CHARACTERISTIC LENGTHS CALIBRATION The procedure of calibration of the characteristic lengths has been demonstrated for a Ti6Al4V Titanium alloy with the followign material properties: Both the elastic and the plastic characteristic lengths have been calibrated by confronting the load-displacement graphs and the distribution of the generated temperature at the shear band: ASSESSING TEMPERATURE AND STRAIN RATE EFFECT The ability of the model of capturing the effect of the strain rate and of the temperature inducing softening has been tested: DEFINING THE THERMOMECHANICAL MODEL The mathematical model of the thermodynamically-consistent visco-plastic Cosserat medium for small deformation was the first step upon which then the Finite Element could be created [3]. The degrees of freedom of the system are: where, besides the usual displacement, there is also the rotational degree of freedom, meant to describe the microstructure rotation. The structure of the model is built with the following items: This model has been successively discretized according to a Finite Element formulation, such that it was possible to incorporate it inside the software Z-Set. MOTIVATIONS Recent experimental observations at the micrometre or nanometre scale with newly probes such as nano-indenters and ato- mic force microscopes have suggested that classical continuum theories are no longer sufficient for a precise and detailed description of the corresponding deformation phenomena. These drawbacks have led to the recent development of theories that attempt to capture such phenomena via dependencies on plastic strain gradients. The purpose of strain gradient model- ling is twofold. First, it provides a continuum model that can account for size effects observed during deformation, machining processes or material processing. Second, it is well-known that severe deformation leads to strain localization, e.g. adiabatic shear banding. Finite element simulations of localization phenomena usually exhibit spurious mesh-dependence (dependence of the results on finite element size and orientation) that can be regularized by means of strain gradient models. Coupling with thermal diffusion can lead to regularization but associated length scales are generally too small. Material length scales, related to microstructural features like grain size or dislocation structures, then play an essential role for the understanding and simu- lation of localisation processes. The purpose of strain gradient modelling is twofold. First, it provides a continuum model that can account for size effects observed during deformation, machining processes or material processing. Second, it is well-known that severe deformation leads to strain localization, e.g. adiabatic shear banding. Finite element simulations of localization phenomena usually exhibit spurious mesh-dependence (dependence of the results on finite element size and orientation) that can be regularized by means of strain gradient models. Coupling with thermal diffusion can lead to regularization but associa- ted length scales are generally too small. Material length scales, related to microstructural features like grain size or dislocation structures, then play an essential role for the understanding and simulation of localisation processes. PROVING THE MESH INDEPENDENCY OF THE COSSERAT MODEL Before adopting the Cosserat model, it was our concern to prove that under purely strain-driven softening behavior the chosen method was able to deliver a mesh-independent solution. Classic CM Cosserat CHOICE OF A TEST TO REPRODUCE MANUFACTUING SIMULATION Manufacturing simulations are characterized by severe localization of the plastic strain in a narrow zone called Shear Band. The development of plastic strain involves rises in temperature, which might be locally retained if the production rate of heat due to plastic strain development is higher than the rates with which the temperature is diffused inside the bulk metal. In order to repr