Enhanced formability at elevated temperature of a cross-rolled magnesium alloy sheet

Relationship between texture and press formability of AZ31 Mg alloy sheets processed by cross-roll rolling was investigated. The Erichsen values of the cross-rolled specimens showed superior press formability compared with those of the specimens by normal-roll rolling. The superior press formability was related to a reduction in directional dependence of the thickness-direction strain and width-direction strain normalized by the tensile-direction strain (ɛt/ɛL and ɛw/ɛL). The (0 0 0 2) plane texture for the cross-rolled specimen exhibited the low texture intensity and the narrow spread of basal planes to rolling direction. The reduction of anisotropy in the width-direction strain and the thickness-direction strain was likely attributed to activation of prismatic 〈a〉 slip and pyramidal 〈a + c〉 slip originated from the texture modifications.