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The material known as 75ST is a new high strength aluminum alloy that can be used in certain aircraft structural applications to effect a saving in weight or an increase in strength or both over designs using other alloys. However, the structural engineer should be well acquainted with the advantages and limitations of this material before utilizing it in design.

This paper presents, chemistry, test data and processing procedures on a non toxic and environmentally friendly chrome-free conversion coating alternative with the same level of adhesion and secondary corrosion resistance as that found in chrome containing conversion coating systems. Test data from military and independent sources will be presented on secondary coating adhesion, electrical conductivity, filiform and neutral salt-spray corrosion resistance as compared to chromate based systems .on magnesium, aluminum and zinc and their respective alloys. The European “RoSH” initiative will not allow for the presence of any hexavalent chromium on imported electrical components as of July first of 2006. Trivalent chromium based systems generate hexavalent chromium due to the oxidation of the trivalent chromium and as such will not be allowed.

Engineers have long been restricted in designing and manufacturing one piece, hollow composite components with complex internal geometry. Complex core pulls in the plastic tool, major concessions made in the actual component design or components joined from several pieces were the early means of producing such components. Progressive thinking led to the use of matrix materials such as sand, salt and wax, which provided a measure of flexibility in allowing designed-in undercut areas. These materials, however, lacked the capability to meet the required demands of dimensional accuracy and internal surface, as well as proving themselves unsuitable for high volume production. The concerns for repetitive dimensional accuracy, quality internal surface and high volume production capability has now been satisfied with the use of low melting temperature metal alloys.

MONOGAL is a coated steel developped to improve the corrosion resistance of exposed automotive body applications. Its process os based on the brittleness of the η zinc coating in a range of temperatures below the melting point of the zinc. MONOGAL is produced on a hot dip galvanizing line; at the exit of the pot the free zinc is brushed off the light side of the differentially coated sheet. Side 1 of MONOGAL presents a very thin and continuous layer of iron-zinc diffusion alloy with no free zinc. Side 2 is a standard G90 or G60 zinc coating. The iron-zinc alloy layer has excellent anti-galling properties which improve the formability of MONOGAL over two side hot dip galvanized steel with the same r value. MONOGAL also shows good weldability, paintability and corrosion resistance.

This paper, confined to the application of hard chrome plated liners to high-speed four-stroke diesel and gasoline engines, illustrates the increase in their popularity in the United Kingdom, and the advanced production methods which make this economically possible. The need for balanced engine life has long been apparent and is even more important today, the growth of motor transport having outstripped repair facilities. Iron bore life has been surpassed by improvement in the life of other component parts in the modern diesel engine. The provision of hard chrome plated liners can restore the balance. Further development and turbocharging of diesel engines has shown the need for a bore material capable of preventing scuffing and galling at elevated temperatures. Hard chrome has already proved itself in four-stroke engines under these conditions.

THIS PAPER REPORTS on the present state of the art in the utilization of refractory metals for air frame and powerplant sheet metal components. By far the most promising of these metals to date is molybdenum. The mechanical and physical properties of molybdenum are well-suited for high-temperature service. The combination of relatively high thermal conductivity, low thermal expansion coefficient, good specific heat, and a reasonably high emissivity of a coated surface make this material suitable for exterior surface application on severely aerodynamically heated components. However, in its usable alloyed forms, molybdenum tends to behave in a brittle manner at room temperature, suffering from a high brittle-to-ductile transition temperature. Other unacceptable properties are the presence of laminations in the material, 45-deg preferred angle cracking, and difficulty of controlling interstitial alloying elements. The authors discuss each of these and the progress made in overcoming them

THE AIR FORCE has set up a program to evaluate the machining characteristics of the more commonly used high-strength thermal-resistant materials. This paper describes the test results to date. Four materials are being tested: SAE 4340 quenched and tempered to 50–55 Rockwell C, SAE designation H11 quenched and tempered to 50–55 Rockwell C, AM-350 solution treated and aged, and A-286 solution treated and aged. Machining tests include: turning milling, drilling, and tapping.*

To enable the tests required for development work to be performed with maximum efficiency, the Zwick Roell Group (ZwickRoell) – a global supplier of materials testing machines based out of Ulm, Germany – developed a materials testing machine that can be equipped with both a temperature chamber and a high-temperature furnace.

In a 2-year program sponsored by SJAC, an aqueous electroplating process using alkaline Zn-Ni with trivalent chromium post treatment is under evaluation for high strength steel for aircraft application as an alternative to cadmium. Commercial Zn-15%Ni rack/barrel plating solutions are basis for plating aircraft parts or fasteners. Brightener was reduced from the original formula to form porous plating that enables bake-out of hydrogen to avoid hydrogen embrittlement condition. Properties of the deposit, such as appearance, adhesion, un-scribed corrosion resistance, and galvanic corrosion resistance in contact with Al alloy, were evaluated. Coefficient of friction was compared with Cd plating by torque-tension measurements. Evaluation of the plating for scribed corrosion resistance, primer adhesion, etc. will continue in FY2007.

Zinc-manganese alloy electroplated has been developed for automotive body panel applications. The product is manufactured on a conventional electrogalvanizing line using an electrolyte containing zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate and sodium citrate. Electroplated steel with an alloy content of 30-50% manganese exhibits excellent corrosion resistance both as-produced and after painting. Zinc-manganese coatings also show good workability and voidability. Accordingly, this product is suitable for both unexposed parts and the interior surfaces of exposed parts. Finally, zinc-manganese electroplated steel displays good wet adhesion and anti-cratering characteristics so that the product can also be used for exposed applications as automotive body panels.

