Simulation Optimization and Experimental Validation of Hot Forging Process for GH4141 Dodecagonal Bolts

During the hot forging process of GH4141 superalloy dodecagonal bolt, defects such as insufficiently rounded edges on the dodecagonal head and surface folding often occur. A numerical simulation model for hot forging of dodecagonal bolt was established using Deform-3D software. The effects of process parameters of temperature, forging speed, friction coefficient, and heating zone length on the forming quality and surface defects was simulated by orthogonal experiment. Process parameters were optimized. The simulation results show that the optimized process parameters for the dodecagonal bolts are heating temperature of 1150 ℃, forging speed of 60 mm/s, heating length of 26 mm, and friction coefficient of 0.2. Compared with the original process, the maximum equivalent stress of the workpiece prepared by the optimized process decreases by 7.3%, the maximum equivalent strain increases by 22.4%, and the maximum damage value decreases by 26.8%. Finally, the hot forging experiments using the optimized process were conducted. The experimental results demonstrate that the GH4141 superalloy dodecagonal bolt parts produced using the optimized process exhibit clear contours and full tooth profiles, the microhardness increases, and the grains are refined, and the microstructure uniformity is improved.