MULTI AXIAL FORGING MCL 131, 2nd Semester 2019-20 Report Anoushka Gupta 2018ME10590 Group 2 1. Introduction Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) is a top-down technique to manufacture nanomaterials in bulk without expensive powder metallurgy and consolidation. Unlike conventional deformation methods, the initial dimension and final dimension of the sample are the same after the cycle. Multiple rotations/reinsertions for forging and so as it becomes possible to produce large strain deformation as we apply strain to the same sample (no geometrical change) of polycrystalline material (with grain boundaries). The fine-grain refinement to enhance properties like strength and ductility is controlled by: a) Grain size which is controlled by Hall Petch relationship, thus we can deform and obtain microstructure of annealed and tailored b) Crystallographic texture with higher elongation or ductility or formidability or higher strength, c) Dislocation density if high, microstructure has strength but less ductility, or if recovered and didn’t allow recrystallization, we can improve ductility. d) Grain boundary character contribution to hardness. Fig 1. Top-down Approach SPD has various applications in industries like aerospace, biomedical, and automotive, which need lightweight parts having high strength and reliability on microstructure, for environmental harmony. Some of the SPD processes include material flow without axial symmetry, e.g., Multiaxial Forging (MAF) and Cyclic Closed Die Forging. This report discusses the details of MAF. 1 Multiaxial Forging (MAF) is a technique in which the sample is compressed sequentially along three orthogonal axes by 90° rotation after each pressing (or forging), with the help of existing equipment like a forging press, the process is easily modified. This technique was developed to uniaxially compress the sample repeatedly on three orthogonal axes. However, this repeated uniaxial compression would require the sample to be ground after each pass to produce flat faces to compress it again. This process of grinding can be avoided if a channel die is used, either as open die or confined. The channel die provides a plane strain compression to the sample, which produces a higher effective strain than uniaxial compression for the same reduction in height if the channel die is open in one direction, as was in Ref. [1] the amount of strain per pass must be controlled to the desired amount for this process to be repeatable. The open channel die has a disadvantage that one pair of faces bulges at the end of a cycle leading to nonuniform deformation and early cracking. An alternate method is the use of a confined channel die [2-5]. Here the sample is pressed till it fills the die after which it is removed, rotated, and repressed. The confined channel die ensures that after each press, the sample takes the shape of the die, and the face that would have bulged now becomes flat, providing more uniform deformation.[6] 2. Literature ReviewSomjeet Biswas et al. experimented on magnesium alloy Mg-3Al-0.4 Mn Multi axial forging was processed on magnesium alloy Mg-3Al-0.4 Mn with a strain of 0.3 imparted by uniaxial compression and 0.5 by plane strain compression to obtain a total VonMises strain of 0.8 in a single pass. The specimen could be extracted, rotated, and inserted in the die for several passes. The first MAF cycle was carried out at 200 C and the second cycle at 150 C, as shown in Fig. 2. The billet so obtained was free from any external defects and gained a sub-micron size of 0.9 micrometers from the initial average grain size of 25 micrometers. After two cycles of operation, it was found that strength and ductility are influenced by fine grain size and weak texture. The DRX recrystallization mechanism was indicated. [7] Fig. 2. Schematic representation of the experiment parameters. Real material before MAF is shown on top and after (bottom) is shown on the right with the same nominal dimension. [7] Research on grain refinement to submicron of Mg-2Zn-2Gd alloy when processed under MAF concluded with observations made after the completion of the process as (i) Alloy achieved UFG to submicron grain size (ii) High Tensile strength was obtained and suggested improved mechanical properties which were suitable for automotive applications [8]. The grain size and texture modifications of AZ31 Mg alloy during MAF were studied to attribute the enhancement of strength. The MDFed alloy showed excellent higher strength and moderate ductility at room temperature, even at the grain size below one μm. [9] A study investigated the mechanical properties and microstructure of Al 2014 alloy subjected to multiaxial forging to a cumulative strain of 1.2, 1.8, and 2.4. They found that the cumulative strain of 2.4 shows the formation of ultrafine grain sizes in the range of 100- 450 nm with high-angle grain boundaries after four passes and also improvement of tensile strength and hardness. The improvement in tensile properties of MDFed alloy was attributed to dislocation strengthening and grain boundary strengthening effect. [10] From literature on the grain refinement of low carbon steel through multidirectional forging, it is found that the initial coarse grains of average 38 µm size fragmented into very fine ferrite with grain sizes of about 1.2 µm. After MDF, the strength properties were improved significantly, although uniform elongation and elongation decreased