Energy Saving Magnesium AZ31 profile AZ31B tubing Excellent Strength Stiffness Truss constructions

Xi’an Yuechen Metal Products Co., Ltd. (XYMCO) is a Chinese leading manufacturer of magnesium tooling plate, magnesium alloy plate, sheet, slab, block, bar, rod, billet, tube, pipe, wire and profile. XYMCO was founded in 1995 with more than 20 years experiences in the magnesium alloy industry and from the beginning we focus on providing high-level quality magnesium alloy materials to our customers.

In recently years, XYMCO made a commitment to their customers to maintain large inventories available of magnesium tooling plate, magnesium alloy plate, sheet, slab, block, bar, rod, billet, tube, pipe and wire for immediately delivery/shipment. Today, with over 150tonnes in stock, XYMCO has one of the largest inventories in China, it makes sure just-on-time delivery for most sizes of plate, sheet, slab, block, bar, rod, billet, tube, pipe and wire.

The process for extruding magnesium wrought material is almost the same as the process for extruding aluminium materials. Most common is direct extrusion without a lubricant.
Cylindrical ingots are heated to 300-400 degrees Celsius (depending on the used alloy) and pressed through dies with manifold cross- sections. This procedure ensures a clean metallic surface and non-porous microstructures that are really important for high-tech materials and special requirements.

The maximum extrusion speed depends on the alloy that’s been used and defines the price. The alloy AZ 31 is easier for extrusion, and the most difficult alloys are for example AZ 80 and ZK 60 The extrusion speed is sometimes more than ten times slower for these alloys.

The special shapes and cross-sections of the magnesium extrusions can be designed with considerable freedom. Extruded shapes are separated into solid and hollow profiles according to the complexity factors and the cross-sections. Full rods, flat bars and shapes without embedded planes belong to the first type, while hollow profiles include one or more completely enclosed cavity or bay region.

The minimum wall thickness is determined by the alloy and form of the profile. For small or medium size profiles in alloy AZ31 the minimum wall thickness is about 1 mm. Wall thickness in multiple walls with bosses, flanges, ribs, slits and indentations can be incorporated into a new designed product to maximize the mechanical properties.

With some of the alloys it’s possible to extrude magnesium on the standard dies that are normally used for aluminium extrusions with a small correction to the die. Because of this there is a wide range of standard profiles (for example flat/angle/rectangular –square and round tubes/ U-shape/H-shape etcetera) that can be extruded without big investments in new dies. The second added value for the customer is that for new designed profiles, he only needs to invest in one single die for extruding profiles in aluminium and magnesium.

After extrusion there are several steps necessary before the extruded profile can be used for constructional components with the required strength for example stretching and special heat treatment.

XYCM’s capacity for the extrusion:

Bar: Max. Diameter: 300mm;

Tube: Max. OD: 600mm x thickness 125mm

Flat bar: 920 x 160mm

U-Shape: 800 x 300mm

Rectangular: 700 x 200mm

Square tube: 430 x 430mm

Max. Length for the above items: 30meter/each

We also can extrude special shape profiles according to customer’s drawings, and we have good machining capabilities.

Applications of our extruded products:

The special characteristics of magnesium such as its light weight and damping capacity make it therefore, a material that is readily used in several different applications.

Automotive

Sport and Leisure

Common applications

ALLOY AZ 31B-F hollow
Material Notes:
Mg content calculated as balance. AZ31B and AZ31C
have the same nominal composition and differ only in
specification ranges. Medium strength.
Component Value Min Max
Aluminum, Al 2.5 3.5
Calcium, Ca 0.04
Copper, Cu 0.05
Iron, Fe 0.005
Magnesium, Mg 97
Manganese, Mn 0.2
Nickel, Ni 0.005
Silicon, Si 0.1
Zinc, Zn 0.6 1.4
Properties Value Min Max Comment
Physical
Density, g/cc 1.77 -- --
Mechanical
Hardness, Brinell 46 -- -- 500 kg load, 10 mm ball
Tensile Strength, Ultimate, MPa 241 -- --
Tensile Strength, Yield, MPa 165 -- -- at 0.2% Offset
Elongation at Break, % 16 -- -- in 50 mm
Modulus of Elasticity, GPa 45 -- -- In Tension
Compressive Yield Strength, MPa 83 -- -- at 0.2% offset
Poissons Ratio 0.35 -- --
Machinability, % 100 -- --
Relative Rating,
100=Best
Shear Modulus, GPa 17 -- --
Electrical
Electrical Resistivity, ohm-cm 9.2e-006 -- --
Thermal
Heat of Fusion, J/g 340 -- --
CTE, linear 20°C, µm/m-°C 26 -- -- from 0-100°C (32-212°F)
CTE, linear 100°C, µm/m-°C 27 -- --
20 - 200ºC. Estimated
from similar Mg alloys.
Specific Heat Capacity, J/g-°C 1 -- --
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K 96 -- --
Melting Point, °C -- 605 630
Solidus, °C 605 -- --
Liquidus, °C 630 -- --
Processing
Processing Temperature, °C -- 230 425 Hot Working
Annealing Temperature, °C 345 -- --