Apple Strength Issues

Strength of the apple parts has been noticed to decrease, especially those installed by the new induction heating system since the LEP campaign started. Fig. 1 shows the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength (YS), and elongation of the installed or installation-simulated apples on various systems. One can clearly see the mean values of UTS and YS of the post-LEP parts decreased by about 8 ksi and 6 ksi respectively from those of the pre-LEP parts. The slight increase in elongation seen in Fig.1 can be understood from the weak inverse relationship between the strength and elongation in metals. Fig.2 shows the weak correlation between the YS and elongation of the parts listed in Fig. 1. Strength data listed in Figure 1 were re-plotted as histograms in Figs. 3 and 4. Figs. 3a and 4a show histograms of all UTS and YS data. Figs. 3b and 4b shows histograms of pre-LEP data and Figs. 3c and 4c of post-LEP data. Data on statistical scatter of tensile strengths have been rarely published by material suppliers. Instead, only the minimum 'guaranteed' strength data are typically presented. An example of strength distribution of aluminum 7075-T6 sheet material, listed in Fig. 5, show that its scatter width of both UTS and YS for a single sheet can be about 6 ksi and for multi-lot scatter can be as large as 11 ksi even though the sheets have been produced through well-controlled manufacturing process. By approximating the histograms shown in Figs. 3 and 4 by a Gaussian or similar type of distribution curves, one can plausibly see the strength reductions in the later or more recent apples. The pre-LEP data in Figs. 3b and 4b show wider scatter than the post-LEP data in Figs. 3c and 4c and seem to follow the binomial distribution of strength indicating that the apples might have been made from two different lots of material, either from two different vendors or from two different melts of perhaps slightly different chemical composition by a single vendor. The post-LEP apples seem to have been from a single batch of material. The pre-LEP apples of the weak strength and the post-LEP apples with even weaker strength could have been made of the same batch of material, and the small strength differential might be due to the difference in the induction heating system. If the pre-LEP apples with the lower strength and the post LEP apples are made from the same batch of material, their combined scatter of strength data would be wider and can be understood as a result of the additional processing steps of stress relief and induction heating as discussed

Laminated metal composite formed from low flow stress layers and high flow stress layers using flow constraining elements and method of making same

This invention relates to a laminated metal composite, comprising alternating layers of low flow stress material and high flow stress material, and formed using flow constraining elements around each low flow stress layer; and a method of making same. A composite is a combination of at least two chemically distinct materials with a distinct interface separating the two materials. A metal matrix composite (MMC) is a composite material composed of a metal and a nonmetallic reinforcing agent such as silicon carbide (SiC) or graphite in continuous or discontinuous fiber, whisker, or discrete particulate form. A laminate is a material composed of several bonded layers. It is possible to have a laminate composed of multi-layers of a single type of material bonded to each other. However, such a laminate would not be considered to be a composite. The term {open_quotes}laminated metal composite{close_quotes} (LMC), as used herein, is intended to include a structural material composed of: (1) layers of metal or metal alloys interleaved with (2) a different metal, a metal alloy, or a metal matrix composite (MMC) containing strengthening agents

Severe plastic deformation through adiabatic shear banding in Fe-C steels

Severe plastic deformation is observed within adiabatic shear bands in iron-carbon steels. These shear bands form under high strain rate conditions, in excess of 1000 s{sup -1}, and strains in the order 5 or greater are commonly observed. Studies on shear band formation in a ultrahigh carbon steel (1.3%C) are described in the pearlitic condition. A hardness of 11.5 GPa (4600 MPa) is obtained within the band. A mechanism is described to explain the high strength based on phase transformation to austenite from adiabatic heating resulting from severe deformation. Rapid re-transformation leads to an ultra-fine ferrite grain size containing carbon principally in the form of nanosize carbides. It is proposed that the same mechanism explains the ultrahigh strength of iron-carbon steels observed in ball-milling, ball drop tests and in severely deformed wires

