Optimization of Heat Treatment Parameters with the Taguchi Method for the A7050 Aluminum Alloy

Abstract

This paper describes a heat treatment process using dual aging for the A7050 aluminum alloy with the Taguchi method to optimize process parameters. The current study considers micro hardness and electrical conductivity as optimization criteria. Pre-aging temperature, pre-aging time, re-aging temperature, and re-aging time are important factors influencing these optimization criteria. Experiment results show that re-aging temperature is the most significant parameter for electrical conductivity, and both aging times are important influence factors for micro hardness performance. The optimal hardness for A7050 heat treatment conditions are pre-ageing temperature 120 degrees C, preageing time 12hrs., re-aging temperature 140 degrees C, and re-aging time 8 hrs., respectively. The best electrical conductivity parameters are pre-ageing temperature 120 degrees C, pre-ageing time 4 hrs., reaging temperature 180 degrees C, and re-aging time 24 hrs., respectively. The current study obtained contributing individual parameters for hardness, and electrical conductivity in dual aging of heat treatment.