High Precision FE Modeling for Predicting Inner Polygon Defect of Hot Rolled Seamless Steel Tubes

A high precision FE model is the key basis for cause analysis and overcoming of inner polygon defect of hot rolled seamless steel tubes. In this paper, the viscoelastic-plastic FEM is adopted in order to develop a high precision FE model for predicting the defect of inner polygon. Mechanical properties of tube material under rolling environment is obtained through five sets of high temperature compression tests, thus the viscoelastic-plastic constitutive equation of tube material is regressed and agrees with the tests results. Heat transfer boundary conditions, roll constant speed and contact friction boundary conditions are applied simultaneously on the FE model and thermo-mechanical coupled explicit algorithm is adopted for solution. The precision of the FE model is verified through industry experiments. Results shows the simulated inner wall shape is in good accordance with the experiment results, and the friction force, stress, strain and temperature distribution in the deformation zone are also discussed. It can be concluded that the viscoelastic-plastic FE model is of high precision and can be applied for better analysis of the hot rolling results.