Approaching (100)<0vw> by Rolling Directionally Solidified Silicon Steels

Abstract

Based on the possible ability of strip casting to produce a (100)<0vw> fibre texture by directional solidification, experiments of rolling, annealing and magnetic measurement were performed on samples that were directionally solidified by other means. Samples with a final texture of strong (001) component were obtained in steels with 3 wt.% Si and 0.2 wt.% Al. A B50 value of 1.71T was obtained in a as-cast ring specimen. Starting samples have columnar grains with a diameter of about 1mm diameter tilted about 9°, on the average, relative to a perfect <100>//ND. Cold rolling produced the expected rotated cube (001)<>. Further processing steps led to the final texture mentioned above. The paper presents the texture evolution along the processing steps.