Abstract
This thesis investigates the effect of cold rolling and precipitation hardening on the strength of aluminium alloy
6082. The material underwent several processes, including a solution heat treatment at 540 °C for 1 hour, three degrees of deformation, 0 %, 30 %, and 60 % after solution heat treatment, and artificial ageing at 180°C for 8 hours after cold rolling. The effect of natural ageing was also briefly examined.
The results of mechanical tests such as the tensile and Vickers hardness tests revealed that cold rolling and precipitation hardening significantly increased the material’s strength and affected mechanical properties such as hardness, tensile strength, yield strength, ductility, and toughness.
Additionally, a clear effect of cold work on precipitation hardening was observed such that the impact of precipitation hardening on mechanical properties decreased as the degree of deformation increased.
The material’s microstructure was analysed using an Optical and Scanning Electron Microscope. The results revealed noticeable changes in grain structure and size induced by cold rolling. The material’s microstructure also showed signs of texture with a preferred grain orientation as the degree of deformation increased to 60 per cent.
