Prediction of mechanical properties for deep drawing steel by deep learning

At present,iron and steel enterprises mainly use“after spot test ward”to control final product quality.However,it is impossible to realize on-line quality predetermining for all products by this traditional approach,hence claims and returns often occur,resulting in major eco-nomic losses of enterprises.In order to realize the on-line quality predetermining for steel products during manufacturing process,the predic-tion models of mechanical properties based on deep learning have been proposed in this work.First,the mechanical properties of deep drawing steels were predicted by using LSTM(long short team memory),GRU(gated recurrent unit)network,and GPR(Gaussian process regression)model,and prediction accuracy and learning efficiency for different models were also discussed.Then,on-line re-learning methods for transfer learning models and model parameters were proposed.The experimental results show that not only the prediction accuracy of optimized trans-fer learning models has been improved,but also predetermining time was shortened to meet real time requirements of on-line property prede-termining.The industrial production data of interstitial-free(IF)steel was used to demonstrate that R2 value of GRU model in training stage reaches more than 0.99,and R2 value in testing stage is more than 0.96.

Influence of band microstructure on carbide precipitation behavior and toughness of 1 GPa-grade ultra-heavy gauge low-alloy steel

This study investigated the influence of band microstructure induced by centerline segregation on carbide precipitation behavior and toughness in an 80 mm-thick 1 GPa low-carbon low-alloy steel plate.The quarter-thickness(1/4t)and half-thickness(1/2t)regions of the plate exhibited similar ductility and toughness after quenching.After tempering,the 1/4t region exhibited~50%and~25%enhancements in both the total elongation and low-temperature toughness at-40°C,respectively,without a decrease in yield strength,whereas the toughness of the 1/2t region decreased by~46%.After quenching,both the 1/4t and 1/2t regions exhibited lower bainite and lath martensite concentrations,but only the 1/2t region exhibited microstructure bands.Moreover,the tempered 1/4t region featured uniformly dispersed short rod-like M_(23)C_(6)carbides,and spherical MC precipitates with diameters of~20–100 nm and<20 nm,respectively.The uniformly dispersed nanosized M_(23)C_(6)carbides and MC precipitates contributed to the balance of high strength and high toughness.The band microstructure of the tempered 1/2t region featured a high density of large needle-like M3C carbides.The length and width of the large M3C carbides were~200–500 nm and~20–50 nm,respectively.Fractography analysis revealed that the high density of large carbides led to delamination cleavage fracture,which significantly deteriorated toughness.

Formation and thermodynamics of CaS-bearing inclusions during Ca treatment in oil casting steels

Industrial experiments were carried out to investigate the formation of CaS-bearing inclusion during Ca double modification in oil casting steels using polished cross sections and electrolytic extraction. Immediately after Ca addition, the role of newly generated CaS as an intermediate reaction product, which modified the Al_2O_3 inclusion into a liquid calcium aluminate, was confirmed. The formation of transient CaS was attributed to the high surface segregation of S at the liquid steel-calcium vapor interface, where a simple site coverage model based upon the Langmuir adsorption equation was established. Moreover, a CaS outer layer surrounding the liquid calcium aluminate was attained mainly in the tundish, which was distributed unevenly on the surface of liquid particles according to the three-dimensional mapping results. The surface of a well-modified calcium aluminate with higher CaO activity and Al_2O_3 activity under bulk composition conditions in the tundish acted as a favorable site for the generation of CaS. Additionally, CaS could be precipitated directly onto existing inclusions during solidification of the steel, which led to various morphologies of CaS-bearing inclusions in slabs. Furthermore, the phase transformation of inclusions during solidification was strongly influenced both by the S content and the Ca/S ratio in the tundish via thermodynamics.

