Three dimensional thermal mechanical coupled simulation during hot rolling of aluminium alloy 3003

Rolling passes of a pass schedule supplied by an aluminium company and containing reliable measured data of roll load and torque is considered. Percentage reductions range from 6% to 20% and are analysed by a commercial thermo-mechanical coupled FEM program FORGE3 V5.3. An inverse analysis method is adopted to match the calculated rolling force and torque with the measured rolling force and torque by treating the friction law and the friction coefficient as free parameters. Three widely accepted friction laws are investigated; Tresca friction, Coulomb friction and viscoplastic friction. The use of viscoplastic friction is shown to yield both more reliable and more accurate results than other models. Significantly the friction coefficient can be traced to remain constant throughout the pass schedule of the breakdown rolling. The contact pressure distribution is then studied with different thickness reductions and compared with published experimental results. The predicted and experimental agreement is such that the load calculation can be regarded as satisfactory. Acceptable agreement is also obtained with the measured torque values. The distribution of equivalent strain, temperature and the stress in the roll gap and the lateral profile are discussed.     

热轧带肋钢筋高速矫直系统设计与研究

介绍了一种热轧带肋钢筋高速矫直系统的平行辊式辊系配置方案。并根据此辊系配置方案,对该矫直系统在热轧带肋钢筋矫直过程中防止其自转和统一曲率实现等曲率矫直的机理进行了研究。     

Influence of surface texture and roughness parameters on friction and transfer layer formation during sliding of aluminium pin on steel plate

Surface texture of harder mating surfaces plays an important role during sliding against softer materials and hence the importance of characterizing the surfaces in terms of roughness parameters. In the present investigation, basic studies were conducted using inclined pin-on-plate sliding tester to understand the surface texture effect of hard surfaces on coefficient of friction and transfer layer formation. A tribological couple made of a super purity aluminium pin against steel plate was used in the tests. Two surface parameters of steel plates, namely roughness and texture, were varied in the tests. It was observed that the transfer layer formation and the coefficient of friction along with its two components, namely, the adhesion and plowing, are controlled by the surface texture and are independent of surface roughness (R_a). Among the various surface roughness parameters, the average or the mean slope of the profile was found to explain the variations best. Under lubricated conditions, stick–slip phenomena was observed, the amplitude of which depends on the plowing component of friction. The presence of stick–slip motion under lubricated conditions could be attributed to the molecular deformation of the lubricant component confined between asperities.     

Integration of batching and scheduling for hot rolling production in the steel industry

This paper investigates the hot rolling production scheduling problem in the steel industry and proposes a new mixed integer programming model for this problem based on the monolithic modeling strategy that integrates batching and scheduling. Using this strategy, the new model can simultaneously schedule multiple turns and simultaneously determine the production timetable of these turns in a global optimal view. A long-term tabu search heuristic using frequency-based memory is developed to obtain near-optimal solutions for this problem. Three kinds of speed-up strategies are developed to accelerate the search procedure of the proposed tabu search. A practical scheduling system combining the proposed mathematical model and the tabu search heuristic has been developed and tested on instances collected from practical production data. The experimental results show that the proposed mathematical model and the tabu search heuristic outperform both the current manual scheduling method and the traditional serial method.     

A study on ultra–high-speed cutting of aluminium alloy:: Formation of welded metal on the secondary cutting edge of the tool and its effects on the quality of finished surface

To investigate the mechanism of ultra–high-speed cutting for aluminium alloy, cutting experiments by using a machine tool equipped with an active magnetic bearing spindle were performed over a range of cutting speeds from 20 to 260 m/s. On the whole, the finished surface tends to improve with an increase in cutting speed. However, the formation of welded metal on the tool edge in the speed range from 100 to 200 m/s promotes the material side flow on the finished surface, which causes the surface roughness to increase.     

Oxide scale characterization of ferritic stainless steel and its deformation and friction in hot rolling

The oxidation kinetics of ferritic stainless steel 430 was studied in dry and humid air at 1090 °C by Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). Different atmospheres and heating times were adopted for reheating to obtain different compositions and thickness of the oxide scale. Hot rolling was performed on a 2-high Hille 100 experimental rolling mill at various reductions. Oxide scale thickness and composition were analysed with optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface profiles were examined by a digital microscope, and the topographic features of the thin oxide scale surface were examined with an atomic force microscope (AFM) before and after rolling. The oxide scale surface and steel/oxide interface roughness were measured after rolling. Inverse calculation of the coefficient of friction was employed to analyse and the effect of oxide scale on friction in hot rolling. The coefficient of friction depends not only on the thickness of the oxide scale, but also on its composition and surface topography before hot rolling.     

