The flow stress at elevated temperatures for magnesium alloy AZ31 was studied using isothermal compression testing. The effect of deformation parameters on the flow stress was studied as well. The kinetics of elevated temperature deformation was expressed by means of some empirical rate equations. The activation parameter has been calculated. A mechanism for the dynamic softening of AZ31 alloy in a hot deformation experiment was identified to be the dynamic recrystallization.
The forming limit diagrams(FLD)of AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet were tested by means of the electro etching grid method based on the forming experiment of magnesium alloy sheet carried out with a BCS-30D sheet forming testing machine and the strain testing analysis made with an advanced ASAME automatic strain measuring system. Experiments show that, at room temperature, the mechanical properties and deep drawing performance of AZ31B cold-rolled magnesium alloy sheet were so poor that it failed to test the forming limit diagrams without an ideal forming and processing capacity, while the hot-rolled magnesium alloy sheet was of a little better plasticity and forming performance after testing its forming limit diagrams. It can be concluded that the testing of the forming limit curves (FLC)offers the theoretical foundation for the drawing of the deep drawing and forming process of magnesium alloy sheet.
