Interdiscipinary Project (ME/EE) for Students in Shop to Increase Conductivity of Aluminum Stock

To decrease cost of production for a new prototype electric machine, researchers at the University of Idaho proposed but did not implement a test plan to determine if heat treatment of less desirable aluminum would be effective for increasing conductivity of the alloy to within a tolerable range. This paper reviews the relevant research and accepted standards for metals manufacturing and the measurement of conductivity in aluminum parts, and proposes a testing procedure for the purpose of determining whether aluminum conductivity can be adequately increased through heat treatment. If conductivity in 6061 TO aluminum can be increased by more than 25% through the over aging of the metal, then 6061 aluminum will be useful as an alternative conductor in applications requiring non-standard extrusions of aluminum as conductive medium. This process is part of a thesis investigation to design an innovative electric motor. It makes a useful vehicle for learning. The project is interdisciplinary, teaching and employing students in a machine shop to learn and evaluate this procedure. Learning aspects include carefully defining the objective of this procedure, in this case to improve conductivity and save money that a designer would have spent on copper, defining the procedure itself for the interdisciplinary (ME and EE) student investigators and gaining experience in a shop. The paper will show the procedure in detail, including points where extra care is necessary, and will document the results expected of such a procedure and accomplishment of learning objectives.