Machine Learning Algorithms Model Applied to Predict Mechanical Properties of Thixoformed Al-6wt.%Si-2.5wt.%Cu Alloy
摘要
This study introduces a model based on advanced machine learning techniques to estimate the mechanical and microstructural properties of the Al6wt.%Si-2.5wt.%Cu alloy under various processing conditions, including thixoforming and T6 heat treatment. The alloy's microstructure was analyzed using optical and electron microscopy. Tensile strength, hardness, and fatigue resistance tests adhering to technical standards were assessed. The findings confirm that thixoforming—particularly the holding time at 583 °C (corresponding to a 60% liquid fraction)—along with the T6 heat treatment, has a substantial impact on the silicon shape factor, grain size, hardness, tensile strength, and fatigue resistance of the alloy. The machine learning model used processing conditions and heat treatment as input variables to predict critical properties such as grain size, shape factor of the silicon particle, hardness, ultimate tensile strength, elongation, yield strength, and fatigue strength. Among the models tested, the random forest algorithm provided the most accurate predictions, with a coefficient of determination of 87% and a mean logarithmic error of 0.002 on the test dataset. The machine learning models effectively predicted mechanical and microstructural characteristics based on processing conditions, optimizing the performance of the thixoformed process of Al-Si-Cu alloys.