FINITE-ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF MELT FLOW IN HORIZONTAL TWIN-ROLL CASTING OF MAGNESIUM ALLOY AZ31

摘要

Twin-roll casting has been useful in production of thin strips ofmetals. Especially, the process of horizontal twin-roll casting isoften used for magnesium and aluminum alloys, which are lighterin weight and smaller in specific heat as well as latent heat incomparison to steel. In the present investigation, wheremagnesium alloy AZ31 was targeted, asymmetric behavior of themelt flow due to the gravity was examined in terms of contactlength and pressure, and the nozzle for melt ejection was modifiedfor its shape and location. Variations of the melt flow includingvortexes were investigated in consideration of heterogeneousnucleation and uniform microstructure. The melt flow was furtherexamined in the perspective of possible randomness of the grainorientation through thickness under differential speeds of rolls.