Abstract: Simulated continuous annealing test of the IF steel with different cold rolling reduction rates was carried out to study the effect of cold rolling reduction rate on the microstructure, texture evolution and deep drawing properties during the cold rolling-annealing process. The results show that initial grains are elongated after cold rolling, and the specimen has strong α-orientation line texture and γ-orientation line texture. The maximum value of polar density of α-orientation line texture increases from 7.7 to 13.1 with the increase of the reduction rate (65%, 72%, 80%). Complete recrystallization occurs after simulated continuous annealing, and uniform equiaxed crystals of 15.6, 18.8, and 17.6 μm are generated at 65%, 72% and 80% cold rolling reduction rates, respectively. After simulated continuous annealing, the α-orientation line texture is eliminated, and the γ- orientation line texture does not change much. The maximum value of polar density transfers to γ-orientation line, which slightly increases from 7.8 to 8.6 as the reduction rate increases. The deep drawing properties of the specimen with different reduction rates is good after simulated continuous annealing. As the reduction rate increases, r- increases from 1.77 to 2.17, Δr decreases from 0.54 to 0.02, n- decreases from 0.284 to 0.272.

Key words: IF steel, microstructure, texture, deep drawing properties