with increasing strain. [11] The work on the superplastic behavior of Al7075 alloy by Multiaxial-forging observed the decrease in tensile strength and better maximum elongation for the multiple forged aluminum samples compared to the base samples. [12] In literature, it is stated that the multiple directional forging is the simplest method to achieve larger strains with the minimum change from its original shape and allows the processing of bulk products. Due to observed increase in hardness from 54 HV to 91 HV after three cycles of MDF. [13] Multi-axial forging of IF and HSLA steel and achieved a total strain εc ≤ 20 with an average grain size of 0.3 μm. An observed increase in strength and hardness was explained by beneficial structure changes of the investigated material. The Vickers microhardness increased to ~420 to 450 HV0.1 at the center of the sample after deformation at room temperature as well as after 20–40 passes at 500–600 °C from its initial value of about 280 HV0.1 for undeformed material. A further strain increased up to ε ~ 28 at 600 °C after 67 passes led to a precipitous hardness decrease at the center of the sample, most likely, owing to the development of dynamic recrystallization. [14] Optimal Parameters in MAF The MAF procedure is a metal flowing process working in shear method and characterized by many parameters such as the strain which is imposed in each stain step[15]. The induced strain is evaluated by Eq. (1) (the logarithmic or true strain), where ℎ𝑓 is final height and ℎ𝑖 is initial height. 𝜀 = 𝑙𝑛 ( ℎ𝑓 / ℎ𝑖 ) (Eq. 1) Various parameters can be varied in the MAF process with each one referring to a mechanical property and even in emission techniques[16]. Heat Treatment: One of the most important parameters is the forging temperature since it has a significant effect on forming an ultrafine grain structure. The choice of the appropriate temperature-strain rate regimes of deformation leads to the desired grain refinement. It is reported that operating grain refinement mechanism during SPD is a function of strain rate and temperature [17]. Therefore, it can be expressed by a single parameter called Zener–Hollomon parameter (Z = 𝜀 exp (Q/RT), which takes into account the effects of both strain rate and temperature on the deformation behavior. It is reported that a high Z value (lower temperature and/or higher strain rate) promotes grain refinement through grain subdivision and dynamic recovery whereas deformation at low Z value promotes refinement through grain subdivision and dynamic recrystallization [17] The operation takes over the temperature interval of 0.1–0.5 Tm, where Tm is the absolute melting temperature, and it is useful for producing large-sized billets with nanocrystalline structures. [18] It requires lower working temperatures than those commonly used in conventional manufacturing of semi-finished products. The results from various experiments exposed that there was an increase in the strength due to the grain refinement that takes place with increasing temperature. In the experiment by Sojeet Biswas, The processing was carried out with decreasing temperature in subsequent cycles. Speed of pressing: Pressing by MAF is typically done using high capability tensile machines that run normally with high speeds. Usually, the processing speeds will be in the range of 1–20 mm/s. [19]. Load: MAF process is being conducted by universal testing machine (UTM) with the help of multi axial forging die-set which consists of a female die, plunger and stud. To press the material through the die chamber, the constant load is applied throughout the pressing process and the press capacity maintained for this work is 200KN in order to avoid jamming or crack induced in the workpiece and also inside the die [20]. 3. Experiment The MAF experiment demonstrated through three non-parallel surfaces of billet are taken, as shown in black, green, and red colors in Fig 3. The operation takes over high Z value (temperature 500 C and strain rate 10 s^-1) on the AISI 1016 Steel [21] with initial grains of average 17 μm size, changing loading direction by 90 degrees to apply uniaxial compression of e = 0.4 to the longest side at each strain step, for initial shape after one cycle. Graphite powder was used for lubrication during forging. At large strains, the use of graphite lubrication causes relatively homogeneous deformation. initial afterthe X, review Y, Z direction. [1] Because of this, is with multiples of 3,6 or 9.ion 4. Results & Analysis: Fig 3. Schematic representation of Multiaxial Forging 4.1 Microstructure Evolution during MAF Many times, the physical properties and, in particular, the mechanical behavior of a material depends on the microstructure. Grain size and shape constitute microstructure. The coarse grains are elongated in one direction with large amounts of Low Angle Boundaries (LAB) in the grain interior at low strain (Fig. 4a), and some deformation bands could be seen. With increasing cumulative strain, the grain size decreases as we see some fine and some coarse grains with substructure. The fragmentation of the grain is according to the strain gradient, while leads to refinement, and the grain orientation distribution becomes heterogeneous and random at last (Fig. 4d). The structure evolved homogeneously and gradually to an equiaxed one. No observation of discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX). Fig 4. Microstructural Evolution of