Comparative Analysis of Two Cladding Schemes for an Aluminum Alloy Using the Finite Element Method

In conventional cladding technology for aluminum alloys, rough rolling typically requires a large number of passes, which leads to significant heat losses and a decrease in metal temperature, thereby increasing the risk of crack formation during the final stages of deformation. One potential solution to this issue involves the use of a scheme in which cladding sheets are placed in pre-formed recesses, allowing better preservation of billet temperature and a reduction in the number of rolling passes. This study presents a finite element simulation of the hot rolling process for aluminum alloy 1441 slabs under two cladding schemes: a traditional one and a modified scheme with sheets placed in premachined milled recesses. The simulation was performed in the QForm environment, incorporating experimental flow stress curves obtained from Gleeble 3800 thermomechanical tests. The analysis includes temperature field distributions, the behavior of cladding sheets in the deformation zone, and rolling force profiles. The results show that the use of recesses significantly reduces heat losses, improves the positional stability of the cladding sheets, decreases the number of rough passes required, and lowers the average rolling force by 5–7%. The proposed scheme demonstrates potential for improving cladding efficiency and applicability in processing alloys with limited plasticity.