Design and mechanical property analysis of AA1050 turbine blades manufactured by equal channel angular extrusion and isothermal forging

In this present research work, a study on the design and the manufacturing of Francis turbine blades with submicrometric microstructure from AA1050 has been carried out by means of combining equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE/ECAP) and isothermal forging. The starting material used is previously processed by the severe plastic deformation (SPD) process named ECAE. In spite of the fact that, over the last few years there has been a great deal of interest in SPD materials, there have been scant industrial applications made of them. As will be shown in this research work, it is possible to significantly increase the mechanical properties of the AA1050, compared to that obtained by conventional manufacturing processes, as well as to obtain a submicrometric microstructure in the so-obtained parts. Therefore, this present study aims to demonstrate the viability of obtaining mechanical components at moderate forging temperature values and with higher mechanical properties than those obtained by conventional forging or from isothermal forging processes.