Abstract
The feasibility of recycling machining grindings of aluminum alloys by the semisolid process has been investigated. Machining grindings of A2011 aluminum alloy produced experimentally by lathe machining were used. The material is put into a metal mold and compressed up to 90% of the true density at room temperature. The metal mold with the compressed machining grindings is heated to a specified temperature. Afterwards, the metal mold is set into the extrusion container, and extrusion in the hot and semisolid range is carried out. In this experimental study, extrusion load, internal structure and mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation, hardness) of the product are assessed. It was proven that (1) semisolid extrusion has about 40% less extrusion load compared with that of hot extrusion, (2) the shape of the machining grindings remained in the hot extrusion products and (3) the semisolid extrusion products at extrusion ratios exceeding 10 have an excellent elongation property comparable to that of the commercialized product.
