Full Field Grain Size Prediction Considering Precipitates Evolution and Continuous Dynamic Recrystallization with DIGIMU® Solution

In the last ten years, full-field microstructural simulations have proven to be a very interesting tool to better understand and predict grain size evolution during industrial forming processes and heat treatments. Among the different solutions proposed in the literature, DIGIMU®, based on a level-set (LS) approach, has managed to gather several physical modules such as grain growth based on capillarity, dynamic, post-dynamic and static discontinuous recrystallization (ReX), as well as Smith-Zener pinning on second phase particles. This has permitted to carry out several accurate studies on nickel-based superalloys, austenitic stainless steels, and steels in the austenitic domain. However, until now, it was not possible to simulate the evolution of the precipitation state during the grain boundary (GB) network migration, and the ReX modeling was adapted to low stacking fault energy materials for which discontinuous nucleation events are predominant. This article illustrates very recent developments to simulate phenomenologically the second phase particles evolution. Two distinct populations can be considered, tracked by dedicated level-set functions, each one having its own evolution law. Furthermore, the development of the first full-field continuous dynamic recrystallization LS model, adapted to high stacking fault energy materials, is detailed. Applications on these new developments for nickel and zirconium alloys are presented and analyzed. Those two major developments enable DIGIMU® solution to go even deeper in the physics, to address accurately new materials presenting continuous dynamic recrystallization such as aluminum alloys, and new processes with temperatures close to the precipitates solvus.