The study presents the effect of annealing process parameters on the microstructure, hardness, and strain-hardening coefficients, that is, the strength coefficient c and the strain-hardening exponent n, of 42CrMo4 steel. Seven selected annealing time–temperature schemes are examined for superior steel formability in cold metal forming conditions. The c and n coefficients are first determined in experimental upsetting of annealed samples and then used in FEM (finite element method) simulations of the upsetting process. The results demonstrate that the strain-hardening coefficients (c and n) depend on the employed annealing scheme. Compared with the as-received sample, the annealing process reduces the true stress and effectively decrease the hardness of 42CrMo4 steel; improves microstructural spheroidization; and, consequently, facilitates deformability of this material. The annealing schemes, relying on heating the material to 750 °C and its subsequent slow cooling, lead to the highest decrease in hardness ranging from 162 to 168 HV. The results obtained with the SEM-EDS (scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometer), LOM (light optical microscopy), and XRD (X-ray diffraction) methods lead to the conclusion that the employed heat treatment schemes cause the initial ferritic-pearlitic microstructure to develop granular and semi-lamellar precipitation of cementite enriched with Mo and Cr in the ferrite matrix. In addition, the annealing process affects the growth of α-Fe grains. The highest cold hardening rate, and thus formability, is obtained for the annealing scheme producing the lowest hardness. The results of FEM simulations are positively validated by experimental results. The obtained results are crucial for further numerical simulations and experimental research connected with developing new cold metal forming methods for producing parts made of 42CrMo4 steel.

Ductile fracture is one of the most common failure modes in hot metal forming. It can be predicted by means of so-called damage functions that describe the relation between stress, deformation and fracture initiation. A practical use of these functions requires the knowledge of the critical damage value of the material that is determined by calibration tests based on compression, tension and torsion. For the prediction to be correct, one must ensure that the modelled and real stresses are in agreement. Previous studies did not offer any effective test for determining critical values of damage under changing load conditions that occur in cross and skew rolling processes, among others. To compensate for this knowledge gap, researchers at the Lublin University of Technology have developed a new test consisting in rotary compression of a test-piece in a cavity between the tools, which is described in this paper. In the proposed test, a cylindrical test-piece is rolled over a cavity (impression) created by grooves on two mating tools. The cavity height is smaller than the test-piece diameter. At the critical value of the forming length, the state of stress induced thereby in the test-piece axis causes fracture. Knowing the critical forming length, it is possible to determine the critical value of damage by numerical modelling. The practical application of the proposed test is illustrated through the case of C45 grade steel subjected to forming in the temperature range 950–1150 °C. The analysis makes use of the normalized Cockcroft-Latham (NCL) criterion of ductile fracture.

The paper addresses the problem of material fracture in cross rolling processes. A new test based on rotary compression for determining limit values of the damage function after the Cockroft-Latham criterion is proposed. A FEM analysis is performed to determine the stress and strain states in a...

The present article reports selected results of a preliminary study of the process of skew rolling of bimetallic rods. The experiments were conducted using a numerically controlled three-roller skew rolling mill. During the tests, bimetallic rods were rolled from billets whose cores and outer sleeves (bushings) were made of different types of steel. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can be successfully used in the production of bimetallic rods. However, proper fastening of the two materials depends on the geometrical parameters of the billets, and the quality of bimetallic rods depends on the heating method used. When the rods are heated without protective atmospheres, the surface layer of the core gets decarburized and the surfaces of the materials being joined together are oxidized, which hinders the welding process and adversely affects the physical and chemical properties of such products. The results of numerical modeling indicate that the material near the surface tends to flow, which may have a negative impact on the welding process. In addition, the distribution of stress in the tool–workpiece contact zone may make welding of the materials difficult. The results reported in this paper are preliminary and constitute a prelude to a more detailed analysis of bimetallic rod rolling.