Heat Treatment Effects on Distortion, Residual Stress, and Retained Austenite in Carburized 4320 Steel

Abstract

The effects of heat treatment on distortion, residual stress, and retained austenite were compared for case-carburized 4320 steel, in both the austempered and quench-and-tempered condition. Navy C-ring samples were used to quantify both size and shape distortions, as well as residual stress. The austempering heat treatment produced less distortion and a higher surface residual stress. Both hoop and axial stresses were measured; the difference between them was less than seven percent in all cases. Depth profiles were obtained for residual stress and retained austenite from representative C-ring samples for the austempered and quench-and-tempered heat treatment conditions. Austempering maintained a compressive residual stress to greater depths than quench-and-tempering. Quench-and-tempering also resulted in lower retained austenite amounts immediately beneath the surface. However, for both heat treatments, the retained austenite content was approximately one percent at depths greater than 0.5 mm.