Effects of strain on the workability of a high strength low alloy steel in hot compression

Based on the experimental results from the hot compression tests of 42CrMo steel, the efficiencies of power dissipation and instability parameter were evaluated. The effects of strain on the efficiency of power dissipation and instability parameter of 42CrMo steel have been discussed in detail. Processing maps were constructed by superimposition of the instability map over the power dissipation map. The dynamic recrystallization domains and instable zones were identified in the processing map. The effects of strain on microstructural evolutions were correlated with the processing maps. According to the 3D processing maps, the optimum domain of hot deformation is in the temperature range of 1050–1150 °C and strain rate range of 0.01–3 s−1, with its peak efficiency of 32% at about 1140 °C and 0.23 s−1, which are the optimum hot working parameters.