Metallurgical Characterization of Bainitic Steel by Eddy Current Method

Abstract

Bainite is a decomposition product of austenite consisting of an aggregate of ferrite and carbides. In general, it forms at temperatures lower than those where very fine pearlite forms and higher than those where martensite begins to form on cooling. In the present work, a bainitic structure steel comprised of plate-like ferrite grains, inside which carbide particles can be seen, have been prepared. The microstructural evaluation is performed at different temperatures. These steels are characterized by optical microscopy, hardness testing, and eddy current testing system. It is found that there is a relationship between hardness and eddy current. Thus, eddy current technique found effective tool to identify the condition of microstructure at different temperatures.