Fe-32%Ni alloy with the cumulative strain of (a) 0.5, (b) 1.5, (c) 4.5, (d) 10.5 at 773 k and strain rate of 10−2 s−1) 4.2 Evolution mechanism during MAF The multiaxial forging of the Fe-32% Ni Alloy (Fig 5) with the elongated and some deformation bands consists of high dislocation density & LAB (Low Angle Boundaries). The process of MAF is usually associated with dynamic recrystallization (DRX) in single-phase metal alloys. T he MAFed triggered dislocations are pinned and accumulated near the low and high angle grain boundaries, leading to the formation of dynamically recrystallized UFG grain with subdivision of grain into subgrains and with subgrain rotation the High Angle Grain Boundaries (HAB) increase. This recrystallization mechanism is shown schematically in figure 6 as deformation bands are introduced, usually at 35-40 degrees, to the forging direction. Then changing the loading direction leads to another deformation band created intersecting the initial one. The rotation is like dislocation movement or kink (slip process and offset created in the first deformation band), again the new band cuts all previous bands. It is, therefore, that the deformed band which crosses each-other subdivides the grain into several subgrains, and these subgrains gradually rotate to become grains with their boundaries being transformed to high angle boundaries. . Fig. 5. Subdivided Fe–32%Ni alloy grains Fig. 6. The evolution mechanism of continuous dynamic recrystallization during multiaxial forging (a) initial grain, (b) after the first pass, (c) after the second pass with deformation direction rotated 90°, (d) subgrains angled in subsequent passes. 4.3 Grain boundary character distribution The polycrystalline materials have some atomic mismatch within the region where two grains meet; this area, called a grain boundary. Initially, the grains are well recrystallized and equiaxed as the received annealed plain carbon steel had a high 95 fraction of High Angle Boundaries, but as seen in Figure 7, it soon decreases to 30 fractions. Because of multiaxial forging, grains subdivide, so they increase in the fraction of LAB and decrease HAB through subdivision or CDRX methods of grain rotation, like conversion to HAB through the continuous recovery of dislocation into the LAB. Different materials have different mechanisms.LAB friction is increasing to 70 percent after the third pass. The initial phase is the development of substructure, which is LAB within the grain. After 5th pass, again, HAB friction increases from 30 to 60 and further deformation to 70. This subgrain boundary converts to HAB. After the 9th pass, the UFG material and all are HABs. Fig. 7 Variation of LAB and HAB with No. of strain steps. Grain boundary characterization indicates grain refinement through grain subdivision and recovery in steps three, six, and nine according to the experimental steps to complete each cycle. 4.4 Distribution of grains during MAF Various researchers [22-24] have observed a decrease in strength with a reduction in average grain size, due to the difference in texture. In Figures 8 and 9, Multiaxial Forging was on as-cast AZ61 Mg [25] into an extruded rod. Mg has HCP, so deformation is difficult. We can achieve a strain of 4 after 6th pass or so through the continuous change of deformation. Initially, the inhomogeneous microstructure was observed, but by the 3rd pass (whole cycle,) it decreased and 5th or 6th. It’s homogenous if considering the longer cycle, multiple deformation directions. It is not in ARB, as in it, the deformation direction was not changed. It affects mechanical properties because, by 6th pass, the hardness strongly increased 58 HV to 74 HV (Fig 9) as a function of equivalent strain. Fig 8. Plot of grain size as a function of equivalent strain. Fig. 9 Plot of volume fraction of hardness vs. equivalent strain 4.5 Softening by MAF Softening is proposed to be through the interplay between geometrically necessary dislocations and grain size. Softening during deformation (measure flow stress during deformation) Al alloy deformed at room temperature. In ref. [26], the first cycle was 100MPa next to 120/130, and continuously flow stress is increasing, after the sixth pass, there is a decrease in flow stress. Attributed change to: a) The grain boundary is increasing. Fine-grained materials will have a higher density of grain boundaries per unit volume, with decreasing grain size the effective obstacles Fig. 10. Stress as a function of the fraction of no. to dislocation motion. Hall Petch relationship: of grain boundaries contributing to hardening 𝜎 = 𝜎0 + (𝑘 / √d) The average grain size is defined by d, and 𝜎 is the yield strength. The value of 𝑘 is dependent on the numbers of slip systems. It is higher for metals with hexagonal close-packed structure (HCP) than metals with body-centered cubic (BCC) or face-centered cubic (FCC) structures. [16] b) Decreasing dislocation density (contribute to work hardening or strain hardening). When both contributions increase but afterward no contribution from grain size, therefore, softening happens or maybe the effect of microstructure properties/change in mechanism like sliding. Fig. 11. Flow stress during pressing vs. equivalent strain. Each segment is for one pass. 4.6 H ardening by MAF Another mechanical property that may be important to consider is hardness, which is a measure of a material’s resistance to localized plastic deformation. Cherukuri and