ASM Aluminum and Its Alloys

Aluminum occupies an important position in the family of metals with a very wide range of industrial and consumer applications. Second only to iron, aluminum is the worlds most widely used metal. Because of aluminum's many desirable properties, such as light weight, high strength, and corrosion resistance, modern designers utilize it extensively where energy conservation and product performance are paramount.

This course has been enhanced with self-guided digital short courses added to related lessons. These additions feature enhanced visuals, narrated text and animations, and interactive quizzes to support learning.

Target Audience

• Personnel involved with any facet of aluminum and its alloys
• Metallurgists
• Technicians
• QA/QC Managers
• Engineering Managers
• Purchasing Professionals

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Identify aluminum alloys suited to specific applications
• Describe key processing parameters that influence structure - property relationships
• Identify composition and processing interactions that result in final material properties
• Solve routine processing and heat-treating issues
• Identify cost-reduction opportunities that do not negatively impact material and product performance

Course Outline

1. Introduction to Aluminum: history of aluminum extraction; physical properties; classification; wrought and casting alloys
2. Extractive Metallurgy: bauxite composition; conversion to Al2O3; reduction plants; cryolite electrolytic cell operation; raw materials; impurities and superpurity
3. Solidfication and Phase Diagrams: solidification of pure metals; types of alloys; equilibrium diagrams; ternary equilibrium diagrams
4. Aluminum Alloy Systems: binary, ternary and quaternary systems;
5. Aluminum Casting Principles: melting; casting; solidification; grain size; segregation; inclusions; furnaces
6. Aluminum Casting Practice: castability of alloys; casting processes; procedures; sand, shell mold, permanent mold, die, investment, and centrifugal casting
7. Hot and Cold Working Aluminum Alloys: rolling; extruding; forging; deep drawing; spinning; roll, stretch, press brake, other forming
8. Recovery, Recrystallization and Grain Growth: stages in recrystallization; effect of alloying additions on recrystallization temperatures; annealing; effect of cold reduction in annealing
9. Precipitation Hardening of Aluminum Alloys: solid solubility characteristics; properties of binary systems; properties of complex alloys; wrought and cast alloys
10. Metallography of Aluminum Alloys: sample preparation; alloy constituents; heat treatment of aluminum copper, aluminum silicon, other alloys
11. Application and Properties of Wrought Aluminum Alloys: breaking down cast structure; effect of working on grain size
12. Applications and Properties of Aluminum Casting Alloys: typical casting alloys; grain size effects; specific grades and heat treatments
13. Joining Aluminum Alloys: properties, processes and procedures; welding, brazing and soldering; adhesive bonding; riveting
14. Corrosion of Aluminum Alloys: general aspects; causes, forms of corrosion; effects of alloying; intergranular, stress corrosion; protection; testing
15. Finishing Aluminum: mechanical surface treatment; chemical finishing, milling; electrolytic oxide coatings; other finishes and coatings

You will have 12 months to complete the course from the time you register.