Investigation of the microstructure evolution of 7CrMn2WMo economy‑alloyed steel in a new design forging tool implementing shear deformations

In this paper, a new forging technology realizing intense shear deformations during processing with a tool for its implementation was considered, and the influence of the proposed forging technology on the microstructure evolution of 7CrMn2WMo economy‑alloyed steel was revealed. A comparative analysis of the results of the microstructure evolution when forging blanks made of 7CrMn2WMo steel according to the proposed and current technologies proves the usefulness of a new design tool instead of the currently used flat strikers, since forging in the proposed forging tool provides more intensive and uniform processing of the cast structure over the entire section of the workpiece compared to forging in the flat strikers.

Structure and wear of gradient steel castings

The effect of overheating of the melt over the equilibrium liquidus in the temperature range 1570 °C – 1670 °C and the rate of its cooling during crystallization and structure formation of castings on the formation of the length and morphology of the main macrostructural zones, grain dispersion, characteristics of the fine crystal structure, hardness and intensity of abrasive wear over the section of 25L steel castings with a differentiated cast structure was investigated. Regular changes of these indicators depending on thermokinetic conditions of crystallization are established. The determining influence of the melt cooling rate on the morphology and dispersion of the cast structure due to different degrees of melt supercooling during crystallization of different structural zones of castings is shown. As the distance from the rapidly cooling surface of the castings and taking into account the increase in the temperature of the melt overheat from 1570 ºC to 1670 ºC, the grain size varies from 5… 7 numbers to 1… 2 numbers, respectively. In the case of normal heat removal rate during crystallization, the grain size in the castings varies from 4… 2 to -1… -2 numbers. The determined characteristics of wear resistance of steel in different structural zones correlate with changes in the characteristics of the cast structure and the cross-sectional strength of castings. The research results open the prospect of developing new foundry technologies for the production of cast products with differential properties for special operating conditions. Keywords: gradient structure, structural zones, melt, wear.

Investigation of the Intermetallic Compounds Fragmentation Impact on the Formation of Texture during the as Cast Structure Thermomechanical Treatment of Aluminum Alloys

In this work, the influence of the intermetallic particle fragmentation during hot rolling of the as cast structure on the evolution of textures in aluminum alloys 8011, 5182 and 1565 was investigated. For this purpose, laboratory multi-pass rolling of the cast material was carried out. At various degrees of hot rolling deformation, the process was stopped, and the metal was quenched and sent for optical and electron microscopy to investigate the large intermetallic particles. In addition, the grain structure was studied and an X-ray analysis was carried out in order to determine the main texture components. Some of the samples were held at a temperature above the recrystallization threshold and then cooled in air; the grain structure and texture composition were also studied. In addition, the simulation of the texture evolution was carried out under various modes of rolling of aluminum alloys, taking into account the process of fragmentation of intermetallic particles. The investigation showed that intermetallic compounds with a deformation degree of 1.8, on average, decrease the particle size by 5–7 times. The large eutectic particles remaining after homogenization are drawn out in the direction of deformation and are crushed, increasing their number accordingly. Therefore, the most favorable stage for the formation of recrystallization nuclei on particles is the moment when they are already numerous and their sizes are much larger than subgrains. Simulation of hot rolling of the investigated alloys showed that considering the factor of fragmentation of intermetallic particles during hot deformation of the as-cast structure significantly increases the accuracy of the results.

Study of recrystallization kinetics of aluminium alloy 1565ch with low degree of cast structure conditioning

The present study addresses recrystallization process in Al – Mg 1565ch system alloy samples (Russian classification). The samples are taken from cast ingot, produced by continuous casting in DC mold and homogenized based on standard commercial mode. Then the samples were heated to 350–500 oC and rolled in lab mill with different process schedules to cover the entire range of temperature and strain rates, applied in rolling. After rolling the samples were annealed at 350, 400 and 450 oC, their resultant microstructure was examined by optic microscope. The rate of new grains nucleation, their growth speed, analytical notations, describing recrystallization kinetics, were obtained within the frames of the study to be applied during this alloy recrystallization modelling; the main alloy-specific recrystallization features were identified and compared with alloy АА5182 (classification of American Aluminum Association). It is demonstrated, that 1565ch recrystallization has a number of specific features in case of as-cast structure deformation with low strain levels (ε = 0.14÷0.56): first, high rate of new grains nucleation; second, low grain growth speed to the extent of complete process blocking. Optimal recrystallization temperature is identified as 400 oC, at this temperature the process is over 75% complete, the temperature drop (350 oC) causes incubation period extension, while recrystallization subsides at recrystallized structure volume of about 30%, in case of temperature rise (450 oC) the structure is saturated with fine new grains nuclei, probably, emerging during heating, but due to high intensity of recovery and polygonization, recrystallization driving force drops to zero, the process stops with mixed structure and max recrystallized grains volume of 20%. This research was funded through a grant by the Russian Science Foundation, Project 18-79-10099.