Forming mechanism and performance analysis of Ti-6Al-4V alloy under hammer forging and press forging

The differences in damage values, residual stresses, microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V alloy under hammer forging and press forging were explored through physical experiments and numerical simulations. The results showed that the temperature field and equivalent strain field of forgings under the hammer forging process were more uniformly distributed, resulting in smaller surface cracks and better residual stress distribution. The impact dynamic loading of hammer forging leads to forgings with higher dislocation densities, while the stabilized strain rate of press forging results in forgings exhibiting finer grain sizes. In this context, the yield strength enhancement of forgings by both processes was nearly identical, while the forgings demonstrated more excellent elongation under the hammer forging process. Additionally, increasing the number of blows in the hammer forging process or enhancing the loading rate in the press forging process can optimize the residual stress distribution of the forgings while simultaneously promoting dislocation multiplication and grain refinement.