Response of Ti microstructure in mechanical and laser forming processes

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Metallurgy
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Understanding microstructural deformation is crucial for optimizing metal forming processes.
• Commercially pure titanium (Ti) is widely used, necessitating detailed analysis of its behavior under various forming conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze and compare microstructural deformation mechanisms in commercially pure Ti subjected to three distinct forming processes.
• To investigate the influence of forming methods on the resulting microstructure and potential product performance.

Main Methods:

• Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) was employed to examine the microstructure of Ti plates before and after forming.
• Three forming techniques were applied: room temperature mechanical forming, laser beam forming, and a hybrid approach combining both.

Main Results:

• Pure mechanical forming at room temperature primarily induced mechanical twinning.
• Laser beam forming predominantly resulted in dislocation slip mechanisms.
• Combined laser and mechanical forming exhibited a mix of twinning and dislocation slip.
• Factors like Schmid factor, local temperature, and strain rate influence the dominant deformation mechanism.

Conclusions:

• The choice of forming process significantly alters the microstructural deformation mechanisms in titanium.
• Phase transformation is an additional microstructural factor to consider in laser forming of titanium.
• The observed microstructural differences have implications for the performance of the final formed titanium products.