A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering. ,Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, 1990. / An instrumented hot deformation simulator was desLgned, cons'.:ructedand commissioned at Iscor's Pilot Plant. A modified servohydraulic machine, using plane strain compression, simulated industrial plate rolling schedules. The simulation test included induction heating, multiple pass plane strain compression and either air cooling or quenching. The movement of the specimen between the different test stages was computer controlled. Accurate control of specimen temperature, strain atrain rate and interpass hold times was achieved by means of sophisticated data acquds i+Lon equipment. A comput er programme was written to simulate the hot. rolling of plate in t erms of roll sepa ratIng f.orces, ffiE.\tallurgical changes during deformation as well as the final microstructure and mechanical properties of SGa carbon manganese steel. Multiple linear regression was pe.rformed on the results obtained from mUlti-pass plane strain compression tests. It was found that themical composition, finish temperature and finish strain were the most important process parameters affecting yield strength and impact energy of air cooled place. A computer model was developed to simulate the temperature distribution in the deformation zone of a plane strain compressLon specimen at any point during or after a mUlti-pass test.