Effect of channel angle on the material flow and hardness distribution during incremental ECAP of Al-1050 billets

Incremental equal channel angular pressing (I-ECAP) is an extension of the classical ECAP method used to produce ultrafine grained (UFG) metals. This paper investigates the first pass of I-ECAP performed on AA-1050 billets measuring 10x10x60mm and the effects of processing with two different dies with the channel intersection angle ϕ=90° and ϕ=120°. The forces required to produce billets were examined and compared. Micro hardness measurements were performed to create a hardness distribution contour map and to evaluate the strain distribution. Moreover FE simulations were performed to investigate the plastic strain distribution within the billets. It was found that using the ϕ=90° die results in higher deformation forces and also greater uniformity of strain distribution when compared to billets processed with ϕ=120° die. The experimental results correlated well with the findings of the simulations

Research directions in hydroforming technology

This paper both summarizes and explores the literature published between 1995 and 2015 on enhancing and extending hydroforming technology. Many different research areas have been proposed, all of which try to enhance the well-established manufacturing process by either improving formability or reducing costs. Each of the technological variations are first described and then their uses, benefits, drawbacks and applications are discussed and summarized

Study of deformation texture in an AZ31 magnesium alloy rolled at wide range of rolling speed and reductions

Having the lowest density among all structural metals, magnesium has opened new horizons for developing commercial alloys with successful use in a wide variety of applications [1-2]. However, the plasticity of Mg is restricted at low temperatures because: (a) only a small number of deformation mechanisms can be activated [3-4], and (b) a preferred crystallographic orientation (texture) develops in wrought alloys, especially in flat-rolled sheets [5-7]. Therefore, manufacturing processes such as rolling and stamping should be performed at elevated temperatures [1, 8]. These barriers to the manufacturing process increase the price of magnesium wrought alloy products and limits the use of Mg to castings [9-10]. As a result, many studies have been conducted to improve formability by investigating the effect of manufacturing process. Therefore the current sheet production techniques, based on DC casting and hot rolling, are basically slow because the demand is easily met [11]. Twin roll casting followed by hot rolling appears to be processing route which can fulfil high volumes and reduced costs. The present authors succeeded in single-pass large draught rolling of various magnesium alloy sheets at low temperature (<473K) by high speed rolling [12]. Based on the data available in those works [13- 17], the sheet obtained by high-speed rolling exhibited a fine-grained microstructure (mean grain size of 2-3 μm), with good mechanical properties. For these advantages, the high speed rolling is a promising process to produce high-quality rolled magnesium alloy sheets at a low cost. For these advantages, the HSR is a promising process to produce high-quality rolled magnesium alloy sheets at a low cost. The goal of this research is thus to investigate the mechanisms responsible for the much higher rollability and the grain refinement after HSR. To do that, in this study, different rolling speeds from 15 to 1000 m/min were employed to twin rolled cast AZ31B magnesium alloy and different reductions

Modelling and experimentation of the evolution of texture in an Al-Mg alloy during earing cupping test

Earing and thinning are often the major manufacturing problems occur during deep drawing processes. Thinning occurs when a section of a part undergoes localised deformation, and earing is the formation of wavy edges at the open end of a drawn part that must be trimmed at final stage leading to higher manufacturing costs. The anisotropic mechanical behavior of the initial sheet metal is the predominant source of thinning and earing problems. This work aims to establish a relationship between the properties of a sheet blank and thinning and earing issues during deep drawing by studying the evolution of crystallographic texture throughout the sheet forming process using crystal plasticity simulation modelling and experimental measurements. Firstly, to understand the impact of individual texture components on the mechanical properties of the material, Lankford coefficients for FCC crystal structure during uni-axial tensile loading were analysed using Visco-Plastic Self Consistent (VPSC) model. Subsequently, Finite Element (FE) analyses were carried out to study the effect of initial state of the material on earing and thinning issues occurred during deep drawing. It was observed that the existing Cube and Goss texture components evolved during annealing heat treatments were responsible for the generation of troughs along 45° to the rolling direction (RD) and peaks along the transverse direction (TD), respectively. Optical 3D scanning of a manufactured part confirmed that earing is less prominent in the case of as-rolled and shear-formed condition due to weakening of Cube and Goss texture components. Furthermore, a combination of FE simulation and the VPSC model has been used to simulate texture evolution during a standard earing cupping test at various points of interest. The results of texture evolution simulations were compared to those measured experimentally by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and a good qualitative agreement is achieved

