Fatigue in an AZ31 Alloy Subjected to Rotary Swaging

The magnesium AZ31 alloy was swaged with rotary pressure with the aim of redefining the microstructure and improving mechanical and fatigue properties. The rotary swaging process and subsequent ageing improved the yield stress in tension and compression. In the present study, the investigation was focused on fatigue behaviour. The samples were cycled in a symmetric regime with a frequency of 35 Hz. A dependence of the stress amplitude on the number of cycles up to the fracture was estimated. The microstructure of the samples and fracture surfaces was analysed with a scanning electron microscope. The fatigue process was influenced by the pronounced texture formed in the swaging process. The fatigue properties of the swaged samples improved substantially—the endurance limit based on 10(7) cycles was approximately 120 MPa—compared to those of the cast alloy. The analysis of the fracture surfaces showed a transcrystalline fatigue fracture.