Grain refinement in the coarse-grained region of the heat-affected zone in low-carbon high-strength microalloyed steels

The microstructural features and grain refinement in the coarse-grained region of the heat-affected zone in low-carbon high-strength microalloyed steels were investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron backscattering diffraction. The coarse-grained region of the heat-affected zone consists of predominantly bainite and a small proportion of acicular ferrite. Bainite packets are separated by high angle boundaries. Acicular ferrite laths or plates in the coarse-grained region of the heat-affected zone formed prior to bainite packets partition austenite grains into many smaller and separate areas, resulting in fine-grained mixed microstructures. Electron backscattering diffraction analysis indicates that the average crystallographic grain size of the coarse-grained region of the heat-affected zone reaches 6-9 μm, much smaller than that of austenite grains.

Corrosion behavior of high-strength spring steel for high-speed railway

The corrosion resistance and evolution of corrosion products in medium-carbon high-strength spring steels were investigated in a neutral salt spray(5 wt% Na Cl solution). A formation model of γ-Fe OOH and a transformation model describing the conversion of γ-Fe OOH to α-Fe OOH were constructed. The results indicated that, at the initial corrosion stage, the corrosion resistance was gradually improved with the addition of Cr; however, with the addition of alloying element V, the corrosion resistance decreased. These results were attributed mainly to the initial corrosion stage being closely related to the matrix microstructure parameters such as grain-boundary character and dislocation density. After the rust layer was formed at a later corrosion stage, the corrosion resistance was reinforced with the addition of Cr and V because Cr strongly influenced the composition, structure, and morphology of the corrosion products. The results presented herein show that Cr was conducive to the transformation of γ-Fe OOH into α-Fe OOH. Moreover, V and Cr exhibited obvious synergy and were enriched in the inner layer of the corrosion products.

Effects of chromium on the microstructure and hot ductility of Nb-microalloyed steel

It is well-known that the surface quality of the niobium microalloy profiled billet directly affects the comprehensive mechanical properties of the H-beam.The effects of chromium on theγ/αphase transformation and high-temperature mechanical properties of Nb-microalloyed steel were studied by Gleeble tensile and high-temperature in-situ observation experiments.Results indicated that the starting temperature of the γ→αphase transformation decreases with increasing Cr content.The hot ductility of Nb-microalloyed steel is improved by adding 0.12wt% Cr.Chromium atoms inhibit the diffusion of carbon atoms,which reduces the thickness of grain boundary ferrite.The number fractions of high-angle grain boundaries increase with increasing chromium content.In particular,the proportion is up to 48.7% when the Cr content is 0.12wt%.The high-angle grain boundaries hinder the crack propagation and improve the ductility of Nb-microalloyed steel.

Complementation in the composition of steel slag and red mud for preparation of novel ceramics

A method for preparing novel ceramics was developed in this study. Different ratios red muds were added to steel slags to optimize the preparation of novel ceramics by a traditional ceramic preparation process. The sintering mechanism, microstructure, and performance were studied by X-ray diffraction techniques, scanning electron microscopy, and combined experiments of linear shrinkage, water absorption, and flexural strength. The results confirmed that red mud can reduce the volumetric instabilities through the complementarity of red mud and ferroalloy slag. The crystal phases in the ceramics are all pyroxene group minerals, including diopside ferrian, augite, and diopside. The flexural strength of the ceramic that contains 40 wt% red mud and was prepared at the optimal sintering temperature(1140°C) is greater than 93 MPa; its corresponding water absorption is less than 0.05%.

Mechanism of Annealing Softening of Rolled or Forged Tool Steel

In order to reduce hardness of rolled or forged steels after annealing and improve processability, the diameter and dispersity of carbides were measured by SEM and quantitative metallography. The microstructure of annealed steel was analyzed by TEM. The effects of the factors such as solute atoms, carbides, grain boundary and interphase boundary were studied. The mechanism of annealing softening of steels was analyzed on the examples of steels H13, S5, S7, X45CrNiMo4, which are treated with new technology. The results showed that the softening of H13, S7, S5 is easier obtained by isothermal or slow cooling annealing from slightly below A1, but hardness of X45CrNiMo4 after annealing is reduced effectively by obtaining coarse lamellar pearlite. Economic results can be obtained from good processability.

