TEXTURE AND RESIDUAL STRAIN IN AN A17050 BILLET

Residual strain and texture measurements have been made on a billet of Al7050 forging of dimensions 18 x 12 x 13 in(3) in the as-forged stat e by neutron diffraction with the aid of(1 1 1) and (0 0 2) reflection s. The spatial variation in strain distribution and texture are large but different for these two reflections. The inhomogeneities observed in the experimental results suggest that type II strains arising durin g forging are not negligible. The evolution of the minority phases in the alloy caused by heat treatment has also been studied by neutron po wder diffraction. Two samples were heated up to 470 degrees C for 20 m in, then one was quenched in a 65 degrees C water bath and the other o ne was cooled in air. Evolution of the minority phases related to the cooling rate during the heat treatment process has been detected. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.