The main disadvantage of Al –Li alloys is their anisotropic behavior and limited formability. As conventional processes reach their limits, the formability of Al–Li alloys is to be improved using twin-roll casting.
Twin-roll casting is an efficient process for the production of thin strips. The characteristic of this process is the combination of solidification and plastic deformation in a single unit.
In this study, the twin-roll casting of Al–Li alloy using copper shells was represented by a numerical simulation through a thermofluid model implemented in ANSYS-Fluent. This simulation-based study investigates the influence of casting speed, casting temperature, strip thickness, and length of strip-forming zone on strip outlet temperature and specific size of deformation zone, thus optimizing the practical manufacturing process.
The simulation determined parameters were used to manufacture strips, and the microstructure was analyzed.