Abstract
Lightweight materials such as aluminum and magnesium have recently received much attention in the automotive industries because of environmental and fuel-efficiency concerns. Using the powder metallurgy (PM) process for these materials creates significant opportunities for the cost-effective manufacture of lightweight automotive parts. In the present study, an Al-Cu-Mg alloy was fabricated using conventional PM processes. Primarily, the effects of the alloying elements on the sintering characteristics and mechanical behavior after heat treatment were investigated. A microstructural analysis was performed using an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope to investigate the behavior of liquid phase sintering, including the formation of precipitates. The dependence of the mechanical behavior on the alloying elements was evaluated based on the transverse rupture strength.