Srinivasan [27] conducted multi-axial compressions/forgings (MAC/F) at room temperature to get severe plastic deformation (SPD) of AA6061 alloy. They measured the microhardness across the cross-section of each and every pass of the MAC/F process and found that the hardness distribution is not uniform during early compressions/forgings and becomes uniform with subsequent forgings Double-n behavior is observed during tensile testing of some multi axially forged steels. The hardness values of multiaxial forged steel increased by more than 100% after eighteen warm multiaxial forging strain steps. In another research, Increase in the hardness of nearly 130% was observed in the sample with maximum forging passes from 127 HV for 0 pass material to 285HV for nine forged pass materials. Two different methods MAF and ECAP (Equal Channel Angular Pressing) showed similar trends in hardness; therefore, as MAF can produce larger specimen size compared with ECAP along with less costly equipment compared to ECAP. Fig. 12 Variation of hardness with strain 5. Conclusion Based on the available literature, it is concluded that ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Various strengthening mechanisms are involved during the multiaxial forging process, namely dislocation strengthening, grain boundary strengthening and accumulation of high dislocation density, etc. In all the studies, researchers proved that multiaxial forging is an effective process to refine the grain size (up to nano level) of the materials, thereby increasing the properties of the materials like tensile strength, flow stress, yield strength, and hardness. MAF is one of the most appropriate methods for obtaining a fine grain size and a weak texture in a material, leading to desired mechanical properties. Enough laboratory results demonstrate the general feasibility of this approach. It is recognized that these materials have a high innovation potential, as the results of enhanced mechanical properties can be used in the aerospace industry as they need light-weight micro-parts with reliable high strength. MAF is also highly attractive primarily because of its ability to provide near isotropic properties, therefore the improvement in ductility, tensile, and fatigue strength. MAF has been used for Al and Ti alloys. Still, the research shows that it can be implemented on the Mg alloy, which is generally hard to deform due to HCP lattice, low ductility, and anisotropic structure but has tremendous potential. Although MAF was first introduced in the 1990s to produce bulk billets, there have been many modifications to give optimal properties of materials. If the suitable parameters like temperature, or adding process like cold rolling showed high strain rate sensitivity and elongation to failure in the range of 300–350C, which indicates good formability. The research is done on Flowing stress, Hardness, and Uniformity of the grain distribution during MAF. It shows that MAF can be implemented to make cost-effective equipment requiring high tensile strength, biomedical devices, and automobile parts for lightweight yet sturdy and robust travel gear. The most significant benefit of the MAF process is that it can produce a large amount of strain without the geometrical change in material and fracture. This literature review was on the beneficial structural changes happening during the MAF process. This review would help improve thermo-mechanical processes to decide what amount of strain to produce to obtain deformation, texture evolution, and grain refinement. The contribution of the strain to the hardness or mechanical properties like elongation to failure and ductility are discussed with respect to microstructure evolution and the mechanism behind it. References [1] A. Kundu, R. Kapoor, R. Tewari, J.K. Chakravartty, Scr. 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Srinivasan.,Properties of AA6061 Processed by Multi-Axial Compressions/Forging (MAC/F),Journal of Materials and Manufacturing Processes, vol.21(5), pp.519, 2006 Figures: Fig. 1 http://nanotech73.blogspot.com/p/preparation.html Fig. 2 IIT Kharagpur, India GIAN (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR2r15UakB4) Fig. 3 & 7. A.K. Padap, G.P. Chaudhari, V. Pancholi, S.K. Nath, Warm multiaxial forging of AISI 1016 steel, Materials & Design, Volume 31, Issue 8, 2010, Pages 3816-3824, ISSN 0261- 3069, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2010.03.030 Fig. 4. Han & Xu, Microstructural evolution of Fe–32%Ni alloy during large strain multi-axial forging, Materials Science and Engineering A 447 (2007) 119–124 Fig. 5 & 6. Huang & Xu, Evolution mechanism of grain refinement based on dynamic recrystallization in multiaxially forged austenite, Materials Letters 60 (2006) 1854–1858 Fig. 8 & 9. Q. Chen, D. Shu, C. Hu, Z. Zhao, B. Yuan, Grain refinement in an as-cast AZ61 magnesium alloy processed by multi-axial forging under the multitemperature processing procedure, Materials Science and Engineering: A, Volume 541, 15 April 2012, Pages 98-104 Fig. 10 & 11. R. Kapoor, A. Sarkar, R. Yogi, S.K. Shekhawat, I. Samajdar, J.K. Chakravartty, Softening of Al during multi-axial forging in a channel die, Materials Science and Engineering: A, Volume 560, 10 January 2013, Pages 404-412 Fig. 12. B. Cherukuri & R. Srinivasan.,Properties of AA6061 Processed by Multi-Axial Compressions/Forging (MAC/F),Journal of Materials and Manufacturing Processes, vol.21(5), pp.519, 2006