Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

The globalization of the automotive sector is resulting in extreme competitive pressures on the Canadian metals sector. As a result, there is increased awareness that Canadian based companies such as Rio Tinto Aluminium that they must focus on high value added products which reduce the weight of vehicles. The current proposal is a collaboration between Rio Tinto Aluminium, the University of Waterloo and the University of British Columbia to address the need for higher performance aluminum alloys. This project examines high strength 6xxx aluminum extrusion alloys containing copper which can be used for a variety of parts in automobiles and light trucks. The primary objective of this work is to develop knowledge based models which span the entire process from casting to the final heat treatment. This will aid the industry to improve the properties and quality of 6xxx products. The approach taken will be a combination of focused experiments and state of the art modelling techniques. The scope of the work will start with industrially produced as-cast alloys and then encompass the following aspects of the process: homogenization extrusion, quenching and the subsequent heat treatment which is used to increase strength. The benefits to Canada include i) the development and transfer of specific knowledge to the industrial partner, Rio Tinto Aluminum, ii) the education of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (the need for highly qualified personnel has been identified by the industry) and iii) the expansion of internationally leading expertise on the physical metallurgy of aluminum alloys at UBC and Waterloo.