Abstract
High temperature deformation and softening behavior of SAF 2507 super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) has been investigated in connection with an FEM analysis of hot forging process. Flow curves at various strain rates and temperatures were determined first from compression tests, and the kinetics of dynamic recrystallization were also formulated through the analysis of load relaxation test results. Using the dynamic materials theory proposed by Prasad, the deformation behavior was effectively determined for various conditions. Constitutive relations and recrystallization kinetics formulated from the test results were then implemented in a commercial FEM code. The forming load as well as the distribution of recrystallized volume fraction after forging was successfully predicted by means of the flow stress compensation formulated upon the volume fraction of recrystallization and adiabatic heating.