Modification of Banding in Dual-Phase Steels via Thermal Processing

Abstract

The potential to utilize controlled thermal processing to minimize banding in a DP780 steel with 2 wt pct Mn was evaluated on samples processed on a Gleeble® 3500 thermomechanical processing simulator. All processing histories were selected to result in final dual-phase steel microstructures simulating microstructures achievable during annealing of initially cold rolled sheet. Strip samples were processed to evaluate the effects of heating rate, annealing time, annealing temperature, and cooling rate. The degree of banding in the final microstructures was evaluated with standard light optical microscopic techniques. Results are presented to illustrate that the extent of banding depended on control of both heating and cooling rates, and a specific processing history based on a two-stage heating rate can be used to minimize visible banding in selected final heat treated products.