The cellular automata (CA) method has played an important role in the research and development of metallic materials. CA can interpret the microstructure changes of materials and obtain more abundant, accurate and intuitive information of microstructure evolution than conventional methods. CA can visually represent the process of grain formation, growth, development and change to us in a graphical way, which can assist us in analysis, thinking and solving problems. In the last five years, the application of CA in materials research has been rapidly developed, and CA has begun to occupy an increasingly important position in the simulation research of metallic materials. After introducing the advantages and limitations of CA compared to other widely used simulation methods, the purpose of this paper is to review the recent application progress on the microstructure simulation of metallic materials using CA, such as solidification, recrystallization, phase transformation and carbide precipitation occurring during forming and heat treatment. Specifically, recent research advances on microstructure simulation by CA in the fields of additive manufacturing, welding, asymmetrical rolling, corrosion prevention, etc., are also elaborated in this paper. Furthermore, this paper points out the future work direction of CA simulation in the research of metallic materials, especially in the simulation of the crystal structure, the prediction of mechanical properties, CA simulation software and rule systems, etc. These are expected to attract wide attention of researchers in the field of metallic materials and promote the development of CA in materials research.

This paper presents an investigation on the forming characteristics of the tailor rolled blank of an aluminum alloy (Al-TRB) during three-point bending at room temperature through experiments and finite element simulations. The strain distribution, spring-back characteristics, and metal flow law of 6000 series Al-TRB during three-point bending are explored. The prepared Al-TRB has good bending properties, and no surface cracks appear in the bending region of the Al-TRB when bent to 180°. Surface roughening occurs on the outside of the bending region. Since the strain in the thick zone is greater than that in the thin zone, the surface roughening in the thick zone is more obvious than that in the thin zone. The spring-back angle in the thin zone is higher than that in the thick zone after three-point bending, and the overall spring-back angle of Al-TRB becomes larger with an increasing bending angle. When the transition zone of Al-TRB is centered and the length of the transition zone is certain, as the length of the equal-thickness zone increases, the spring-back angle of the thin zone is larger, while the spring-back angle of the thick zone is smaller. Under the premise of a certain total length of Al-TRB and the length of the transition zone, the larger the length proportion of the thin zone, the larger the overall spring-back angle of Al-TRB, and the larger the length proportion of the thick zone, the smaller the overall spring-back angle of Al-TRB. In addition, a slight metal flow phenomenon exists during three-point bending, which shows that the metal in the bending region will flow to the thick zone, and the metal at the edge will flow to the thin zone. At the same time, there are localized thickening and thinning phenomena in Al-TRB. This study is helpful because it provides theoretical guidance for designing molds for the actual production of Al-TRB parts for automotives.

Herein, a new kind of overaging strategy: two steps of overaging for tailor rolled blank of dual phase steel (DP-TRB) was investigated. The results indicate that two steps of the overaging process is a useful way to control the mechanical properties of DP-TRB. In the premise of satisfying the requirement for the strength of DP590 grade, the total elongation can be significantly increased (3~7% in most cases). Due to the different degrees of ferrite recrystallization (differences of densities of dislocation) among the thicknesses, the obvious changes of mechanical properties among thicknesses are found. The thicknesses zones of 1.0~1.4 mm show lower strength, while the zones of 1.6~1.8 mm present higher strength. Otherwise, the high density of dislocations in samples of 1.6~1.8 mm provide more locations for Cottrell atmospheres, yield plateau occur easier. The zones with different thicknesses for one DP-TRB show two kinds of yield behaviors (continuous yield and non-continuous yield) simultaneously. The subtle C diffusion control by two step overaging leads to the quite different pinning effect of Cottrell atmospheres. Thus, the pinning effect occurs in a gradual way, and a transition state of yield behavior, which combines the characteristic of smooth curve in continuous yield and the plateau in non-continuous yield, is found.

SiC particle-reinforced Ti/Al/Ti clad plates were successfully fabricated by the powder-in-tube method. The surface micrography, element diffusion, peeling strength and tensile property of clad plates were studied after annealing and cold rolling. The experimental results show that 6 wt.% is optimal. The presence of SiC particles has been seen to significantly enhance the diffusion of Ti and Al elements. Additionally, it has been observed that the diffusion width of the intermetallic compound (IMC) increases as the size of SiC particles grows. However, it is worth noting that the average of Ti/Al–SiC/Ti clad plates initially increases and subsequently falls. The optimized diffusion thickness of the Ti/Al–SiC/Ti clad plate’s IMC layer determined via the powder-in-tube method is approximately 4.5 μm. The 1 μm SiC-reinforced Ti/Al/Ti clad plate can obtain the best mechanical properties after annealing at 500 °C and further hot rolling, and the peeling strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation are 31.5 N/mm, 305 MPa and 26%, respectively. The efficacy of Ti/Al–SiC/Ti clad plates in delivering exceptional performance is substantiated by the analysis of peeling surfaces, peeling tests and tensile testing, which collectively demonstrate the presence of compact and homogenous intermetallic compounds.

By employing a cyclic warm rolling technique, MoCu30 alloy sheets of different thicknesses were prepared to investigate the effects of various rolling reduction rates on the microstructure and mechanical properties of MoCu30 alloys. Additionally, the evolution of microscale heterogeneous deformation during the tensile process was observed based on DIC technology. This study reveals that Mo–Cu interfaces at different deformation rates exhibit an amorphous interlayer of 0.5–1.0 μm thickness, which contributes to enhancing the bond strength of Mo–Cu interfaces. As the rolling reduction rate increased, the grain size of the MoCu30 alloy gradually decreased, whereas the dislocation density and hardness increased. Furthermore, the yield strength and tensile strength of the MoCu30 alloy increased gradually, whereas the elongation decreased. At a deformation rate of 74% (2 mm), the yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation of the MoCu30 alloy were 647.9 MPa, 781.8 MPa, and 11.7%, respectively. During the tensile process of Mo–Cu dual-phase heterogeneous material, a unique hierarchical strain banding was formed, which helps to suppress strain localization and prevent premature plastic instability.