Effect of Intermetallic Particles Topology on Load in Breakdown Hot Rolling of AA3104

Tuesday, September 13, 2022: 9:00 AM
Convention Center: 262 (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center)
Dr. Oyindamola Kayode , University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Dr. Sarah George , University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Prof. Daya Reddy , University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Aluminium alloy AA3104 is critical for industrial manufacturing of beverage can body stock (CBS). The strict requirements of the final sheet metal with respect to texture, grain structure, intermetallic phases and non-intermetallic inclusions in relation to the sheet’s strength, earing, galling and formability makes the alloy production complex. Industrially, a phenomenon has been identified where the predicted load for the early passes of the breakdown rolling process were significantly lower than the loads observed in practice – it is expected that the roll force will increase with an increase in strain rate and decrease in temperature based on the Zenner-Holloman flow stress relationship. Furthermore, the roll force should increase with the decrease in the gauge thickness for a constant work roll radius and change in thickness of rolled material, based on the Sims equation.

This paper presents investigative research on evaluation of the breakdown hot rolling process through mechanical testing and microstructural analysis. We have conducted plane strain compression tests using experimental conditions approximate to industrial breakdown mill passes on a reference material (Al-1%Mg) and as-cast, homogenized, mid-rough, and transfer bar materials of AA3104, to understand the microstructure of the material at various stages of the breakdown rolling process, and the relationship between microstructure, topology of intermetallic particles and mechanical properties.

Over the next three months, we will be conducting microanalysis on the micrographs from the light microscopy, quantitative data and images from scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray, subgrain structure, crystallography and accumulated strain analysis from electron back scattered diffraction, and 3D image analysis of intermetallic particles through particle extraction using the SIBUT method. In the following three months, we will prepare a conference paper and presentation on our findings on the relationship between microstructure, topology of intermetallic particles and mechanical properties, towards solving the identified industrial challenge.

See more of: Microstructural Characterization II
See more of: Characterization of Materials and Microstructure through Metallography, Image Analysis, Machine Learning, and Mechanical Testing - Fundamental and Applied Studies