Blank size dependence of microstructure in radial-axial ring rolling of TA15 titanium alloy by macro-micro FE simulation

State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, PO Box 542, Xi'an 710072, PR China

^a Corresponding author: e-mail: glgglg66@nwpu.edu.cn

Abstract

The blank size, determining the deformation degree and the ratio of axial to radial feed amount of the radial-axial ring rolling process for TA15 titanium alloy, has a strong effect on the grain size and volume fraction of primary α phase, which determine the mechanical properties of the rolled ring. In this paper, a macro-micro 3D-FE model of the radial-axial ring rolling of TA15 titanium alloy has been developed under ABAQUS software. The ring blank transferring from heating furnace to rolling mill, rolling and cooling after rolling during the whole process are considered in the FE model. And multiple blanks with different rolling ratios and ratios of axial to radial feed amount are designed for a desired TA15 titanium alloy ring. Then, the effects of the blank size on the grain size and volume fraction of primary α phase in the rolled ring are investigated by comprehensive FE simulations. Finally, the optimum blank sizes are obtained by evaluating both the volume fraction of primary α phase and the distribution uniformities of grain size and volume fraction of primary α phase.