Effect of Cr/Mn segregation on pearlite–martensite banded structure of high carbon bearing steel

The effect of Cr/Mn segregation on the abnormal banded structure of high carbon bearing steel was studied by reheating and hot rolling.With the use of an optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and electron probe microanalyzer, the segregation characteristics of alloying elements in cast billet and their relationship with hot-rolled plate banded structure were revealed.The formation causes of an abnormal banded structure and the elimination methods were analyzed.Results indicate the serious positive segregation of C, Cr, and Mn alloy elements in the billet.Even distribution of Cr/Mn elements could not be achieved after 10 h of heat preservation at 1200℃, and the spacing of the element aggregation area increased, but the segregation index of alloy elements decreased.Obvious alloying element segregation characteristics are present in the banded structure of the hot-rolled plate.This distinct white band is composed of martensitic phases.The formation of this abnormal pearlite–martensite banded structure is due to the interaction between the undercooled austenite transformation behavior of hot-rolled metal and the segregation of its alloying elements.Under the air cooling after rolling, controlling the segregation index of alloy elements can reduce or eliminate the abnormal banded structure.

Application and failure evaluation of ferritic stainless steels for automotive exhaust systems

Abstract:In recent years,with attention paid to global environmental problems,there have been requirements for continuous improvement of automobile fuel economy and exhaust gas purification rate.The properties of the ferritic stainless steels(FSS) used to make automobile parts have been improved.This paper introduces the construction of automotive exhaust systems and describes their main failure behaviors and corrosion evaluation procedures.

Comparative research on the mechanical property and precipitation of the 2101 and 2205 duplex stainless steels

The mechanical property and precipitation of the 2101 and 2205 duplex stainless steels were investigated.The results show that with nitrogen-content increasing from 0.12% to 0.26% to partly replace nickel,the yield strength of the 2101 steel gains an increase of 80 MPa whilst its elongation proportion keeps unchanged.The impact energy at a low temperature is obviously reduced.The temperature at which the impact energy starts decreasing is lower than 20℃,-20℃ and-40℃ for the 2101 steels containing 0.5%Ni,1.5%Ni and 2.5%Ni respectively,whereas it is-70℃ for the 5%Ni-containing 2205 steel.The nose temperature of precipitation is 700℃ for the 2101 steel and 850℃ for the 2205 steel.The scanning electronic microscope(SEM),the transmission electron microscope(TEM)and the X-ray diffraction(XRD)analyses show that the drop in the impact energy of the 2101 steel can be mainly attributed to the precipitation of Cr2N upon ageing while it is attributed to the sigma phase for the 2205 steel.

Study on the microstructure of 12%chromium low carbon stainless steel in a high temperature heat-affected zone

Coarsening,embrittlement and corrosion sensitization in a high temperature heat-affected zone(HTHAZ) are the major problems when 12%chromium low carbon stainless steel is being welded,which induce the deterioration of the impact toughness at a low temperature and intergranular corrosion resistance property.This study investigates the corresponding microstructures in HTHAZ with different chemical compositions and heat inputs through thermal simulation tests.The results show that the martensite content increases with the descending of ferrite factor(FF) when FF is below 9.0 and heat input influences the microstructure of high FF steel in HTHAZ.Martensite of 12%Cr stainless steel in HTHAZ with only Nb stabilization reticularly distributes at ferrite grain boundaries.

