Analytical and Numerical Models for the Analysis of the Multi-Stage Drawing Process of Zn Wires

Abstract

Today environmental aspects are of great importance in the sustainability of the planet, in this aspect anti-corrosive treatments facilitate the durability of metal structures. Among the most widely used anticorrosive metals is Zinc and its alloys. In the deep galvanizing process of large steel structures, tanks containing Zinc in a molten state at a temperature of 460 °C are necessary. Then, to protect elements that are too large or that need to be treated "in situ", metallization is used, which consists of projecting molten zinc wire on the metal surface that has previously been subjected to a process sandblasting (mechanical abrasion). The two main methods of metalizing are electric arc and flame. In the present work an industrial wiredrawing draft has been studied, determining the drawing force and the power required in each stage. For this purpose, linear strain hardening model vs non-linear strain hardening model that takes strain rate hardening into account has been proposed for its implementation in the analytical model of the process and finite element model (FEM) has been developed too. The use of Hall Petch equation has been allowed to get a prediction of the evolution of the grain size during the wiredrawing sequence.