To manufacture plate by the combination of equal channel angular processing （ECAP） and porthole die extrusion techniques, a novel technique, namely portholes-equal channel angular processing （P-ECAP）, was studied. Extrusion of AL6005A plate used for the bullet train plate was investigated by finite element method. The relevant porthole dies involving ECAP technique in channels were designed. Dimensional changes in the scrap part of the extrudate obtained after extrusion from the P-ECAP die, with different channel angles, were predicted. Effects of the channel angle and extrusion speed on the maximum temperature of the workpiece and other field variables were evaluated. At the channel angle of 160° of P-ECAP dies, the extrudate exhibited the optimal performance and the least amount of extrudate scrap was obtained. The optimal extrusion speed was 3-5 mm/s. Moreover, with the increase in ram speed from 1 to 9 mm/s, the peak extrusion load increased by about 49% and the maximum temperature was increased by about 70 ℃. The effective strain exhibited ascending trend in the comer of the ECAP deformation zone. In the solder seam and the side of die bearing of extrudate, the maximum principal stresses were tensile stress.
Identifying suitable processing window is necessary but difficult for achieving favorable microstructure and performance in extrusion of large thick-walled pipe with difficult-to-deform Inconel 625 alloy. In this work, a method was established for identifying the extrusion process window considering temperature control using response surface methodology. Firstly, the response surface models, which correlate temperature rise and peak temperature to key extrusion parameters, have been developed by orthogonal regression based on finite element calculated data. Secondly, the coupled effects of the key extrusion parameters on the temperature rise and peak temperature have been disclosed based on the regression models. Lastly, suitable extrusion processing windows, which are described by contour map of peak temperature in the space of extrusion speed and initial billet temperature, have been established for different extrusion ratios. Using the identified process window, a suitable combination of the key extrusion parameters can be determined conveniently and quickly.
A thermal-mechanical and micro-macro coupled finite element（FE） model for the hot extrusion process of large-scale thick-walled Inconel 625 pipe was developed based on the DEFORM-2D platform.Then,the influence rules of the key extrusion parameters on the average grain size and grain uniformity of the extruded pipe were revealed.The results show that with the increase of initial billet temperature,extrusion speed and friction coefficient,the grain uniformity is firstly improved and then deteriorated.Larger extrusion ratio leads to more uniform grain distribution.With the increase of initial billet temperature,the average grain size of the pipe first decreases and then increases.Additionally,larger extrusion ratio can bring smaller average grain size.The extrusion speed and friction coefficient have slight effects on the average grain size of the extruded pipe.
