Numerical Simulation of Hot Closed Die Forging of a Low Carbon Steel Coupled with Microstructure Evolution

A L I Moraes,O Balancin

doi:10.1590/1516-1439.273114

A L I Moraes, O Balancin

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1516-1439.273114

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Journal: Materials Research	Publication Date: Feb 1, 2015
Citations: 10	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Carlos

Abstract

Hot closed die forging is a regular process applied to manufacture metallic components used in supporting and fixing cable conductors in electric power transmission lines. In this forming process, the final microstructure of the workpiece depends on the control of several processing parameters. In this study, simulation of the industrial forging process of a ball hook component was performed using the finite element software DEFORM-3D following the thermomechanical procedures coupled with microstructure evolution. This simulation allowed the study of the process parameters such as temperature, strain and strain rate and microstructure evolution during hot closed die forging of a low carbon steel. The geometry and grain size evolutions obtained by simulation are compared with those found in the actual process and measured by optical microscopy. The attained data indicated that the simulation is able to describe processing parameters and microstructure evaluation during hot forging of a metallic component.

Highlights

Carbon steels represent a large share of the global steel production and their applications spread across many fields of modern engineering
The region with the highest amount of deformation is located at the middle of the workpiece height, where the initial grain size of 100 μm was reduced to about 30 μm in the workpiece surface
In the bottom region, where the material remains within the tool, the deformation was practically zero and the grain size remained unchanged

Summary

Introduction

Carbon steels represent a large share of the global steel production and their applications spread across many fields of modern engineering These applications demand continue dimension reductions of the mechanical components and equipments, requiring improvements in the mechanical properties of these materials. The design and optimization of forming processes are usually conducted by the experience of the professionals that are involved in manufacturing operations and, as a consequence, tryout is mandatory. To avoid this empirical procedure, the use of numerical simulation have been an important tool for the development and/or improvement of forming processes[1,2]

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