Publications
Formability of Aluminum Mild Detonating Fuse
Mild detonating fuse is an extruded aluminum tube that contains explosive material. Fuse prepared by a new supplier (Company B) exhibited a formability problem and was analyzed to determine the source of that formability problem. The formability problem was associated with cracking of the aluminum tube when it was bent around a small radius. Mild detonating fuse prepared by the existing supplier of product (Company A) did not exhibit a formability problem. The two fuses were prepared using different aluminum alloys. The microstructure and chemical composition of the two aluminum alloys were compared. It was found that the microstructure of the Company A aluminum exhibited clear signs of dynamic recrystallization while the Company B aluminum did not. Recrystallization results in the removal of dislocations associated with work hardening and will dramatically improve formability. Comparison of the chemical composition of the two aluminum alloys revealed that the Company A aluminum contained significantly lower levels of impurity elements (specifically Fe and Si) than the COMPANY B aluminum. It has been concluded that the formability problem exhibited by the COMPANY B material will be solved by using an aluminum alloy with low impurity content such as 1190-H18 or 1199-0.