Fiber texture evolution in cold-drawn aluminum wires using EBSD and crystal plasticity analyses

A detailed comprehending of fiber texture development in drawn aluminum wires is essential for controlling their mechanical performance, experimental characterization and crystal plasticity–based computational analysis. Therefore, this study integrates experimental EBSD analysis with full-field CPFEM/CPFFT simulations to investigate texture and microstructure evolution in Al-1050 wire during three drawing reductions (10→9→7.8→6.8 mm). Pole figures and inverse pole figure maps from experiments were compared against CP predictions to rigorously assess model fidelity. The CP model successfully captured the development of a duplex [111]/[100] fiber texture aligned with the drawing axis. With increasing strain, the [111] component strengthened progressively, a trend accurately reproduced by the simulations, showing acceptable agreement with EBSD data. Microstructural analysis revealed significant grain refinement, from 48.5 μm to ∼10 μm. This refinement led to a substantial increase in yield strength (144%) and microhardness (28%). Mentioned approaches confirm the capability of advanced CP frameworks to predict both texture evolution and the resultant mechanical strengthening in multi-pass metal forming operations, providing a validated tool for process design and optimization.