Numerical Simulations of TRC Equipped with a Core

Abstract

TRC (Twin-Roll Casting) has been used for production of sheets of aluminum alloys and stainless steels. Recently, the technology began to be applied to production of magnesium alloy sheets. In the present investigation, HTRC (Horizontal Twin-Roll Casting) was analyzed for AA3003 and Mg-AZ31 by the rigid-thermo-viscoplastic finite-element method to investigate differences between these materials in various aspects of fabrication. The result of the present investigation was expected to help set properly process parameters of HTRC for magnesium alloy sheets. In addition, a core was introduced in the nozzle at the roll gap to investigate its efficiency in those aspects. As a result, the core was found to lower roll-separating force as well as roll torque by reducing not only vortex development but also volume of the melt in the melt pool. It also reduced temperature discrepancy through thickness of a sheet at the roll exit.