Deformation Behavior of Longitudinal Surface Flaws in Flat Rolling of Steel Wire

Abstract

The deformation behavior of a longitudinal V-shaped surface flaw was investigated during the flat wire rolling process using finite element analysis. The effects of process conditions, material properties, and initial position of the flaw on the deformation behavior of surface flaws were evaluated to understand the deformation behavior of flaws and to find solutions to decrease flaws. The surface flaw, that is, the ratio of the depth and width of the surface flaw (r), decreased with increasing reduction in height per pass, roll diameter, and friction coefficient. Unfortunately, the surface flaw and strain homogeneity of the wire simultaneously decreased under similar process conditions. The surface flaw slightly decreased with the strain hardening exponent (n) by increasing the width of the surface flaw. However, the effect of n value on the deformation of the surface flaw was not crucial. Higher strain at the flat surface induced an overlap-type surface flaw, whereas a small strain in the free surface induced an open-type surface flaw during the flat wire rolling process, which means that the surface flaw on the flat surface was much more detrimental than the surface flaw on the free surface. The deformation behavior of the surface flaw in flat-rolled wire was highly related to the strain inhomogeneity and lateral spreading of the wire. As the strain inhomogeneity of the flat-rolled wire increased, the lateral spreading of the wire increased, resulting in a decrease in the surface flaw, i.e., the r value.