Abstract

Precise hardness and phase content prediction for quenched steel with the finite element method requires optimal material data, which is usually obtained from measured continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams. However, most software packages that are able to predict final phase composition require time temperature transformation (TTT) diagrams. TTT diagrams can be calculated from the chemical composition of the material. With this methods the numerical prediction often result in deviations to reality. A newly developed optimization method can improve the accuracy of phase content and hardness prediction after quenching by optimizing the TTT diagram with measured data of controlled quenching experiments.

Highlights

  • Plenty of industrial components are subject to heat treatment in order to improve the parts mechanical properties

  • Many software packages require a time temperature transformation diagram (TTT) which is difficult to obtain with standard measurement techniques

  • Realistic transformation kinetics are key to an accurate prediction of the current and final microstructure during quenching and can be represented with the TTT diagram

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Summary

Introduction

Plenty of industrial components are subject to heat treatment in order to improve the parts mechanical properties. The final hardness after quenching is calculated either by taking the final phase composition and match it with data from CCT-diagrams or by taking the transformation history into account. The latter can be done by determine the overall hardness through accumulation of the hardness values of each transformed phase component during each time step in the finite element simulation. Hik is the hardness linked to phase i at the current temperature k This contribution aims to optimize the input data for finite element simulation of heat treatment processes for a better prediction of hardness and phase content in quenched parts

Material Characterization
Measured CCT diagram
Quenching simulation
Phase fraction and hardness optimization
Optimization process
TTT-diagram modifications
Conclusions

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