Hot workability behaviour of AISI316 stainless steel: constitutive analysis, dynamic material modelling, and finite element simulation

Abstract Most forged components undergo microstructural changes due to severe working conditions, which in turn affect product quality. In-depth understanding of hot deformation plays a key role in process parameter optimisation and improving final product quality. Therefore, this article reports the metal flow behaviour of AISI 316 steel. Uniaxial compression tests were conducted using Gleeble® 3500 thermal–mechanical equipment. The test conditions were 900–1050 °C and 0.1–15 s −1 . Constitutive models and processing maps were developed using experimental data. The constitutive model was used as input code for finite element simulation to validate the optimal processing window identified using processing maps. The results show that flow stress–strain curves exhibited dynamic recovery as a deformation mechanism. The flow stress increased with an increase in the strain rate or decrease in deformation temperature. The material parameter values were stress exponent n (7.87) and the activation energy Q (353.076 kJmol −1 ). The statistical parameters analysis results were Pearson’s coefficient R (0.995) and average absolute relative error (AARE) (2.53%). The statistical results show a good correlation between the predicted and experimental data. The developed constitutive model exhibited high accuracy in predicting the flow stress behaviour of the steel studied. The optimal processing window was 900/1050 °C and 15 s −1 as verified by finite element simulation. The study has shown that finite element simulation is an efficient and effective method of analysing industrial metal forming processes.