Finite element modeling and analysis of the technological feasibility of a new cladding scheme for aluminum-lithium alloy 1441 ingots

Using the QForm software package, a finite-element analysis was conducted to assess the technological feasibility of implementing a new cladding scheme for 360-mm-thick aluminum–lithium alloy 1441 ingots under the production conditions of PJSC “KUMP”. Instead of the traditional cladding scheme, in which the cladding plates are roll-bonded to the ingot over four passes with an absolute reduction of 6 mm per pass, the cladding plates are seated in pre-machined recesses milled into the top and bottom surfaces of the ingot and roll-bonded in a single pass with an absolute reduction of 24 mm. The analysis showed that the new cladding scheme prevents extrusion of the cladding plates from the ingot surface at high reductions, enabling the use of thinner plates (10 mm instead of the conventional 15 mm). The new approach also significantly reduces the total number of passes and inter-deformation pauses during rough rolling, thereby improving the thermal condition of the workpiece before finish rolling. A reduction of three passes and three pauses (10 s each) leads to an average temperature increase of approximately 23 °C. The deformation behavior of the base metal (alloy 1441) and the cladding layer (ACpl alloy) was analyzed. The mean accumulated strain in the ingot after rolling according to the new scheme was found to be twice as high as under the traditional scheme, while the deformation distribution within the cladding layer was more uniform. The obtained results can be used to enhance and optimize hot-rolling parameters for clad sheets and strips of aluminum– lithium alloy 1441 at PJSC “KUMP”.