Superplasticity in laminated metal composites

Several studies have shown the possibility of achieving superplastic behavior in laminated metal composites consisting of alternating layers of superplastic and non-superplastic materials. Achieving high rate sensitivity in such a laminate requires the appropriate choice of component materials and component volume fraction as well as deformation under appropriate conditions of strain rate and temperature. The first investigators to study this behavior were Snyder et al. [1], who demonstrated that a non-superplastic material (interstitial free iron) could be made superplastic by lamination with a superplastic material (fine-grained ultrahigh carbon steel (UHCS)). Other laminates in which superplasticity has been observed in a non-superplastic material include UHCS/stainless steel and UHCS/aluminum bronze. In these studies, tensile tests were conducted with the tensile axis parallel to the layers. High strain rate sensitivities were observed and are associated with high tensile ductilities. However, as observed by Tsai et al. [2], obtaining high strain rate sensitivity is a necessary but not sufficient condition for high elongations. Tsai et al. studied the UHCS/brass laminate and found that, despite a strain rate sensitivity exponent of 0.5, only about 60% elongation was obtained. The low tensile ductility resulted from brittle, intergranular fracture of the brass. Once cracking started in the brass, cracks penetrated into the UHCS and premature failure resulted. Thus high elongations requires achieving high strain rate sensitivity as well as avoiding brittle fracture in the less ductile layer. In addition to tension, other deformation modes, including compression [3] and co-extrusion [4], have been studied for deformation response under conditions of high strain rate

STARD1: a new rising StAR in cholesterol-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis

CommentaryFunding: SP and CB acknowledge the research funding from Rosetrees Trust (M894) and Guts UK (DGO2019_02)

The c/a Ratio in Quenched Fe-C and Fe-N steels - a Heuristic Story

The body-centered tetragonal (BCT) structure in quenched Fe-C steels is usually illustrated to show a linear change in the c and a axes with an increase in carbon content from 0 to 1.4%C. The work of Campbell and Fink, however, shows that this continuous linear relationship is not correct. Rather, it was shown that the body-centered-cubic (BCC) structure is the stable structure from 0 to 0.6 wt%C with the c/a ratio equal to unity. An abrupt change in the c/a ratio to 1.02 occurs at 0.6 wt%C. The BCT structure forms, and the c/a ratio increases with further increase in carbon content. An identical observation is noted in quenched Fe-N steels. This discontinuity is explained by a change in the transformation process. It is proposed that a two-step transformation process occurs in the low carbon region, with the FCC first transforming to HCP and then from HCP to BCC. In the high carbon region, the FCC structure transforms to the BCT structure. The results are explained with the Engel-Brewer theory of valence and crystal structure of the elements. An understanding of the strength of quenched iron-carbon steels plays a key role in the proposed explanation of the c/a anomaly based on interstitial solutes and precipitates

Nano-Carbides and the Strength of Steels as Assessed by Electrical Resistivity Studies

The work of Frommeyer on electrical conductivity measurements in pearlitic steels is reviewed to provide insight into microstructures developed during wi wire drawing. Electrical re conductivity measurements were made as a function of drawing strain (up to {var_epsilon} = 6.0) for wires with strength exceeding 3500MPa. The results show that electrical conductivity increases during wire wire-drawing to a maximum value, then decreases with further deformation finally reaching a steady state value that is equal to the original conductivity. The initial increase is the result of pearlite plate orientation in the direction of wire wire-drawing, which makes the path of conduction through the ferrite plates more accessible. At a critical strain the cementite plates begin to fragment and the electrical conductivity decreases to a steady state value that is the same as that observed prior to wire drawing. With increasing strain, the cementite particles are refined and the strength increases due to the reduction in inter inter-particle spacing. It is concluded that the electrical conductivity of the wires is solely dependent on the amount of iron carbides provided they are randomly distributed as plates or as particles. An estimate was made that indicates the carbide particle size is approximately 3-5 nm in the steady state range of electrical conductivity

