Thermomechanical Processing

Our group published a series of papers on the development of physics-based models for the microstructure evolution of microalloyed steels during thermomechanical processing.  The key innovation was to incorporate the time evolution and interactions between the relevant processes (recovery, recrystallization and precipitation).  The resulting models have been widely adopted by industry and academia.  The application of the model to chemistry and process design [ISIJ Int. 45, 713] was recognized the Sawamura Award and Guimaraise Award of the Iron and Steel Institute of Japan (2006). 

While, the initial model was limited to single pass deformation of Nb-containing steels, recent extensions of the model now allows us to capture the effects of multiple alloying additions and to simulate multi-pass deformation.  The model has been "packaged" into a database which can be within the commercially available Hot Strip Mill Model  (HSMM). The linkage between HSMM and our physics-based models is a breakthrough that will allow companies to carry out simulations for new steel grades that are not available within the original HSMM database.