Chip Extrusion with Integrated Equal Channel Angular Pressing

The direct recycling of aluminum alloy machining chips into finished or semi-finished products by hot extrusion is a promising approach to increase the energy efficiency of aluminum recycling and to overcome the problem of material loss due to oxidation during remelting. However, the mechanical properties of the chip-based products are often inferior compared to those based on originally cast material. Critical factors to achieve sound bonding of the chips and therefore favorable mechanical properties of the chip-based products are the shear, pressure and strain affecting the chips during the extrusion process. In the process of chip extrusion with integrated equal channel angular pressing (iECAP), the chips are pressed through channels intersected by an angle before the actual extrusion process. This additional deformation increases the shear, pressure and strain acting on the chips and therefore improve the mechanical properties of the chip-based extrudates.