Study on the oxidation of stainless steels 304 and 304L in humid air and the friction during hot rolling

In rolling process, the contact friction is of crucial importance for accurate modeling, optimum design and control of industrial rolling processes. It is important to characterize the features of the oxide scale of stainless steel in hot strip rolling because the scale on the strip surface affects friction coefficient and thermal conductivity coefficient. To some extent, the rolling force and friction condition depend on the thickness and the microstructure of the oxide scale. Oxidation tests of stainless steels 304 and 304L were carried out in a high temperature electric resistance furnace. The humid air in which the water vapour content can be controlled was generated and remained to flow into the chamber of the furnace in 2.5 × 10⁻⁴ m³/s to study the effect of humidity on the oxidation of stainless steels. The microstructure and thickness of oxide scale layer of stainless steels were obtained and two or three oxide layers can be found. The humid air has a significant effect on the growth of oxide scale. Hot rolling tests were carried out on Hille 100 rolling mill. The friction condition at the roll–strip interface during hot rolling of stainless steel was determined and the transfer of surface roughness was discussed.     

Surface generation and boundary lubrication in bulk forming of aluminium alloy

The electrical contact resistance is measured between the tool and workpiece during plane strain compression of aluminium strip coated with a non-conductive oxide film produced by anodising. Results are correlated with the observed oxide topography after the test. The purpose is to investigate the mechanism of the development of close metal-to-metal contact, the associated material transfer and their effects on the friction coefficient under boundary lubrication conditions. Initially the anodised layer provides electrical insulation between the tool and the strip but, as deformation proceeds, this layer breaks up and fresh metal is extruded through the cracks formed, causing a sharp fall in electrical resistance. Details of this behaviour are explored, showing a dependence not only on strip reduction, but also on the base oil used and the presence of boundary additives. The change in the behaviour is tracked as a transfer layer builds up on the tool.     

Performance measurement of a smoke extraction system for buildings in full-scale hot smoke test

The current inspection method for a smoke extraction system in Taiwan measures whether the air flow of the smoke vent conforms to the design value. However, this method is inapplicable to natural smoke extraction systems. As the plugholing effect is disregarded, adequate air flow cannot ensure that the system will exhaust smoke effectively during a fire. Hence, a full-scale hot smoke test for smoke extraction systems is necessary. Some international test criteria are formulated using visible smoke and alcoholic fuel which is pollution-free after combustion. The effectiveness is judged only by visually observing the smoke’s flow direction, which is indeed unscientific. This study used a string of vertical smoke layer measuring instruments composed of several approved photoelectric smoke detectors, as well as a light attenuation measuring device composed of illuminance meters to conduct tests on the effect of makeup air. The results proved that the former one uses different height induction times to judge the position of the smoke layer effectively, while the latter one uses the light attenuation rate to distinguish the smoke density instantly and accurately. The obtained experimental data were consistent with the onsite smoke distribution. The two sets of equipment designed in this study can be used for full-scale hot smoke tests to obtain performance data for a smoke extraction system.     

关于热轧宽厚板冷床区空心辊制造工艺的研究

通过对空心辊的结构及焊接性的分析,合理安排焊接、机加工、静平衡试验和热装配的顺序,既保证了辊身最小壁厚,又满足了空心辊的静平衡要求,达到了图纸中的尺寸及形位公差要求,从而证明了制造工艺的可行性。     

Investigation of interfacial behaviors between the strip and roll in hot strip rolling by finite element method

A finite element (FE)-based approach is presented for the precision analysis of the interfacial thermo-mechanical behavior of the roll and strip in the entire tandem mill during hot strip rolling. The validity of the proposed model is examined through the comparison with measurements. Then, the effect of various process parameters on the detailed aspects of interfacial thermo-mechanical behavior of the roll and strip is investigated via a series of process simulations.     

Analysis of flow and stresses in a tube stretch-reducing hot rolling schedule

Analytical expressions for the roll-pass geometry, velocity, strain, strain rate and stress components are obtained for steady-state tube stretch-reducing hot rolling. From these expressions the reduction in tube diameter and wall thickness, inter-stand tensions, roll load and rolling torque have been determined in relation to the roll gap opening and the inter-stand velocity increase ratio. The results have shown that increasing the interstand velocity increase ratio will increase the inter-stand tension while the roll load remains almost unchanged. The rolling torque increases with the increase of the back inter-stand velocity increase ratio and decreases with the increase of the ratio at the front. There is a limiting value for the inter-stand velocity increase ratio at which the rolling process will tend to become unstable. The analysis has been validated by comparing the theoretical results with on-line power measurements on an industrial tube stretch-reducing hot rolling mill.     

Materials transfer and formation of mechanically mixed layer in dry sliding wear of metal matrix composites against steel

The wear behavior of a composite of a pure Al matrix reinforced with 20 vol% SiC particles against quenched 1045 steel was investigated. Material was found to transfer from the counterface to the wear surface of the composite, where a mechanically mixed layer (MML) was produced. A new mechanism, named the debris burial mechanism, for the formation of the mechanically mixed layer (MML) is proposed and discussed. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Measurement and analysis of surface roughness in turning of aerospace titanium alloy (gr5)

Titanium alloys are extensively used in aerospace, biomedical applications and they are used in corrosive environments. In this study, the effect of cutting parameters on the surface roughness in turning of titanium alloy has been investigated using response surface methodology. The experimental studies were conducted under varying cutting speeds, feed and depths of cut. The chip formation and SEM analysis are discussed to enhance the supportive surface quality achieved in turning. The work material used for the present investigation is commercial aerospace titanium alloy (gr5) and the tool used is RCMT 10T300 – MT TT3500 round insert. The equation developed using response surface methodology is used for predicting the surface roughness in machining of titanium alloy. The results revealed that the feed was the most influential factor which affect the surface roughness.     

