3DayPIPonMetallurgyforNonMetallurgist

from10th to12th April2017

ProblemsolvinginHeat
TreatmentofForgings

KCGogate

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Forgings Heattreated Why for

a)Machinability Normalising,Annealing

b)TogetSpecifiedproperties
Hardening&Tempering
Austempering
Martempering

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Aim
a) Togetadesiredmicrostructure

Uniformequiaxed grains.
Freeofbanding.
Uniformtemperedmartensite
Uniformbainite
b)TogetdesiredTensile,Yield/0.2%P.S.,
ElongationandImpactvalue

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Can avoid Heat treatment by using Microalloy
steels Forge control cool to get desired
properties.

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 Causes of nonuniformity, Undesired micro
lower properties than expected too
much variation Distortion or Cracking.

a) Forgingpractice hightemp,oversoaking
coarsening burningofsteel

b)Steelproperties Primarybanding,in
homogeneity,Coarsegrains

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 Mixup of grades Mixup of heats
more variables difficulties in controlling
the properties.

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 Management Expectation

Heat Treater/HT dept. magic wand to

solve the problems causes & solutions

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A. Coarse/Duplexgrains
1. Insufficient soaking for austenitising Continuous pusher
furnace push cycle time too less. Capacity of the
furnace to heat solution to increase the soaking time
by push cycle adjustment.
2. Overheated forging Steel with duplex grainsize
Difficult to refine longer cycle of holding at temp.
above lower critical for sufficient time to refine grainsize
followed by austenitising.
Commercially not feasible as cost goes up.
Best practice to control and avoid over heating in
forging.
Prevention is better than cure

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 FIGURE1.DUPLEXGRAINS

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B.Banding
Alternate bands of ferrite and pearlite
Machinability problem Reason Slow cooling,
Insufficient Austenitising solution cool fast
increase cooling time in control cooling
chamber Ensure sufficient temp. and soaking
for Austenitising

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 FIGURE2.BANDING

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C.QuenchingCracks

Quenchants Water, Polymer Oil

Quenching Stresses exceed the tensile
strength cracking occurs could be
some small percentage not to be
accepted origin of crack forging or
quenching decided by micro across the
crack presence of decarb in the crack
forging crack, if not Quenching crack

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 FIGURE3.CRACKPRESENTINFORGING

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Solution Reduce quenching stresses
change of quenchant (water to polymer)
Decreasethehardeningtemp.
Quenchant temp.control
Polymertanktemp.controlbelow55Deg.C
Controltimeinquenchant 150Deg.C
Martempering

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Less or Non Uniform AsQuenched hardness
Transformation to martensite less hardness
less martensitic transformation reason
Improper austenitisting temp & time
inadequate Agitation Quenchent temp. or
Capability.
Correction : Proper Aust. Temp
Actual forging Hearth temp.
Soaking push cycle 20 to 30 minutes solved
the problem change of Quenchent from oil to
polymer (C45 steel)

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E. Control of Hardness Tempering
Rework % due to hardness variation
range 45 to 50 Brinell Now 25 to 30
Brinell Reason for non uniformity Tray
quenching corrective actions.
Furnace Mapping Uniforminity of Temp top
to bottom side to side
Flow of hot gases through the charge
circulating fans variation of 80 Deg. C
noticed corrected to 10 Deg. C result
improved.

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