Simulation and Experimental Verification of the Bonding Process in Three-roll Skew Rolling of Cu/Al Composite Tubes

HOU Wenjing; CHEN Peng; NIU Hui; FU Lun; HE Dongping; WANG Tao

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.11.006

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Journal of Netshape Forming Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 17 ›› Issue (11) : 68-78. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.11.006

Intelligent Processing of Advanced Materials

Simulation and Experimental Verification of the Bonding Process in Three-roll Skew Rolling of Cu/Al Composite Tubes

HOU Wenjing^1,2, CHEN Peng^1,2, NIU Hui^1,2,*, FU Lun^1,2, HE Dongping^1,2, WANG Tao^1,2

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Abstract

The work aims to investigate the dynamic forming process and interfacial bonding behavior of Cu/Al composite tubes during three-roll skew rolling. A finite element model was developed with ABAQUS and a VUINTER subroutine was employed to describe the contact interaction between dissimilar metals. Based on this, the evolution of interfacial bonding and metal deformation during rolling were analyzed. Three-roll skew rolling experiments were conducted on Cu/Al composite tubes under conditions of 400 ℃ and 25% reduction. The reliability of the finite element model was verified by comparing the macroscopic dimensions of the rolled tubes with simulation results. The macro and micro characteristics of the bonding interface were further examined through shear tests and microstructural analysis. The simulation results showed that the established model effectively captured the dynamic "deformation-bonding-forming" process at the Cu/Al interface. The composite tubes advanced spirally during three-roll cross wedge rolling, with their radial cross-section undergoing a "circular-triangular-circular" deformation process, and this deformation process corresponded to the three-stage changes of the "rise-stability-decline" in the stress field, the "gradient-synchronization-differentiation" in the velocity field, and the "delayed initiation-rapid growth-stable saturation" of the interfacial bonding rate. Experimentally, the composite tubes displayed a sound macroscopic morphology with a straight and continuous interface. The errors in macroscopic dimensions such as diameter and length were within 5% compared to simulation results, confirming the reliability of simulation analysis. Additionally, the interfacial shear strength reached approximately 69.97 MPa, with fracture occurring in the aluminum matrix in a ductile manner. A diffusion layer of about 1.5 μm was observed at the interface, indicating metallurgical bonding. In conclusion, the established finite element model successfully simulates the dynamic composite process of Cu/Al clad tubes during three-roll skew rolling and reveals the evolution of field variables at the metal bonding interface, providing theoretical guidance for the study of three-roll skew rolling processes of bimetallic composite tubes.

Key words

Cu/Al composite tubes / three-roll skew rolling / finite element simulation / VUINTER subroutine / bonding mechanism

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HOU Wenjing, CHEN Peng, NIU Hui, FU Lun, HE Dongping, WANG Tao. Simulation and Experimental Verification of the Bonding Process in Three-roll Skew Rolling of Cu/Al Composite Tubes[J]. Journal of Netshape Forming Engineering. 2025, 17(11): 68-78 https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2025.11.006

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Funding

Major Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (U22A20188); National Natural Science Foundation of China (52425504); Shanxi Province Basic Research Program Project (202303021223003)