Texture Evolution and Residual Stress Relaxation in a Cold-Rolled Al-Mg-Si-Cu Alloy Using Vibratory Stress Relief Technique

Over the last half century, vibratory stress relief (VSR) has come to be recognized as a technique with several unique benefits, and it has found applications in various industries. However, the mechanisms involved remain unclear, and the textures corresponding to residual stress relaxation were rarely reported in the existing literature. The purpose of this study is to discuss the texture evolution and residual stress relaxation in a cold-rolled Al-Mg-Si-Cu alloy using VSR technique. All the residual stress measurements were performed using a standard X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. Measurement of texture was performed on the specimen surface using conventional pole figure (PF) as well as orientation distribution functions (ODFs) methods. Results indicate that the VSR technique can be applied to weaken the alpha-fiber and cause the residual stress of the rolled samples to gradually approach uniformity in XRD analysis. The best relaxation of the compressive residual stress reaches about 52.6 pct, but relaxation of the tensile residual stress is less than 10 pct. After the VSR process for 20 minutes, the texture intensities of PFs (200) and (220) as compared to those in nonvibration are nearly homogeneously distributed. Furthermore, the texture of (111) PF perpendicular to normal direction (ND), which is affected by vibratory force parallel to ND, almost disappears.