Recent Trends in Producing Ultrafine Grained Steels

Ultrafine grained steels with grain sizes below about 1 μm offer the prospect of high strength and high toughness with traditional steel compositions. These materials are currently the subject of extensive research efforts worldwide. Alloy design is one of the first considered issues, while designing new steel with targeted mechanical properties. However, the alloying content of steel does not fully determine the mechanical properties, but manufacturing procedure, hot rolling and cooling parameters, heat treatment parameters etc. are also of vital importance. For instance, same steel with different processing conditions can exhibit rather large variations in properties. To be precise, chemical composition with the processing parameters determines the microstructure, which in turn determines the properties of the steel. Steel is defined as an iron alloy containing C, Mn and Si that are generally used as alloying elements in steel. Micro-alloying elements such as Nb, Ti V, and B, are considered to be effective, causing strengthening as well as microstructural refinement in small quantities below 0.1 wt% (therefore these are called micro-alloy elements) and are quite generally used in ultrafine grain steel. Substitution alloying elements, such as Mo, Ni, Cr and Cu are alloyed to suppress phase transformation temperatures, i.e. for reaching certain level of strengthening, since the strength of steel structures strongly depends on the phase transformation temperature. Accordingly, the alloy design of ultrafine grains steels with different structures generally relies on: i) carbon levels, ii) sufficient alloying to obtain the desired transformation temperature and iii) micro-alloying technology in conjunction with Thermo Mechanical Controlled Processes (TMCP). Also, both advanced thermo-mechanical processes and severe plastic deformation strategies are used to produce ultrafine grained steels. Both approaches are suited to produce submicron grain structures with attractive mechanical properties. This overview describes the various techniques to fabricate ultrafine grained steels.

Effect of the frequency of high-angle grain boundaries on the corrosion performance of 5wt%Cr steel in a CO2 aqueous environment

The corrosion behavior of 5 wt%Cr steel tempered at different temperatures was investigated by immersion testing and electrochemical testing in a CO_2 aqueous environment. When the tempering temperature exceeded 500℃, the corrosion rate increased. The corrosion layers consisted of Cr-rich compounds, which affected the corrosion behaviors of the steels immersed in the corrosive solution. The results of electrochemical experiments demonstrated that 5 wt%Cr steels with different microstructures exhibited pre-passivation characteristics that decreased their corrosion rate. Analysis by electron back-scattered diffraction showed that the frequency of high-angle grain boundaries(HAGBs) and the corrosion rate were well-correlated in specimens tempered at different temperatures. The corrosion rate increased with increasing HAGB frequency.

Mechanical properties and wear resistance of ultrafine bainitic steel under low austempering temperature

The mechanical properties and wear resistance of the ultrafine bainitic steel austempered at various temperatures were investigated.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and X-ray diffraction were used to analyze the microstructure.The worn surfaces were observed via laser scanning confocal microscopy and SEM.Results indicated that,under low austempering temperatures,the mechanical properties differed,and the wear resistance remained basically unchanged.The tensile strength of the samples was above 1800 MPa,but only one sample austempered at 230°C had an elongation of more than 10%.The weight loss of samples was approximately linear with the cycles of wear and nonlinear with the loads.The samples showed little difference in wear resistance at different isothermal temperatures,whereas the thickness of their deformed layers varied greatly.The results are related to the initial hardness of the sample and the stability of the retained austenite.Meanwhile,the experimental results showed that the effect of austempering temperature on the wear resistance of ultrafine bainitic steel can be neglected under low applied loads and low austempering temperature.

Study on the surface cracking in hot-rolled plates of Fe-23Mn-2Al-V austenitic steel

The study introduces the chemical composition,mechanical properties,physical properties and production processes of the Fe-23Mn-2Al-V austenitic steel.Investigations were made into the formation of cracks in the hot-rolled Fe-23Mn-2Al-V steel plates,with optical microscopy (OM),scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrum (EDS).The results have shown that intergranular oxidation in the reheating furnace is the main cause of the cracks on the surface of the hot-rolled steel plates.The surface cracking can be largely avoided by controlling the remaining oxygen content in the reheating furnace and improving continuous casting (CC) processes to increase the thickness of fine equiaxed grain layer of the steel slabs.

