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29 pages, 10789 KB

Open AccessReview

Overview of Multi-Scale Simulation Techniques for Three Typical Steel Manufacturing Processes

by Cheng-Hui Xia, Kaiyang Wang, Xuexia Song, Weiming Pan, Wei Li, Hong-Hui Wu, Kun Dou, Yuantao Xu, Zelin Tong, Shaojie Lv, Jingzhou Lu, Shuize Wang, Wanlin Wang, Xuejun Jin and Xinping Mao

Materials 2024, 17(13), 3173; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17133173 - 28 Jun 2024

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2751

Abstract

Steel products typically undergo intricate manufacturing processes, commencing from the liquid phase, with casting, hot rolling, and laminar cooling being among the most crucial processes. In the background of carbon neutrality, thin-slab casting and direct rolling (TSCR) technology has attracted significant attention, which integrates the above three processes into a simpler and more energy-efficient sequence compared to conventional methods. Multi-scale computational modeling and simulation play a crucial role in steel design and optimization, enabling the prediction of properties and microstructure in final steel products. This approach significantly reduces the time and cost of production compared to traditional trial-and-error methodologies. This study provides a review of cross-scale simulations focusing on the casting, hot-rolling, and laminar cooling processes, aiming at presenting the key techniques for realizing cross-scale simulation of the TSCR process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Manufacturing Processes and Systems)

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12 pages, 6992 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Cold Rolling Reduction Rate on the Microstructure and Properties of Q&P Steel with a Ferrite-Pearlite Initial Structure

by Shengwei Wang, Mengxiao Chen, Mingyue Yang, Yuhe Huang, Shuize Wang and Xinping Mao

Materials 2023, 16(18), 6102; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16186102 - 7 Sep 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2728

Abstract

Quenching and partitioning (Q&P) steel has garnered attention as a promising third-generation automotive steel. While the conventional production (CP) method for Q&P steel involves a significant cumulative cold rolling reduction rate (CRRR) of 60–70%, the thin slab casting and rolling (TSCR) process has emerged as a potential alternative to reduce or eliminate the need for cold rolling, characterized with a streamline production chain, high-energy efficiency, mitigated CO₂ emission and economical cost. However, the effect of the CRRR on the microstructure and properties of Q&P steel with an initial ferrite-pearlite microstructure has been overlooked, preventing the extensive application of TSCR in producing Q&P steel. In this work, investigations involving different degrees of CRRRs reveal a direct relationship between increased reduction and decreased yield strength and plasticity. Notably, changes in the microstructure were observed, including reduced size and proportion of martensite blocks, increased ferrite proportion and decreased retained austenite content. The decrease in yield strength was primarily attributed to the increased proportion of the softer ferrite phase, while the reduction in plasticity was primarily linked to the decrease in retained austenite content. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing the TSCR process of Q&P steel, facilitating its wider adoption in the automotive sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Alloys)

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12 pages, 10043 KB

Open AccessArticle

Researches on the Macro- and Micro-Structures and Properties of the Vertical Bending Continuous Casted AA6063 Thin Slabs and Their As-Rolled Sheets

by Zhuo-Huang Wu, Qi-Jia Mao, Fu-An Hua, Guang-Lin Jia, Jian-Ping Li, Cheng-Gang Li, Guo Yuan and Guo-Dong Wang

Metals 2022, 12(11), 1937; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12111937 - 12 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2696

Abstract

A 6063 aluminum alloy thin slab with a cross-section of 260 × 40 mm² was prepared by a vertical bending continuous casting (VC) process. The effects of homogenization, hot rolling and subsequent heat treatments on the microstructure and properties of the as-cast slabs and as-rolled sheets were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), field emission electron probe (EPMA), macro- and micro-structure observation and tensile tests. The results show that the as-cast structure of AA 6063 was dominated by fine and uniform equiaxed grains. After homogenization, all Mg₂Si phases dissolved back, and the Fe-containing intermetallic phases changed from acicular β-Al₅FeSi phase to spherical α-Al₈Fe₂Si phase. Homogenizing heat treatment before hot rolling can improve the mechanical properties of the alloy. However, in the case of direct rolling without homogenization, the alloy still has good mechanical properties; the strength and plasticity are comparable to that obtained through traditional direct chill (DC) casting, homogenizing and extruding processes, indicating that the VC process has the potential to realize continuous casting and rolling. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Casting, Thermomechanical and Heat Treatments of Aluminum Alloy)

