Hot rolling, a critical process in the manufacturing of aluminum sheet products, can significantly impact the final properties of the cold rolled sheet. In this research, a mathematical model was developed to predict the through-thickness thermal and deformation history of a sheet undergoing single stand hot rolling using the commercial finite element (FE) package, ABAQUS ™ . A physically based internal state variable microstructure model has been incorporated into the FE simulation for an AA5083 aluminum alloy to predict the evolution of the material stored energy and the subsequent recrystallization after deformation is complete. The microstructure predictions were validated against experimental measurements conducted using the Corus pilot scale rolling facility in IJmuiden, the Netherlands for an AA5083 aluminum alloy. The model was able to predict the fraction recrystallized as well as the recrystallized grain size reasonably well under a range of industrially relevant hot deformation conditions. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to determine the influence of changing the material constants in the microstructure model and deformation conditions on the predicted recrystallization behaviour. The analysis showed that the entry temperature was the most sensitive process parameter causing significant changes in the predicted driving force for recrystallization, nucleation density, fraction recrystallized, and recrystallized grain size.

Modelling of microstructure evolution during hot rolling of AA5083 using an internal state variable approach integrated into an FE model

Experimental and simulation on the grain growth of P/M nickel-base superalloy during the heat treatment process

Recent advances in the kinetics of normal/abnormal grain growth: a review

The analysis of over 200 extrusion trials on alloy AA 2024 is reported. The pressure and speed limitations for varying section shapes are established, and it is shown that by incorporating a novel shape factor these may be predicted with some accuracy. The recrystallisation kinetics in the extrusion process are analysed, and the theoretical form is shown to fit the experimental results well. Semiempirical formulae are presented to describe the development of structure at each stage of the process.MST/1725

Extrusion of AA 2024 alloy

A mathematical model to predict the through thickness temperature, strain and strain rate distributions during hot rolling and the subsequent microstructure evolution was developed using the commercial finite element package ABAQUS. Microstructure evolution predictions included the amount of recrystallisation through the thickness of the sheet based on its thermomechanical history during rolling and thermal history after rolling. The equations used to predict the microstructure evolution were based on semiempirical relationships found in the literature for a 5083 aluminium alloy. Validation of the model predictions was done using comprehensive experimental measurements which were conducted using the Corus research multimill, a pilot scale experimental rolling facility, in Ijmuiden, The Netherlands. The results indicate that the through thickness temperature and strain distribution predictions for the rolling operation are reasonable. Hence, the boundary conditions used in the finite element model ...

Mathematical model of deformation and microstructural evolution during hot rolling of aluminium alloy 5083

A parametric study has been carried out to quantify the recrystallised grain size in two commercial non heat treatable alloys, AA 5056 and AA 5083. It is shown that the deformation parameters (including total hot strain and deformation temperature) and the parent microstructures (typically quantified by grain size and constituent particles) have a controlling effect on recrystallised grain size. Grain growth subsequent to recrystallisation has also been studied as a function of time and temperature of annealing. Grain size distributions were also measured and are presented in the form of histograms.MST/899

T. Sheppard

Papers

Microstructural development during annealing of hot rolled Al–Mg alloys