Dinakar Sagapuram

Geometric flow control of shear bands by suppression of viscous sliding.

Shear banding is a plastic flow instability with highly undesirable consequences for metals processing. While band characteristics have been well studied, general methods to control shear bands are presently lacking. Here, we use high-speed imaging and micro-marker analysis of flow in cutting to reveal the common fundamental mechanism underlying shear banding in metals. The flow unfolds in two distinct phases: an initiation phase followed by a viscous sliding phase in which most of the straining occurs. We show that the second sliding phase is well described by a simple model of two identical fluids being sheared across their interface. The equivalent shear band viscosity computed by fitting the model to experimental displacement profiles is very close in value to typical liquid metal viscosities. The observation of similar displacement profiles across different metals shows that specific microstructure details do not affect the second phase. This also suggests that the principal role of the initiation phase is to generate a weak interface that is susceptible to localized deformation. Importantly, by constraining the sliding phase, we demonstrate a material-agnostic method—passive geometric flow control—that effects complete band suppression in systems which otherwise fail via shear banding.

Deformation and recrystallization texture development in Fe-4%Si subjected to large shear deformation

Machining is used as a deformation technique to impose large shear strains (γ ~ 2) in a commercial Fe-4%Si alloy. The partial and {110} – fiber texture components are generated throughout the as-deformed microstructure, which is expected of BCC metals deformed in simple shear. Using an annealing schedule similar to that in the commercial rolling process, samples retain the deformation texture, consistent with a continuous-type recrystallization mechanism. Fine-grained annealed samples reveal two different partial fiber orientations, one of which becomes the dominate texture, following the high-temperature growth treatment. The mechanisms of texture evolution and implications for texture control in the machining-based process are discussed.

Direct Single-Stage Processing of Lightweight Alloys Into Sheet by Hybrid Cutting–Extrusion

Widespread application of lightweight magnesium and titanium alloys sheet is limited mainly because of their poor-workability issues, both in primary processing by rolling and secondary sheet forming. This study describes a hybrid cutting–extrusion process, large-strain extrusion machining (LSEM), for producing sheet and foil. By utilizing a constraining edge placed across from the cutting tool edge, the usual cutting process is transformed into continuous shear-deformation process, wherein the thickness of the sheet at its exit from the deformation zone is directly controlled. The confinement of the deformation field in LSEM enables near-adiabatic heating in the deformation zone. Consequently, external workpiece heating, intrinsic to sheet manufacturing by multistage rolling in alloys of poor workability (e.g., hexagonal close packed (hcp) alloys and cast materials), is minimized. Furthermore, the deformation parameters, such as strain, strain rate, and strain path, can be controlled to refine the microstructure and induce shear-type crystallographic textures that enable enhanced sheet mechanical properties (strength and formability). This application of LSEM is demonstrated using magnesium alloy AZ31B as a model system. Since LSEM is a single-stage process for sheet production, it is potentially attractive in terms of production economics and energy. Implications for process scale-up and control of plastic flow localization are briefly discussed.

Thermal stability of nanotwinned and nanocrystalline microstructures produced by cryogenic shear deformation

Nanotwinned microstructures are of significant interest due to their high strength and enhanced thermal stability, attributed to the presence of a dense network of coherent twin interfaces. Propensity for twinning during deformation is known to increase at low temperature and/or high-strain-rate. In this study, we use high-strain-rate (~103 s−1) shear deformation in cutting over a range of strains (γ ~1–5) and temperatures (cryogenic to ambient) to engineer a variety of microstructures in three face-centred cubic (FCC) metals – copper, brass and aluminium. The microstructures include nanocrystalline-equiaxed and densely (nano) twinned types of controllable domain size. The effects of low-temperature deformation and stacking fault energy on the resulting microstructure, hardening, stored energy and associated recrystallization kinetics are established. For copper, the nanotwinned microstructures are found to be thermally more stable and stronger than the equiaxed counterparts comprised of random high-angle grain boundaries. This enhanced effect of nanotwins on microstructure stability is, however, not observed in brass, while aluminium did not show any indications of twinning over the investigated range of deformation conditions.

Enabling shear textures and fine-grained structures in Magnesium sheet by machining-based deformation processing

The production of Mg alloy AZ31B sheet in a single deformation step by large- strain extrusion machining (LSEM) is detailed. LSEM imposes intense simple shear in a narrow zone by constrained chip formation. The confined deformation and the associated in situ adiabatic heating are found to be the key factors in production of the Mg sheet without need for external (pre-) heating. A range of shear textures with basal planes inclined to the sheet surface are achieved by this processing. The basal plane inclination could be varied by controlling the strain path. Microstructures, both ultrafine-grained (100-500 nm) and conventional fine-grained (2-5 ?m), have been obtained by controlling the adiabatic heating and the extent of dynamic recrystallization. The LSEM sheet with shear texture and fine grain size shows superior combinations of formability and strength compared to rolled sheet.

Understanding deformation on machined surfaces

The deformation history and state of machined surface in cutting of metals are characterized using high-speed image analysis, complemented by hardness, microstructure and texture measurements. Large surface strains are observed, due to the severe plastic deformation (SPD) intrinsic to chip formation. The deformation history and microstructure/texture of the chip and surface are found to be equivalent. The surface strain distribution is shown to scale with undeformed chip thickness and influenced by the rake angle. Based on the observations, and related prior work on process-microstructure-property correlations, a framework is suggested for controlling deformation levels, microstructure and texture on machined surfaces. The results offer scope also for validation of machining simulations and multi-scale modeling of machining.Copyright

Deformation Temperature Effects on Microstructure and Texture Evolution in High Strain Rate Extrusion-Machining of Mg-AZ31B

Deformation microstructure and texture in Mg-AZ31B bulk strips processed through extrusion-machining were studied as a function of deformation temperature. At warm deformation temperatures (~200°C), cold-worked type microstructures with predominant tilted basal texture were observed. With increase in temperature, grain structure sharply transformed into equiaxed type with predominant in-plane basal texture. This sharp transition was found to be consistent with change in temperature dependent dynamic recrystallization mechanism from continuous to discontinuous type.