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16 pages, 4026 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Direct Strip Casting on the Kinetics of Phase Transformation of a Dual Phase Steel

by Nam Mai, Christiane Schulz and Nikki Stanford

Metals 2022, 12(2), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12020170 - 18 Jan 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2317

Abstract

A dual phase steel has been produced directly from the liquid under conditions that simulate direct strip casting and thin slab casting. The kinetics of polygonal ferrite formation during the inter-critical anneal were quantified using the JMAK approach, and this revealed significantly retarded transformation kinetics in the strip cast samples compared to the commercial steel that was processed through the conventional hot rolling approach. The transformation rate in the strip cast samples were as much as three orders of magnitude slower compared to the commercial steel. It was found that the kinetics of the ferrite formation were retarded principally by the large prior austenite grain size in the strip cast samples, and this hypothesis was tested experimentally by both coarsening of the prior austenite grain size, and by refinement of the prior austenite grain size. However, even after grain size normalization, small differences in transformation kinetics between the direct strip cast and commercial steel specimens were observed. These differences were explained by investigation of MnS precipitation in the steels. It was found that the transformation rate is high when the solutes are in solid solution, and that the rate of transformation slows significantly when precipitation of nano-precipitates occurs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Metal Casting, Forming and Heat Treatment)

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13 pages, 2425 KB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation of the Refining Process of Ultra-Low Carbon (ULC) Steel

by Dali You, Christian Bernhard, Andreas Viertauer and Bernd Linzer

Crystals 2021, 11(8), 893; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11080893 - 30 Jul 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4161

Abstract

The standard production route for mild steels for automotive purposes is still based on conventional continuous casting (CC) and hot strip rolling (HSR). The current trend towards the “zero-carbon car” will demand the abating of material emissions in the future. Thin slab casting and direct rolling (e.g., Arvedi endless strip production (ESP)) is an approach to reduce CO₂ emissions by 50% compared to CC and HSR. One of the main limitations in applying ESP for the production of ultra-low carbon/interstitial free (ULC/IF) steels is clogging. Clogging is the blockage of the submerged entry nozzle due to the build-up of oxide layers or an oxide network. The high clogging sensitivity of IF steels results most probably from the FeTi addition, and hence, a general change of the deoxidation practice might be an option to overcome these problems. In the present work, the thorough refining process of ULC steel was simulated by addressing the different deoxidation routes and the influence of titanium (Ti) alloying on steel cleanness. The developed ladle furnace (LF) and the Ruhrstahl Heraeus (RH) refining models were applied to perform the simulation. Before the simulations, the models are briefly described and validated by the published industrial data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liquid Steel Alloying Process)

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18 pages, 6379 KB

Open AccessArticle

Control of Upstream Austenite Grain Coarsening during the Thin-Slab Cast Direct-Rolling (TSCDR) Process

by Tihe Zhou, Ronald J. O’Malley, Hatem S. Zurob, Mani Subramanian, Sang-Hyun Cho and Peng Zhang

Metals 2019, 9(2), 158; https://doi.org/10.3390/met9020158 - 1 Feb 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 6144

Abstract

Thin-slab cast direct-rolling (TSCDR) has become a major process for flat-rolled production. However, the elimination of slab reheating and limited number of thermomechanical deformation passes leave fewer opportunities for austenite grain refinement, resulting in some large grains persisting in the final microstructure. In order to achieve excellent ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT) and drop weight tear test (DWTT) properties in thicker gauge high-strength low-alloy products, it is necessary to control austenite grain coarsening prior to the onset of thermomechanical processing. This contribution proposes a suite of methods to refine the austenite grain from both theoretical and practical perspectives, including: increasing cooling rate during casting, liquid core reduction, increasing austenite nucleation sites during the delta-ferrite to austenite phase transformation, controlling holding furnace temperature and time to avoid austenite coarsening, and producing a new alloy with two-phase pinning to arrest grain coarsening. These methodologies can not only refine austenite grain size in the slab center, but also improve the slab homogeneity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Continuous Casting)

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