A Novel Approach to Friction Extrusion of Aluminum Alloy 2024

Friction extrusion technology was first developed and patented in 1991 at The Welding Institute, but it remained largely unexplored for many years. Over the past decade, this technology has gained popularity due to its ability to recycle chips and produce composite materials. Typically, in friction extrusion, the applied force and extrusion direction are opposite; this configuration is commonly referred to as reverse extrusion. Additionally, the tool feed rate is often used as a control parameter. However, this approach introduces technological challenges and results in a heterogeneous product structure. This paper proposes a novel friction extrusion method in which the applied force and extrusion direction are co-directional, and no tool is used. Moreover, a constant load is maintained throughout the extrusion process. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme is feasible and enables wire extrusion without macroscopic defects. Although the current efficiency is low and the maximum sample size achieved is 45 mm, the cross-sectional microhardness of the samples remains stable. The material strength reached approximately 90% of that of the initial 2024 aluminum alloy.