Influence of Iron Oxide Particles on the Strength of Ball-Milled Iron

Detailed microstructural and mechanical property studies of ball-milled iron, in the powder and consolidated states, are reviewed and assessed. The analyses cover three and one-half orders of magnitude of grain size (from 6 nm to 20 mm) and focus on the influence of oxide particles on the strength. The study includes the early work of Koch and Yang, Kimura and Takaki and continues with the more recent work of Umemoto et al and Belyakov, Sakai et al. It is shown that the major contributors to strength are the nanooxide particles. These particles are created by adiabatic shear banding during ball-milling leading to a bimodal distribution of particles. The predicted strength from particles, {sigma}{sub p}, is given by {sigma}{sub p} = B {center_dot} (D*{sub S}){sup -1/2} where D*{sub S} is the surface-to-surface interparticle spacing, and B = 395 MPa {center_dot} {micro}m{sup -1/2}. A model is proposed that accounts for the influence of the bimodal particle size distribution on strength

Nano-subgrain Strengthening in Ball-milled Iron

The strength and deformation behavior of ball-milled, iron-base materials containing nano-scale subgrains have been evaluated. As reported by several authors, nanosubgrains form during the early stages of ball milling as a result of severe plastic deformation inherent in the ball milling process. The strength for these nano-scale subgrains are compared with the strength of larger-scale subgrains in iron and iron-base alloys produced by traditional mechanical working. The data covers over 2 orders of magnitude in subgrain size (from 30 nm to 6 {micro}m) and shows a continuous pattern of behavior. For all materials studied, the strength varied as {lambda}{sup -1}, where {lambda} is the subgrain size. Strengthening from subgrains was found to breakdown at a much smaller subgrain size than strengthening from grains. In addition, the ball-milled materials showed significant strengthening contributions from nano-scale oxide particles. Shear bands are developed during testing of ball-milled materials containing ultra-fine subgrains. A model for shear band development in nano-scale subgrains during deformation has also been developed. The model predicts a strain state of uniaxial compression in the shear band with a strain of -1.24. Subgrains are shown to offer the opportunity for high strength and good work hardening with the absence of yield point behavior

Inhibition of mapk signalling promotes cell cycle arrest and sensitises intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells to chemotherapy

Introduction: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common primary hepatic malignancy, accounting for approximately 15% of cases of primary liver cancer. Although new treatments have increased survival for many other cancers, including the more common primary hepatocellular carcinoma, treatment strategies and survival for patients with ICC have seen little improvement. Our previous studies suggest that the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling plays a central role in the regulation of cell proliferation in human ICC. However the molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we aim to explore whether inhibition of the MAPK pathway and its downstream effectors enhances the sensitisation of ICC cells to the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatinum. Method: We used a combinatorial approach of immunohistochemical and gene expression analyses to investigate the expression of MAPK-related genes in ICC tumours. Furthermore, by using in-vitroand in-vivoanalyses we have characterised the function of a novel MAPK downstream effector in ICC cells. Results: The expression of MAPK signalling was determined by immunohistochemical staining in tumour samples from a cohort of 14 ICC patients. High expression of phospho-activated MAPK was observed in 71.4% (10/14) of ICC cases as compared with surrounding nontumour tissue. Likewise, expression of JDP, a downstream effector of the MAPK signalling, was scored as high intensity in 64.3% (9/14). Strikingly, elevated expression of JDP transcripts was also observed in two independent cohorts of human ICC (n = 149 and n = 109 per group, respectively) compared to surrounding normal liver tissue. Consistent with the in-vivo analyses of human samples, immunoblotting analyses showed constitutive activation of MAPK and expression of JDP in ICC-derived cells (i.e. SG231, CCLP-1 and HuCCT1). Using loss-of-function analyses, we demonstrates that knockdown of JDP in ICC-derived cells resulted in cell cycle arrest and reduced expression of cell cycle regulators (i.e. cyclins), and had minimal effect on apoptosis. Chemical inhibition of JDP significantly sensitises ICC-derived cells to cisplatinum (P < 0.001). Conclusion: These results demonstrate that enhanced activation of MAPK signalling is important for ICC cell proliferation and suggest that targeting its downstream effectors is a potential therapeutic strategy for ICC