Strain rate effects of AM60

Magnesium is seeing increasing use in the automotive industry due to its high strength-to-weight ratio and its ability to be cast to tight dimensional tolerances. Presently, main applications include interior components such as instrument panels, steering wheels and seat frames. Consequently, there is a strong need for understanding the rate effect on the behaviour of magnesium under impact type loading. In this work the effect of strain rate on AM60 tensile behaviour was investigated through both high and cold temperature testing, at ranges relevant to the automotive environment. Microstructural analysis, presented in this paper, includes porosity, grain size and fracture surface analyses. (author)