Thermo-mechanical-metallurgical model to predict geometrical distortions of hot-rolled rings during cooling phase after ring rolling operations

The paper presents a validated numerical model able to predict geometrical distortions of rings during cooling phase after hot ring rolling operations. The model is capable to take into account the effects of all the phenomena resulting from the coupling of thermal, mechanical and metallurgical events. As simulation results strongly depend on the accuracy of input data, physical simulation experiments on real-material samples are developed and carried out to characterize material behaviour during phase transformation. The numerical model is then validated by an industrial case proving its effectiveness in predicting final ring distortions at room temperature.