Abstract: The microstructure evolution in hot forming will affect the mechanical properties of the formed product. However, the microstructure is sensitive to the process variables in deformation process of metals and alloys. A microstructure evolution model of a titanium alloy in hot forming, which included dislocation density rate and primary α phase grain size, was presented according to the deformation mechanism and driving forces, in which the effect of the dislocation density rate on the grain growth was studied firstly. Applying the model to the high temperature deformation process of a TC6 alloy with deformation temperature of 1133-1223K, strain rate of 0.01-50s^-1 and height reduction of 30%, 40% and 50%, the material constants in the present model were calculated by the genetic algorithm(GA) based objective optimization techniques. The calculated results of a TC6 alloy are in good agreement with the experimental ones.

Key words: titanium alloy; grain size; dislocation density; hot forming; microstructure evolution model