Numerical simulation and experimental verification of microstructure evolution in a three-dimensional hot upsetting process

The hot compression tests of 42CrMo steel were performed in the temperature range of 850–1150 °C at strain rates of 0.01–10 s−1 and deformation degrees of 10–60% on Gleeble-1500 thermo-simulation machine. The optical microstructures in the center region of the section plane were examined. Based on the results from thermo-simulation experiments and metallographic analysis, the dynamic recrystallization mathematical models of 42CrMo steel were derived. The effects of processing parameters, including the strain rate and deformation temperature, on the microstructure evolution of 42CrMo steel hot upsetting process were discussed by integrating the thermo-mechanical coupled finite element method with the derived microstructure evolution models. The fraction of dynamic recrystallization and dynamic recrystallization grain sizes during the hot upsetting process of 42CrMo steel were predicted. The results show that the effects of strain rates and deformation temperatures on the microstructure evolution of 42CrMo steel hot upsetting process are significant, and a good agreement between the predicted and experimental results was obtained, which confirmed that the derived dynamic recrystallization mathematical models can be successfully incorporated into the finite element model to predict the microstructure evolution of hot upsetting process for 42CrMo steel.