Zinc-coatings with a substantial Magnesium content have been in use for over 30 years by now. Unlike the well-established Zn-Al-Mg coatings originating from Japan which have significant higher alloying contents applied mainly for building applications, this Zinc Magnesium Aluminum coating (ZM) is also specifically designed to meet the requirements of car manufacturers. The ZM coating introduced by voestalpine, corrender, is in the upper range of ZM-alloying compositions, which was set by VDA (German Association of the Automotive Industry) and SAE to be within 1.0 to 2.0 wt. % Mg and 1.0 to 3.0 wt. % Al. The properties of these “European” Zinc-Magnesium coatings are well comparable within this range. Compared to GI and GA ZM coatings exhibit significant advantages in the press shops with its excellent formability and reduced galling and powdering respectively which is a significant advantage for the forming of outer panels.

For over a decade, industry prognosticators have been predicting that the use of plastics by automakers would soon surpass the deployment of metals in automobiles, While there is no denying that plastics have made inroads, it recently has become apparent that metal will retain its position as the prime car material for the foreseeable future. One reason for the revised forecast is the development of improved zinc coatings for the automotive industry. Such material as electrogalvanized and Galfan™ are shaping up as steel's saviors when it comes to ensuring that metal will continue to play the major role on car assembly lines. Meanwhile on the other side of the equation, developments in zinc die casting technology have taken the edge off plastics' forward thrust into both functional and decorative car part applications.

Copper and brass radiators have served the automobile industry for many years using traditional fabrication processes. Demand for newer and stronger radiators with lighter weight for the modern vehicles prompted investigation of alternate materials. Properties of zinc alloys and their compatibility with brass suggested these could be used for radiator manufacture. Many zinc alloy compositions were investigated in the initial studies, because a solder alloy has to have many positive attributes. The first screening studies evaluated the ability of the solder to spread over copper and brass surfaces, representing tube, fin, and header materials. The second most important feature was the melting range of the developed alloy. In order to retain the anneal resistance of the fin and temper in the tube it was desirable to have a zinc solder with a melting temperature at 800°F or less.

The extrusion of zinc alloys, with special reference to zinc-titanium alloys, is described. Parameters for this process are defined. The excellent tensile and creep properties obtained in a typical extruded zinc-titanium alloy are presented. Extruded zinc with a quality copper-nickel-chrome plated finish offers a new approach to the production of automotive trim and of similar products.

Many papers have been written for SAE on electrochemical metallizing, a modern term for “selective” or “brush” plating. These papers have dealt primarily with the aerospace industry, including the use of non-embrittling cadmium LHE® coatings for corrosion protection on aircraft. Shadowed by 30 years of successes in the aerospace industry, electrochemical metallizing corrosion protection in the automotive industry is often overlooked. Specifically, the use of selectively applied zinc coatings for corrosion protection on wheel hubs during manufacture has proven integral at several European automotive manufacturers. In the past, environmental conditions have corroded both the hubs and wheels of automobiles. Quite often the corrosion is in the microscopic gap between the hub and the wheel, which over time causes the wheel to seize and prevents removal. This has been frustrating to both stranded motorists and shop mechanics.

AS PART of its continuing research to improve the die casting process, International Lead Zinc Research Organization, Inc. has prepared a computer program, “Computer-Aided Design for Zinc Die Casting Dies,” which will enable a die caster to design the metal flow system for a die within a matter of minutes—simply and more accurately than ever possible, previously. It is helping convert what has been an art into a science.

The role of zinc die castings in the materials marketplace has changed significantly in the last generation. In response to a shift in the available market, the industry has made major advances intended to improve competitiveness in both traditional and non-traditional areas. Better efficiency and performance have been achieved by the application of new methods and technologies. The ZA alloys, introduced to die casting during the last decade, have markedly expanded the capabilities of both zinc and the die casting process. This paper presents a review of several zinc die castings used in automatic applications.

Because of the drastic chilling involved in die casting and the fact that the solid solubilities of both aluminum and copper in zinc change with temperature, these alloys are subject to some aging changes, one of which is a dimensional change. Both of the alloys undergo a slight shrinkage after casting, which at room temperature is about two-thirds complete in five weeks. It is possible to accelerate this shrinkage by a stabilizing anneal, after which no further changes occur. The recommended stabilizing anneal is 3 to 6 h at 100 °C (212 °F), or 5 to 10 h at 85 °C (185 °F), or 10 to 20 h at 70 °C (158 °F). The time in each case is measured from the time at which the castings reach the annealing temperature. The parts may be air cooled after annealing. Such a treatment will cause a shrinkage (0.0004 in per in) of about two-thirds of the total, and the remaining shrinkage will occur at room temperature during the subsequent few weeks.

The preceeding presentation explained the compositions of the zinc alloys. Now we can examine the properties that these combinations give rise to. In doing so, we must first understand the importance of each property to the design of any component. One must consider each of the properties individually so as to gain an understanding of cumulative effects and the relative importance of each property to the final application. The most effective way to attack the problem is to analyze the part's requirements with respect to applied stresses, environmental and operating conditions and economic constraints. While there are many mathematical models available to enable numerical analysis of property evaluations, they all rely on the same basic principle: The Total Systems Approach. That is, the consideration of all aspects of design. Properties evaluation is a critical step in this process.