, 3.3%, 94.3% before wedge pressing to 232 MPa, 7.2%, 99.5%. The fracture mode changed form brittle fracture to ductile fracture.