Residual stress analysis using EM sensors caused by manufacturing processes in sheet steel

The project aligns with EPSRC area of Materials engineering - metals and alloys.
The ability to measure the microstructure of steel in a non-contact, non-destructive fashion can lead to dramatic improvement in the understanding of the material and its behaviour during processing and in-service. Improved control during processing will increase efficiency in production of complex steel microstructures and allow new generation alloys to be made. Recent development of an on-line electromagnetic (EM) measurement system, EMspecTM (developed during collaborations between research groups at WMG, the University of Manchester, Tata Steel and Primetals Technology Limited) means the microstructure of strip steel can be monitored during hot processing in a steel strip mill. This project will investigate the potential for real-time microstructure engineering during processing via dynamic control of cooling strategies or heat treatment using EM sensor feedback, in particular consideration on how to engineer microstructures that were previously either impossible to achieve in full scale production or could not be reliably achieved. The work will involve investigation of some, or all, of the following areas: full magnetic - electrical - temperature - stress behaviour of steels (experimentally and by modelling); sensor-sample-microstructure modeling; use a demonstration system, consisting of a furnace, run out table with cooling sprays and EMspecTM system, to engineer specific microstructures. In addition the application of the sensing technology to other industrial problems may be considered.