Determining Conditions for Thermoplastic Processing Guaranteeing Receipt of High-Quality Wire Rod for Cold Upsetting Using Numerical and Physical Modelling Methods

This paper presents the results of research with regard to determining the conditions of the thermoplastic processing of steel wire rod for cold upsetting, which ensures that a finished product with an even and fine-grained microstructure, without a clear banding and with increased cold deformability is obtained. The material used for the studies was 20MnB4 low carbon steel, and the studies were carried out on wire rod with a final diameter of 5.5 mm. Numerical modelling of the analysed process was carried out using commercial FORGE 2011(®) and QTSteel(®) programs, based on the finite element method. The GLEEBLE 3800(®) metallurgical process simulator was used for the physical modelling studies. The obtained theoretical and experimental results were then verified in industrial conditions. Based on the obtained results, it was found that the optimum strip temperature before deformation in the RSM finishing block of the rolling mill is about 850 °C. The best cooling variant after the deformation process was the one in which the cooling rate was 10 °C/s. Such parameters of thermoplastic processing ensure that a final product with a favourable complex of mechanical and technological properties as well as a fine-grained, even microstructure, lacking clear banding, is obtained.