Flow curves and deformation of materials at different temperatures and strain rates

A basic understanding of the plastic behaviour of various metals and alloys is necessary for their successful forming. Researchers can make use of this knowledge for the better understanding and improvement of metal-forming processes, whilst the production engineer can use this knowledge for the selection and allocation of machine tools for different jobs. Flow curves facilitate understanding of the plastic behaviour of materials. In recent times, many advances have been made in numerial analysis methods - such as finite-element techniques - as a means of solving metal-forming problems: the success of such methods depends very much upon the availability of basic material-property data. The determination of flow curves at different temperatures and strain rates is therefore equally important for both the researcher and the production engineer. The different test methods used for determining the flow curves, together with their relative merits and demerits and the influencing parameters, are discussed in this paper. Some experimental results for 18-4-1 alloy steel are also presented. It is hoped that this review will be useful both for personnel engaged in industry and for researchers. © 1982.