Study of cutting force and surface roughness in the turning of polytetrafluoroethylene composites with a polycrystalline diamond tool

Despite the importance of the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites in many industrial applications, especially for space industry, very little is known about the machinability of these composites. This paper presents an investigation into the turning of PTFE composites using a polycrystalline diamond tool in order to analyze the effect of the cutting parameters and insert radius on the cutting force and surface roughness. A strain gauge based dynamometer for the main cutting force measurement in turning was constructed. The force signals were captured and processed using a strain data acquisition system based on the Sider8 and CATMAN software. Cutting force and surface roughness were measured through longitudinal turning, according to the experimental plan developed based on the Taguchi methodology. The signal-to-noise ratio and the analysis of variance were applied to the experimental data in order to determine the effect of the process variables on the surface roughness and cutting force, and predictive models have been derived.     

Experimental study of wear interaction between piston ring and piston groove in a radial piston hydraulic motor

The wear interaction between piston ring and piston groove in a radial piston hydraulic motor was studied in regard to mass loss and changes in form and surface roughness. A specially developed test rig that simulates the tilting movements of pistons at the end of strokes was used in the test. The results show that wear on the piston ring groove can be up to 10 times greater than the wear on the piston ring. For both interacting surfaces, the dominant wear mechanism was mild wear. The results from a factorial design show that the form of the piston groove significantly influences the amount of wear.     

Modeling and analysis of white layer depth in a wire-cut EDM process through response surface methodology

A white layer is considered a major flaw on a workpiece surface machined with wire-cut electrical discharge machining (WEDM). In this paper, an attempt has been made to model the white layer depth through response surface methodology (RSM) in a WEDM process comprising a rough cut followed by a trim cut. An experimental plan for rotatable central composite design of second order involving four variables with five levels has been employed to carry out the experimental investigation and subsequently to establish the mathematical model correlating the input process parameters with the response. Pulse on time during rough cutting, pulse on time, wire tool offset, and constant cutting speed during trim cutting are considered the dominant input process parameters whilst the white layer depth is the response. An insignificant lack of fit term indicated a curve with a good fit. Also, an extensive analysis of the influences of all the individual input parameters on the response has been carried out and presented in this research study.     

Experimental investigation of the effects of short roughness strip and wall suction on the anisotropy in a turbulent boundary layer

Hot wire measurements have been made in a turbulent boundary layer subjected to a short roughness strip and concentrated suction. The suction is applied through a porous wall strip for a range of suction rate. The aim of the study is to examine the effects of short roughness strip and suction on the anisotropy of Reynolds stress tensor. The result indicates that the anisotropy of Reynolds stress tensor is increased marginally downstream of the combination of suction and roughness strip. Although, roughness strip control the magnitude of the variations of the effect of suction on the anisotropy of Reynolds stress tensor, they act independently on the mechanism of the wall turbulence of the layer. While suction acts to increase the anisotropy, roughness strip act to reduce the anisotropy.     

Finite element analysis of the effect of sequential cuts and tool–chip friction on residual stresses in a machined layer

A thermo-elastic–viscoplastic model using explicit finite element code Abaqus was developed to investigate the effect of sequential cuts and tool–chip friction on residual stresses in a machined layer. Chip formation, cutting forces and temperature were also examined in the sequential cuts. The affected layer from the first cut slightly changes the chip thickness, cutting forces, residual strain and temperature of the machined layer, but significantly affects the residual stress distribution produced by the second cut. Residual stress is sensitive to friction condition of the tool–chip interface. Simulation results offer an insight into residual stresses induced in sequential cuts. Based on simulation results, characteristics of residual stress distribution can be controlled by optimizing the second cut.     

An experimental analysis and measurement of process performances in machining of nimonic C-263 super alloy

Nimonic C-263 alloy is extensively used in the fields of aerospace, gas turbine blades, power generators and heat exchangers because of its unique properties. However, the machining of this alloy is difficult due to low thermal conductivity and work hardening characteristics. This paper presents the experimental investigation and analysis of the machining parameters while turning the nimonic C-263 alloy, using whisker reinforced ceramic inserts. The experiments were designed using Taguchi’s experimental design. The parameters considered for the experiments are cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut. Process performance indicators, viz., the cutting force, tool wear and surface finish were measured. An empirical model has been created for predicting the cutting force, flank wear and surface roughness through response surface methodology (RSM). The desirability function approach has been used for multi response optimization. The influence of the different parameters and their interactions on the cutting force, flank wear and surface roughness are also studied in detail and presented in this study. Based on the cutting force, flank wear and surface roughness, optimized machining conditions were observed in the region of 210 m/min cutting speed and 0.05 mm/rev feed rate and 0.50 mm depth of cut. The results were confirmed by conducting further confirmation tests.