65 1340H 60 55 Hardness, HRC 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 Distance from quenched end, 1/16 in.

26 28 30 32 Standard H- band Limits for steel made to chemical specifications

FIGURE 5.32 Hardenability band for SAE 1340H steel.

5.3.3 HARDENABILITY BANDS

Because of differences in chemical composition between different heats of the same grade of steel, so-called hardenability bands have been developed using the Jominy end-quench test. According to American designation, the hardenability band for each steel grade is marked by the letter H following the composition code. Figure 5.32 shows such a hardenability band for 1340H steel. The upper curve of the band represents the maximum hardness values, corresponding to the upper composition limits of the main elements, and the lower curve represents the minimum hardness values, corresponding to the lower limit of the composition ranges. Hardenability bands are useful for both the steel supplier and the customer. Today the majority of steels are purchased according to hardenability bands. Suppliers guarantee that 93 or 95% of all mill heats made to chemical specification will also be within the hardenability band. The H bands were derived from end-quench data from a large number of heats of a specified composition range by excluding the upper and lower 3.5% of the data points. Steels may be purchased either to specified composition ranges or to hardenability limits defined by H bands. In the latter case, the suffix H is added to the conventional grade designation, for example 4140H, and a wider composition range is allowed. The difference in hardenability between an H steel and the same steel made to chemical specifications is illustrated in Figure 5.32. These differences are not the same for all grades. High-volume production of hardened critical parts should have close tolerance of the depth of hardening. The customer may require, at additional cost, only those heats of a steel grade that satisfy, for example, the upper third of the hardenability band. As shown in Figure 5.33, the SAE recommended specifications are: means-different ways of specifications . A minimum and a maximum hardness value at any desired Jominy distance. For example, J30--56 10=16 in: (A---A, Figure 5:33) (5:3)

If thin sections are to be hardened and high hardness values are expected, the selected Jominy distance should be closer to the quenched end. For thick sections, greater Jominy distances are important. . The minimum and maximum distance from the quenched end where a desired hardness value occurs. For example,

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70 60 Hardness, HRC 50 40 30 20
D B

A C B C

A D

8 12 16 20 24 28 Distance from quenched surface, 1/16 in.

32

FIGURE 5.33 Different ways of specifying hardenability limits according to SAE.

J45 7=16 14=16 in: (B--B, Figure 5.33)

.

(5:4)

Two maximum hardness values at two desired Jominy distances. For example, J52 12=16 in: ( max ); J38 16=16 in: (max) (5:5)

Two minimum hardness values at two desired Jominy distances. For example, J52 6=16 in: ( min ); J28 12=16 in: (min) (5:6)

Minimum hardenability is significant for thick sections to be hardened; maximum hardenability is usually related to thin sections because of their tendency to distort or crack, especially when made from higher carbon steels. If a structurevolume fraction diagram (see Figure 5.34) for the same steel is available, the effective depth of hardening, which is defined by a given martensite content, may be determined from the maximum and minimum hardenability curves of the band. The structure volume fraction diagram can also be used for the preparation of the transformation diagram when limits of the hardenability of a steel are determined. If the structurevolume fraction diagram is not available, the limit values of hardness or the effective depth of hardening can be estimated form the hardenability band using the diagram shown in Figure 5.35. Hardness depends on the carbon content of steel and the percentage of martensite after quenching. Figure 5.36. shows the hardenability band of the steel DIN 37MnSi5; the carbon content may vary from a minimum of 0.31% to a maximum of 0.39%. The tolerance in the depth of hardening up to 50% martensite between a heat having maximum hardenability and a heat with minimum hardenability can be determined from the following examples. For Cmin 0.31% and 50% martensite, a hardness of 38 HRC can be determined from Figure 5.35. This hardness corresponds to the lower curve of the hardenability band and found at a distance of 4 mm from the quenched end. For Cmax 0.39% and 50% martensite, a hardness of 42 HRC can be determined from Figure 5.35. This hardness corresponds to the upper curve of the hardenability band and is found at 20 mm from the quenched end. In this example, the Jominy hardenability (measured up to 50% martensite) for this steel varies between 4 and 20 mm. Using conversion charts, differences in the depth of hardening for any given diameter of round bars quenched under the same conditions can be determined.

