EFFECT OF PROCESSING ROUTE ON MICROSTRUCTURE AND MICROHARDNESS OF LOW-CARBON STEEL SUBJECTED TO DRECE PROCESS

Presented paper reports the effect of the processing route on the microstructure and microhardness in the cold rolled low-carbon sheets processed by dual rolls equal channel extrusion (DRECE). The DRECE process was repeated up to four passes in two processing routes, called routes A and C. As the number of passes increased, the heterogeneous evolution of microhardness and microstructural heterogeneities between the core and surface regions gradually became intensified in both processing routes. The results showed that the DRECE method is a powerful method for processing the sheets with gradient structure and enhanced utility properties. Therefore, it appears that the proposed method has a great potential to a wide range of industrial applications.