Abstract
This paper presents the results of research with regard to determining the conditions of the thermoplastic processing of steel wire rod for cold upsetting, which ensures that a finished product with an even and fine-grained microstructure, without a clear banding and with increased cold deformability is obtained. The material used for the studies was 20MnB4 low carbon steel, and the studies were carried out on wire rod with a final diameter of 5.5 mm. Numerical modelling of the analysed process was carried out using commercial FORGE 2011® and QTSteel® programs, based on the finite element method. The GLEEBLE 3800® metallurgical process simulator was used for the physical modelling studies. The obtained theoretical and experimental results were then verified in industrial conditions. Based on the obtained results, it was found that the optimum strip temperature before deformation in the RSM finishing block of the rolling mill is about 850 °C. The best cooling variant after the deformation process was the one in which the cooling rate was 10 °C/s. Such parameters of thermoplastic processing ensure that a final product with a favourable complex of mechanical and technological properties as well as a fine-grained, even microstructure, lacking clear banding, is obtained.
Highlights
Huge progress has been made in rolling technology
As the research published in [3] showed, after the deformation of 20MnB4 steel for cold upsetting, at a rolling end temperature of about 750 ◦ C, microstructure banding is obtained, which reduces the technological properties of the wire rod, regardless of the cooling rate used on the roller conveyor
The research presented in the work was carried out on 20MnB4 low-carbon steel (Table 1) for cold upsetting, with the chemical composition according to PN-EN 10263-4:2004 [36]
Summary
Huge progress has been made in rolling technology. In modern rolling mills, the final rolling rate reaches values up to 140 m/s, and the control systems used in the controlled cooling processes enable the treatment of rolled steel directly on the rolling line [1]. As the research published in [3] showed, after the deformation of 20MnB4 steel for cold upsetting, at a rolling end temperature of about 750 ◦ C, microstructure banding is obtained, which reduces the technological properties of the wire rod, regardless of the cooling rate used on the roller conveyor For this reason, it is justified to determine the correct temperature of the end of the rolling process, which, in combination with the appropriate cooling rate after rolling, will ensure that the finished product has the required microstructure and properties. In the available technical literature, there are few papers on the rolling process of wire rod which describe the possibilities of shaping and improving the mechanical and technological properties of the finished product using numerical methods and physical modelling taking into account the limitations of the available testing apparatus and the verification of such studies in industrial conditions. The obtained results and their analysis should be helpful in developing changes in the currently used methods of wire rod production, or in the design of new technological lines for rolling wire rods
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