Accumulative Roll Bonding of Pure Copper and IF Steel

Severe plastic deformation is a new method to produce ultrafine grain materials with enhanced mechanical properties. The main objective of this work is to investigate whether accumulative roll bonding (ARB) is an effective grain refinement technique for two engineering materials of pure copper and interstitial free (IF) steel strips. Additionally, the influence of severely plastic deformation imposed by ARB on the mechanical properties of these materials with different crystallographic structure is taken into account. For this purpose, a number of ARB processes were performed at elevated temperature on the materials with 50% of plastic deformation in each rolling pass. Hardness of the samples was measured using microhardness tests. It was found that both the ultimate grain size achieved, and the degree of bonding depend on the number of rolling passes and the total plastic deformation. The rolling process was stopped in the 4th cycle for copper and the 10th cycle for IF steel, until cracking of the edges became pronounced. The effects of process temperature and wire-brushing as significant parameters in ARB process on the mechanical behaviour of the samples were evaluated

Accumulative Roll Bonding of Pure Copper and IF Steel

Severe plastic deformation is a new method to produce ultrafine grain materials with enhanced mechanical properties. The main objective of this work is to investigate whether accumulative roll bonding (ARB) is an effective grain refinement technique for two engineering materials of pure copper and interstitial free (IF) steel strips. Additionally, the influence of severely plastic deformation imposed by ARB on the mechanical properties of these materials with different crystallographic structure is taken into account. For this purpose, a number of ARB processes were performed at elevated temperature on the materials with 50% of plastic deformation in each rolling pass. Hardness of the samples was measured using microhardness tests. It was found that both the ultimate grain size achieved, and the degree of bonding depend on the number of rolling passes and the total plastic deformation. The rolling process was stopped in the 4th cycle for copper and the 10th cycle for IF steel, until cracking of the edges became pronounced. The effects of process temperature and wire-brushing as significant parameters in ARB process on the mechanical behaviour of the samples were evaluated

SCN1A polymorphisms influence the antiepileptic drugs responsiveness in Jordanian epileptic patients

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the voltage-gated sodium channel alpha subunit 1 (SCN1A) gene polymorphisms influence the responsiveness of Jordanian epileptic patients to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Methods: A total of 72 AEDs-treated epileptics were polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-genotyped for six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including SCN1A rs2298771, rs3812718, rs3812719, rs2217199, rs2195144 and rs1972445. Genotype and allele distributions in drug-responsive and drug-resistant patients were compared. The six SNPs haplotypes were examined, and the linkage disequilibrium (LD) was assessed. Results: The genotypes of drug-resistant and drug-responsive groups were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Three genetic polymorphisms of the SCN1A gene seemed to influence the resistance to AEDs, on the level of alleles and genotypes. Data revealed that rs2298771 G allele, rs3812719 C allele, and rs2195144 T allele increased the risk of developing AEDs-resistance (OR=2.9; 95%CI= 1.4-5.9, p=0.003; OR=2.4; 95%CI=1.2-4.7, p=0.01; OR=2.3; 95%CI=1.2-4.7, p=0.01), respectively. Haplo type analysis of SCN1A polymorphisms revealed high-degree LD associated with resistance to AEDs. A synergetic effect appears with highly significant association in GCCATG haplotype of rs2298771, rs3812718, rs3812719, rs2217199, rs2195144, and rs1972445 respectively (OR=2.8; 95%CI=1.5-6.2, p=0.002). Conclusions: Data suggests that SCN1A polymorphisms could influence the resistance to AEDs in Jordanian epileptics at three SNPs (rs2298771; rs3812719; rs2195144). Additionally, haplotype analysis indicated a substantial degree of LD between the six SCN1A polymorphisms. Further investigation with larger sample size is needed to confirm the results of the current study

Texture evolution in selective laser melted maraging stainless steel CX with martensitic transformation

Due to high local cooling rates and non-equilibrium directional solidification conditions, selective laser melting (SLM) processed metals exhibit microstructural and textural features significantly different from the conventionally processed ones. The evolution of crystallographic orientations in a maraging stainless steel (commercially known as stainless steel CX) sample fabricated by the SLM process was studied through experimental and modelling approaches Electron backscattering diffraction analysis showed that the dominant texture components in martensite and austenite phases are || building direction and || building direction, respectively. Texture simulation indicated that the formation of crystallographic orientations in the studied sample is the result of two consecutive phase transformations, from initially solidified delta ferrite phase with dominant cube fiber texture to austenite and austenite to martensite

Elective cancer surgery in COVID-19-free surgical pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An international, multicenter, comparative cohort study

PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19–free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19–free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19–free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19–free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score–matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19–free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks