(a)

500

(b)
(SAE 8620H)

500

(SAE 8620H)

Customer demand

Customer demand

Hardness, HV

400

400

300

300

200

200

10

20

30

10

20

30

Distance from the quenched end, mm

FIGURE 5.43 (a) Customers specification of hardenability within an H band for SAE 8620H. (b) Jominy curve for finished heat. (From T. Lund, Carburizing Steels: Hardenability Prediction and Hardenability Control in Steel-Making, SKF Steel, Technical Report 3, 1984.)

1. That the hardenability desired is within limits for the steel grade in question 2. That the specified points fall on a Jominy curve permissible within the analysis range for SAE 862OH, i.e., the specified points must provide a physically possible Jominy curve When the actual heat of steel is ready for production, the computer program will automatically select the values for alloy additions and initiate the required control procedures. The samples taken during melting and refining are used to compute the necessary chemical adjustments. The computer program is linked directly to the ferroalloy selection and dispensing system. By successive adjustments, the heat is refined to a chemical composition that meets the required hardenability specification within the chemical composition limits for the steel grade in question. The use of calculated Jominy curves for steel manufacturing process control is illustrated in the following example. Quality control analysis found that the steel heat should have a manganese value of 0.85%. During subsequent alloying, the analysis found 0.88% Mn. This overrun in Mn was automatically compensated for by the computer program, which adjusted hardenability by decreasing the final chromium content slightly. The resulting heat had the measured Jominy curve shown in Figure 5.43b. In this case, the produced steel does not deviate from the required specification by more than +10 HV at any Jominy distance below 19 mm.

5.5 APPLICATION OF HARDENABILITY CONCEPT FOR PREDICTION OF HARDNESS AFTER QUENCHING

Jominy curves are the preferred methods for the characterization of steel. They are used to compare the hardenability of different heats of the same steel grade as a quality control method in steel production and to compare the hardenability of different steel grades when selecting steel for a certain application. In the latter case, Jominy curves are used to predict the depth of hardening, i.e., to predict the expected hardness distribution obtained after hardening parts of different cross-sectional dimensions after quenching under various conditions. Such predictions are generally based on the assumption that rates of cooling prevailing

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Cooling rate at 700C (1300F)

(a)

270 170 110 70 43 490 305 195 125 77 125

31 56

23 42

18 33

14 12 10 9 7.8 6.9 6.1 5.6 26 21.4 18 16.3 14 12.4 11 10.0

4.6 8.3

3.9 7.0 5

C/s F/s

100

4 Center 3

Diameter of bar, mm

75

50

25 Quenched in water at 60 m/min (200 ft/min) 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Equivalent distance from quenched end, 1/16 in.

Cooling rate at 700C (1300F)

(b)

270 170 110 70 43 490 305 195 125 77 125

31 56

23 42

18 33

14 12 10 9 7.8 6.9 6.1 5.6 26 21.4 18 16.3 14 12.4 11 10.0

4.6 8.3

3.9 7.0 5

C/s F/s

Three-quarter radius 100 Half-radius 4

Diameter of bar, mm

75 Surface 50 Center

25 Quenched in oil at 60 m/min (200 ft /min) 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Equivalent distance from quenched end, 1/16 in.

FIGURE 5.44 Correlation of equivalent cooling rates at different distances from the quenched end of the Jominy specimen and at different locations on the cross section of round bars of different diameters, quenched in (a) water agitated at 1 m=s and in (b) oil agitated at 1 m=s. (From Metals Handbook, 9th ed., Vol. 1, ASM International, Metals Park, OH, 1978, p. 492.)

at different distance from the quenched end of the Jominy specimen may be compared with the cooling rates prevailing at different locations on the cross sections of bars of different diameters. If the cooling rates are equal, it is assumed that equivalent microstructure and hardness can be expected after quenching. The diagrams shown in Figure 5.44 have been developed for this purpose. These diagrams provide a correlation of equivalent cooling rates at different distances from the quenched end of the Jominy specimen and at different locations (center, half-radius, three-quarter radius, surface) on the cross section of round bars of different diameters. They are valid for the specified quenching conditions only. Figure 5.44a is valid only for quenching in water at an agitation rate of 1 m=s, and the diagram in Figure 5.44b is valid only for quenching in oil at an agitation rate of 1 m=s.

2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Diameter of bar, in.

Diameter of bar, in.

Surface

Three-quarter radius

Half-radius

in. mm 2 50 45 40 Distance below surface of bar 1 35 30 1 25 20 15 1/2 10 5 0 0 0 5 10

f 50 mm (2 i n .) f 38 mm (11/2 in . ) f 75 mm (3 i n .)

f 100 mm (4 i n .)

f 25 mm (1 in . ) f 125 mm (1/2 in . )

15 20 25 30 35 40 1 1 Distance from the quenched end

45

50 mm 2 in.

FIGURE 5.45 Relationship between cooling rates at different Jominy distances and cooling rates at different points below the surface of round bars of different diameters quenched in moderately agitated oil. (From K.E. Thelning, Steel and Its Heat Treatment, 2nd ed., Butterworths, London, 1984, p. 145.)

Another diagram showing the relation between cooling rates at different Jominy distances and cooling rates at different distances below the surface of round bars of different diameters, taken from the ASTM standard, is shown in Figure 5.45. From this diagram, the same cooling rate found at a Jominy distance of 14 mm prevails at a point 2 mm below the surface of a 75-mm diameter bar, at 10 mm below the surface of 50-mm diameter bar, and at the center of a 38-mm diameter bar when all the bars are quenched in moderately agitated oil. Using this diagram, it is possible to construct the hardness distribution curve across the section after hardening. This type of diagram is also valid for only the specified quenching conditions. To correlate the hardness at different Jominy distances and the hardness at the center of round bars of different diameters that are quenched in various quenchants under different quenching conditions, the critical diameter (Dcrit), the ideal critical diameter (DI), and Grossmanns quenching intensity factor H must be used. The theoretical background of this approach is provided by Grossmann et al. [5], who calculated the half-temperature time (the time necessary to cool to the temperature halfway between the austenitizing temperature and the temperature of the quenchant). To correlate Dcrit and H, Asimow et al. [31], in collaboration with Jominy, defined the half-temperature time characteristics for the Jominy specimen also. These half-temperature times were used to establish the relationship between the Jominy distance and ideal critical diameter DI, as shown in Figure 5.46. If the microstructure of this steel is determined as a function of Jominy distance, the ideal critical diameter can be determined directly from the curve at that distance where 50% martensite is observed as shown in Figure 5.46. The same principle holds for Dcrit when different quenching conditions characterized by the quenching intensity factor H are involved. Figure 5.47 shows the relationship between the diameter of round bars (Dcrit and DI) and the distance from the quenched end of the Jominy specimen for the same hardness (of 50% martensite) at the center of the cross section after quenching under various conditions [31].

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0 Ideal critical diameter D I, mm 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

Distance from quenched end, in. 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 30 40 10 20 Distance from quenched end, mm 0 50 Ideal critical diameter D I, in.
0.02

FIGURE 5.46 Relationship between the distance from the quenched end of the Jominy specimen and the ideal critical diameter. (From M. Asimov, W.F. Craig, and M.A. Grossmann, SAE Trans. 49(1):283292, 1941.)

The application of the Figure 5.47 diagram can be explained for the two steel grades shown in Figure 5.48. The hardness at 50% martensite for the unalloyed steel grade Ck45 (0.45% C) is 45 HRC, while for the low-alloy grade 50CrMo4 steel (0.5% C) the hardness is 48 HRC. The lower part of the diagram depicts two H curves taken from the diagram in Figure 5.47. One is for vigorously agitated brine (H 5.0), and the other for moderately agitated oil (H 0.4). From both diagrams in Figure 5.48, it is seen that quenching the grade 50CrMo4 steel in vigorously agitated brine provides a hardness of 48 HRC in the center of the cross section of a round bar of 110-mm diameter. Quenching the same steel in moderately agitated oil provides this hardness at the core of round bars of only 70-mm diameter. The unalloyed grade Ck45 steel, having lower hardenability when quenched in vigorously agitated brine, provides a hardness of 45 HRC in the center of a 30-mm diameter bar. Quenching in moderately agitated oil provides this hardness in the center of a round bar of only 10 mm diameter.
200 Diameter D crit or D I, mm a 150

H 5 2 1 0.8 0.4 0.2

100

50 b 0 0 c

10 20 30 40 50 60 Distance from the quenched end, mm

FIGURE 5.47 Relationship between the round bar diameter and the distance from the quenched end of the Jominy specimen, giving the hardness in the center of the cross section after quenching under different quenching conditions, a, water; b, oil; c, air. (From M. Asimov, W.F. Craig, and M.A. Grossmann, SAE Trans. 49(1):283292, 1941.)

2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Hardness, HRC

60 40 20 0 150

50CrM04

Ck45

48 or 45 HRC Hardness at 50 % martensite

Diameter, mm

H = 5.0

100 50 0

H = 0.4

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Distance from quenched end, mm

FIGURE 5.48 Determining the critical diameter of round bars (i.e., the hardness of 50% martensite at the center) from the Jominy hardenability curves of two steel grades quenched in vigorously agitated brine (H 5.0) and in moderately agitated oil (H 0.4). (Steel grade designation according to DIN.) rmebehandeln, Carl Hanser, (From G. Spur (Ed.), Handbuch der Fertigungstechnik, Band 4=2, Wa Munich, 1987, p. 1012.)

5.5.1 LAMONT METHOD

The diagram shown in Figure 5.47 permits the prediction of hardness only at the center of round bars. Lamont [32] developed diagrams relating the cooling rate at a given Jominy distance to that at a given fractional depth in a bar of given radius that has been subjected to a given Grossmann quenching intensity (H) factor. Analytical expressions have been developed for the Lamont transformation of the data to the appropriate Jominy distance J: J J (D, r=R, H ) (5:18)

where D is the diameter of the bar, r=R the fractional position in the bar (r=R 0 at the center; r=R 1 at the surface), and H the Grossmann quenching intensity factor. These expressions [33] are valid for any value of H from 0.2 to 10 and for bar diameters up to 200 mm (8 in.). Lamont developed diagrams for the following points and fractional depths on the cross section of round bars: r=R 0 (center), r=R 0.1, r=R 0.2, . . . , r=R 0.5 (half-radius), r=R 0.6, . . . , r=R 1.0 (surface). Each of these diagrams is always used in connection with Jominy hardenability curve for the relevant steel. Figure 5.49 through Figure 5.51 show the Lamont diagram for r=R 0 (center of the cross section), r=R 0.5, and r=R 0.8, respectively. The Lamont method can be used for four purposes: 1. To determine the maximum diameter of the bar that will achieve a particular hardness at a specified location on the cross section when quenched under specified conditions. For example, if the Jominy hardenability curve of the relevant steel grade shows a hardness of 55 HRC at a Jominy distance of 10 mm, then the maximum diameter of the bar that will achieve this hardness at half-radius when quenched in oil with H 0.35 will be 28 mm. This result is obtained by using the diagram in Figure 5.50 for r=R 0.5 and taking the vertical line at a Jominy distance of 10 mm to the intersection with the curve for H 0.35, giving the value of 28 mm on the ordinate.

2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.