Multiscale Model for Al-Li Material Processing Simulation Under Forging Conditions

Recent developments have produced a new generation of Al-Li alloys offering weight savings while also providing other property benefits such as good strength and toughness combination. The forging of such alloys for aircraft engine parts leads to desirable characteristics including lower weight, improved performance, and longer life. Therefore, detailed analyses need to be performed in order to connect forging-related processing parameters to part microstructural characteristics and subsequent mechanical properties. In this effort, a physics-based, non-isothermal, viscoplastic crystal plasticity model has been developed to predict the microscale evolution that occurs in Al-Li during forging operations. The multiscale model considers the effects of rate-dependent plasticity, dynamic recovery, and dynamic recrystallization, all of which have been shown to influence the final microstructure in forged Al-Li parts. We have calibrated the model using experiments conducted at multiple temperatures and strain rates. Validation includes predicting the constitutive response of the material and final location-specific texture of a forged Al-Li part.