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60 Hardness, HRC 50 40 30 20 100 75 Structure proportion, % 50

Ms B F P

25 0 100 75 50 25 0
Ms F B P

10 20 30 0 40 50 Distance from quenched end of the Jominy specimen, mm

FIGURE 5.34 Hardenability band and structurevolume fraction diagram of SAE 5140 steel. c ic , H.M. Tensi, and W. Luty, F ferrite, P pearlite, B bainite, Ms martensite. (From B. Lis Theory and Technology of Quenching, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1992.)

70 60 Hardness, HRC 50 40 30 20 10
C Ni MnSi CrSi CrNiMo

Martensite 99.9% 95 90 80 50%

CrNi Mo CrMo Cr

Maximum hardness after Burns, Moore and Archer Hardness at different percentages of martensite after Hodge and Orehoski

0.1

0.2

0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 Carbon content, wt %

0.7

0.8

0.9

FIGURE 5.35 Achievable hardness depending on the carbon content and percentage of martensite in the c ic , H.M. Tensi, and W. Luty, Theory and Technology of Quenching, Springerstructure. (From B. Lis Verlag, Berlin, 1992.)

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60 Max. hardness difference 50 Hardness, HRC 22 HRC/5 mm 47 HRCmin at J = 2.5 mm Gradient of hardness 32 HRC at J = 10 mm 50% Martensite 40

30

25 HRCmin at J = 7.5 mm

20 37 Mn Si 5 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Distance from quenched end, J, mm 38 HRCmin at 4 mm 50% martensite at 38 HRCmin) 42 HRCmax at 20 mm

(Cmin = 0.31%;

(Cmax = 0.39%;
50% martensite at 42 HRCmax)

Hardenability: J(50 M) = 420 mm

C 3139; J 420

FIGURE 5.36 Hardenability band of DIN 37MnSi5 steel and the way technologically important c ic , H.M. Tensi, and W. Luty, Theory and Technology of information can be obtained. (From B. Lis Quenching, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1992.)

Effective depth of hardening is not the only information that can be derived from the hardenability band. Characteristic features of every hardenability band provide information on the material-dependent spread of hardenability designated the maximum hardness difference as shown in Figure 5.36. The hardness difference at the same distance from the quenched end, i.e., at the same cooling rate, can be taken as a measure of material-dependent deviations. Another important technological point that can be derived from the hardenability band is the hardness gradient. In Figure 5.36, this is illustrated by the minimum hardenability curve for the steel in question where there is a high gradient of hardness (22 HRC for only 5 mm difference in the Jominy distance). High hardness gradients indicate high sensitivity to cooling rate variation.

5.4

CALCULATION OF JOMINY CURVES FROM CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

The first calculations of Jominy curves based on the chemical composition of steels were performed in the United States in 1943 [21,22]. Later, Just [23], using regression analysis of fictitious Jominy curves from SAE hardenability bands and Jominy curves of actual heats from the USS Atlas (USA) and MPI-Atlas (Germany), derived expressions for calculating the hardness at different distances (E) from the quenched end of the Jominy specimen. It was found that the influence of carbon depends on other alloying elements and also on the cooling rate, i.e., with distance from the quenched end (Jominy distance). Carbon starts at a Jominy distance of 0 with a multiplying factor of 50, while other alloying elements have the factor 0 at this distance. This implies that the hardness at a Jominy distance of 0 is governed solely by the carbon content. The influence of other alloying elements generally increases from 0 to values of their respective factors up to a Jominy distance of about 10 mm. Beyond this distance, their influence is essentially constant. Near the quenched end the

2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.