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Letter 6050
How to harden
AL2024-T351?
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I am a mechanical engineer for a small aerospace company. I
wouldlike to find out a process as well as specification for
hardening asection of an Aluminum 2024-T351 one-off part. Part is
essentially amachined channel, 2 inch web, shaped in a 33" diam. ring
with theflanges of the channel concentric to the ring centerline.
Insidesurface of outer flange needs to be hardened for use as a track
for acadmium plated chrome steel roller bearing.
1) Can only that surface be hardened, or must entire part
betreated?
2) What process and specification can be use to do this?
3) Will process affect heat treat?
4) Any recommended shops? Input is greatly appreciated...
Rob Berger
Aeromet, Inc - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Ed. note: Sorry, we can't print answers to question 4 as that
one veers out of the technical area into the commercial arena and we
can't very well ask our advertising sponsors to pay the cost of
maintaining testimonials to their competitors
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Well, I don't have the answer to your problem. But I do have
aquestion for you. Why are you using 2024-T351? For aerospace
usage,2024-T3XX, -T4XX and -T6XX are usually a forbidden tempers due
tostress corrosion crack susceptibility. Consider using the
2024-T8XXor another alloy if possible.
Kirk Mueller
Raytheon Systems Co. - El Segundo, CA
USA
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In principle the 2024-T351 is already heat treated. If you still
just want to harden a specific section then here are two tips:
1. Lase induction furnace - very expensive and works only with
sheets
2. DC current - very difficult because you have to wrap the rest
of the material with Teflon tape.
As a solution I would look at shot-peening, it is cheap and
localised.
Dr C A Rodopoulos
University of Sheffield - Sheffield, UK
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