CHAPTER 11

APPLICATIONS AND PROCESSING OF METAL ALLOYS

EXTENDED LEARNING OBJECTIVES

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Ferrous Alloys

1. Cite three reasons why ferrous alloys are used extensively as engineering
materials, and also three of their major limitations.
2. Define plain carbon steel, and cite three typical applications.
3. Recognize the four digit AISI/SAE designation for both plain carbon and low
alloy steels, and from such determine the carbon content.
4. Name three other types of steels and for each cite compositional differences,
distinctive properties, and typical uses.
5. Specify the three classes of stainless steels.
6. Cite two differences between cast irons and steels.
7. Name the five major cast iron types, and for each type (a) draw and label a
schematic diagram of the microstructure, and (b) note its general mechanical
characteristics.

11.3 Nonferrous Alloys

8. Cite the distinguishing features for both wrought and cast alloys.
9. Name seven different types of nonferrous alloys, and for each, cite its distinctive
physical and mechanical characteristics. In addition, list at least three typical
applications.
10. Name eight necessary characteristics/properties that are essential for metal
alloys to be used for coins.

11.4 Forming Operations

11. (a) Name and describe four forming operations that are used to shape metal
alloys.
(b) Cite the general mechanical characteristics of materials that are subjected
to these forming operations.

11.5 Casting
12. (a) Name and describe five casting techniques.
(b) Cite three circumstances for which casting is the preferred fabrication
mode.

11.6 Miscellaneous Techniques

13. Describe the powder metallurgical forming process, and note two reasons why
it is used.
14. (a) Briefly describe the process of welding, and note reasons why it is used.
(b) Cite four potential problems that may be encountered with the formation of
a heat affected zone in the vicinity of a weld junction.

11.7 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing)

15. Briefly describe the process and basic flow protocol used for 3D printing
16. (a) Cite five advantages of 3D printing over conventional fabrication
techniques
(b) Cite four limitations/disadvantages.
17. Name and briefly describe the two 3D printing techniques that were outlined
for metallic materials.
18. Cite five current applications for 3D printing.

11.8 Annealing Processes

19. State the purposes of and describe the procedures for the following heat
treatments: process annealing, stress relief annealing, normalizing, full
annealing, and spheroidizing.
20. Given the Fe-Fe3C phase diagram determine the temperature at which an iron-
carbon alloy of specified carbon content (in weight percent) is to be
(a) normalized;
(b) fully annealed.

11.9 Heat Treatment of Steels

21. Define hardenability.
22. Describe the Jominy end-quench test.
23. Make a schematic sketch of a typical hardenability curve (label both vertical
and horizontal axes), and then briefly explain the shape of the curve.
24. (a) On the same plot, schematically sketch hardenability curves for two
different alloys--one of which is more hardenable than the other.
(b) Explain the difference in shape of these two curves.
25. For the quenching of a steel specimen, briefly explain why quenching medium
type and degree of medium agitation influence the rate of specimen cooling.
26. Generate a hardness profile for a cylindrical steel specimen that has been
austenitized and then quenched, given the hardenability curve for the specific
alloy, as well as quenching rate-versus-bar diameter curves at several radial
positions for the quenching medium used.
27. For a cylindrical bar specimen of a specific steel alloy, given (1) the specimen's
diameter, (2) the alloy's hardenability curve, (3) the quenching medium, and
(4) a plot of quenching rate-versus-bar diameter having curves at several radial
 positions for this quenching medium, compute the hardness at one of these
radial positions.

Precipitation Hardening
11.10 Heat Treatments

11.11 Mechanism of Hardening

28. Using a phase diagram, describe the two heat treatments (solution and
precipitation) that are involved in the precipitation hardening of a binary alloy.
Explain why each heat treatment is carried out and what happens to the
microstructure during each heat treatment.
29. (a) Make a schematic plot of room-temperature yield and tensile strengths, and
hardness versus the logarithm of time for a precipitation heat treatment at
constant temperature.
(b) Explain the shapes of these curves in terms of the mechanism of
precipitation hardening (i.e., dislocation-precipitate particle interactions).
30. For some precipitation-hardenable alloy, given plots of room-temperature yield
strength and ductility versus the logarithm of time for a series of heat
treatments at specified elevated temperatures, propose an elevated
temperature-time heat treatment that would be required to produce an alloy
having a specific yield strength-ductility combination.
31. Cite two necessary requirements for an alloy to be precipitation hardenable.