High-cycle Fatigue Fracture Behavior of Ultrahigh Strength Steels

<正>The fatigue fracture behavior of four ultrahigh strength steels with different melting processes and therefore different inclusion sizes were studied by using a rotating bar two-point bending fatigue machine in the high-cycle regime up to 10~7 cycles of loading.The fracture surfaces were observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM).It was found that the size of inclusion has significant effect on the fatigue behavior. For AISI 4340 steel in which the inclusion size is smaller than 5.5μm,all the fatigue cracks except one did not initiated from inclusion but from specimen surface and conventional S-N curve exists.For 65Si2MnWE and Aermet 100 steels in which the average inclusion sizes are 12.2 and 14.9μm,respectively,fatigue cracks initiated from inclusions at lower stress amplitudes and stepwise S-N curves were observed.The S-N curve displays a continuous decline and fatigue failures originated from large oxide inclusion for 60Si2CrVA steel in which the average inclusion size is 44.4μm.In the case of internal inclusion-induced fractures at cycles beyond about 1×10~6 for 65Si2MnWE and 60Si2CrVA steels,inclusion was always found inside the fish-eye and a granular bright facet(GBF)was observed in the vicinity around the inclusion.The GBF sizes increase with increasing the number of cycles to failure N_f in the long-life regime.The values of stress intensity factor range at crack initiation site for the GBF are almost constant with N_f,and are almost equal to that for the surface inclusion and the internal inclusion at cycles lower than about 1×10~6.Neither fish-eye nor GBF was observed for Aermet 100 steel in the present study.

Study on the corrosion properties of 0Cr11 ferritic stainless steel for automotive exhaust systems

This study investigates the corrosion properties of 0Cr11Ti and 0Cr11NbTi ferritic stainless steels(FSS) for automotive exhaust systems.The results indicate that the base metal and weld seam of 0Cr11NbTi steel exhibit better intergranular and condensate corrosion resistant properties because carbon and nitrogen are stabilized by Nb and Ti,and the precipitation of Cr carbide is retarded in grain boundaries.

Recycling of ironmaking and steelmaking slags in Japan and China

The mass production of steel is inevitably accompanied by large quantities of slags.The treatment of ironmaking and steelmaking slags is a great challenge in the sustainable development of the steel industry.Japan and China are two major steel producing countries that have placed a large emphasis on developing new technologies to decrease slag emission or promote slag valorization.Slags are almost completely reused or recycled in Japan.However,due to stagnant infrastructural investments,future applications of slags in conventional sectors are expected to be difficult.Exploring new functions or applications of slags has become a research priority in Japan.For example,the utilization of steelmaking slags in offshore seabeds to create marine forests is under development.China is the top steel producer in the world.The utilization ratios of ironmaking and steelmaking slags have risen steadily in recent years,driven largely by technological advances.For example,hot stage processing of slags for materials as well as heat recovery techniques has been widely applied in steel plants with good results.However,increasing the utilization ratio of basic oxygen furnace slags remains a major challenge.Technological innovations in slag recycling are crucial for the steel industries in Japan and China.Here,the current status and developing trends of utilization technologies of slags in both countries are reviewed.

Influence of Boron Additions on Mechanical Properties of Carbon Steel

This work aims at the development of carbon steel AISI 1536 through the microalloying addition of boron. Three grades of this steel with different content of boron up to 0.0055% were melted in 100 kg induction furnace. The pro- duced steels were hardened at 960°C for 30 min., followed by tempering at different temperatures and durations. All hardened steels have martensite phase as illustrated with microstructures and X-ray diffraction. Hardness of all tem- pered steel samples was measured to calculate the activation energies of carbon migration through martensite phase. The results indicated that the activation energies of carbon migration through martensite phase decreases with the in- crease of boron content due to its positive effect on the crystallinity of martensite phase. Also, the results showed that the addition of boron up to 0.0023% can improve the steel properties at the lowest temperature and tempered time.