High Strength Boron Steel Research Articles

Failure analysis of boron steel 27MnCrB5-2 structural bolts during tightening of railcar wheel-axle

Herein, a premature failure analysis of structural tempered high-strength boron steel 27MnCrB5–2 bolts (0.0006 wt B), used for railcar wheel-axle assembly, is presented. Fractographic analysis revealed a moderate ductile fracture. The applied torque produced elongation of the bolt until final fracture. A scarce presence of precipitates was observed, mainly of Ti(C,N), TiC, and inclusions such as Al2O3 and MnS. The mechanical properties of the boron steel 27MnCrB5–2 bolts were 1112 and 1170 MPa for the yield strength of 0.2% (σ0.2%) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS), respectively. However, the calculated Von Mises equivalent stress (916 MPa) was lower than σ0.2% and UTS values. It was found that during tightening, the washers are crushed and, therefore, their coefficient of friction decreases, which causes a considerable increase in the applied torque and the equivalent stress. The engineering failure analysis showed that a decrease in the friction coefficient of the washer from 0.16 to 0.07 causes the failure of boron-steel 27MnCrB5–2 bolts during tightening of railcar wheel-axle.

Tailoring Soft Local Zones in Quenched Blanks of the Steel 22MnB5 by Partial Pre-cooling with Compressed Air

The high-strength boron steel 22MnB5 steel is widely used for automotive lightweight constructions. A novel approach is promising to tailor strength and ductility in the hardened condition using locally pre-tempered sheets for the hot stamping process. It results in the formation of locally soft spots where mechanical joining is subsequently intended. A slow pre-cooling of the later joining zones with cooling rates below a certain critical cooling rate for obtaining a decreased strength in these regions is required. A tubular air cooling system suited for this task is presented and tested in a process where the subsequent quenching of the overall sheet is realized by rapid cooling in a water bath. Varying the air pressure and cooling duration allows controlling the size of the softened local spot in a wide range and still obtaining a bainitic microstructure. Using two-stage cooling with point jet nozzles and a subsequent hot stamping process with water-cooled dies resulted in a main sheet hardness of about 470 HV5 and of 260 HV5 in the pre-cooled spots, respectively.

Enhancement of Fatigue Endurance by Al-Si Coating in Hot-Stamping Boron Steel Sheet

Most structural components undertake cyclic loads in engineering and failures always cause catastrophic economic losses and casualties. In the present work, the phase evolution of Al-Si coating of high-strength boron steel during hot stamping was investigated. Two types of 1500 MPa grade boron steel sheets, one with Al-Si coating and the other without, were studied to reveal the effect on the high-cycle fatigue behavior. The as-received continuously hot-dip Al-Si coating was composed of α(Al), eutectic Al-Si and τ5. After hot stamping at 1193 K, three phases formed in this coating: β2, Fe(Al,Si)2 and α(Fe). The experimental results showed that the endurance limit of the coated steel sheet was 370 MPa under 107 fully reversed tension-compression loading cycles as opposed to 305 MPa in the uncoated sheet. Both the coated and the uncoated specimens showed surface-induced transgranular fatigue fractures. In the uncoated sheet, the fatigue cracks were generated from the decarburization surface, but the Al-Si coating effectively prevented the occurrence of near-surface decarburization during high-temperature hot stamping, and the only cracks in the coated steel sheet were initiated at wire-cutting surfaces.

In situ observation on microstructure evolution of 22MnB5 in hot stamping process

High temperature confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to investigate the microstructure evolution of high-strength boron steel 22MnB5 during hot stamping. The experimental results show that it is complete austenitized at temperatures about 810 °C during the heating process. Most of the initial austenite grain size is small and locally coarse. At 920 °C to 1000 °C, the phenomenon of B remelted and solidified was observed which played a very good pinning role at the austenite grain boundary, preventing coarsening of austenite grains. The segregation of B and the addition of Mn result in a significant reduction in both the minimum boron reverse melt content and the final solidification temperature. In the continuous cooling stage, martensitic transformation occurs at the cooling rate of 60 °C/s, and the martensite start point is 400 °C and martensite finish point is 280 °C. A large number of bursts are concentrated from 380 °C to 330 °C. There are two main forms of martensitic transformation: first, martensite begins to appear at the coarse austenite grain boundary, and grows transgranularly. Second, the new martensite laths starts from the previously formed laths and grows at a certain angle into the austenite grains. The main factor in the increase of martensite in continuous cooling is the formation of variable temperature martensite rather than the growth of martensite laths. At the cooling rate of 20 °C/s, the bainite and ferrite transformation appeared and the conversion temperature of bainite was about 600 °C. The cooling speed has a great influence on the performance of the 22MnB5 hot stamping component. The room temperature microhardness at cooling rates of 5 °C/s, 20 °C/s, and 60 °C/s was 194 HV, 243 HV, and 430 HV, respectively. Therefore, ensuring sufficient cooling rate is a key condition for obtaining ultra-high strength hot stamping components.

Optimization Analysis of Initial Sheet Metal Contour Line for High-Strength Boron Steel in Hot Stamping

Based on the principle of hot stamping, a simulation model of hot stamping is proposed. The blank contour line of U-shaped part is optimized by using a multiple iterative algorithm. By comparison of the simulated and experimental data, the multiple iterative optimization algorithm is verified. Moreover, the blank contour lines of a bumper and the B-pillar of Numisheet 2008 were optimized. The results obtained indicate that the multiple iterative method for optimizing the initial blank contour line has high calculating speed and accuracy. The hot stamping part contour lines match the ideal part contour lines quite well.

Experimental and Simulation Study for Heat Transfer Coefficient in Hot Stamping of High-Strength Boron Steel

An optimization-based numerical procedure was developed to determine the pressure-dependent heat transfer coefficient (HTC) between the blank and tools during the hot stamping of boron steel. During the quenching period, HTC increased with the contact pressure between blank and lower tool. There is no obvious linear relationship between them. The maximum value of 1500 W/m2 K was achieved at contact pressure 18 MPa.

Effect laws and mechanisms of different temperatures on isothermal tensile fracture morphologies of high-strength boron steel

The fracture behaviour and morphologies of high-strength boron steel were investigated at different temperatures at a constant strain rate of 0.1 s-1 based on isothermal tensile tests. Fracture mechanisms were also analyzed based on the relationship between microstructure transformation and continuous cooling transformation (CCT) curves. It is found that 1) fractures of the investigated steel at high temperatures are dimple fractures; 2) the deformation of high-strength boron steel at high temperatures accelerates diffusion transformations; thus, to obtain full martensite, a higher cooling rate is needed; and 3) the investigated steel has the best plasticity when the deformation temperature is 750 °C.

The finite element analysis of austenite decomposition during continuous cooling in 22MnB5 steel

The hot stamping process has been increasingly used in newly designed vehicles to improve crash worthiness and fuel efficiency. In this study, a finite element model based on a subroutine of the commercial software ABAQUS is developed to predict the interactive influence of temperature field and phase transformation on high-strength boron steel. JMAK-type equations with the incubation time and additivity hypothesis are adopted to describe the austenite decomposition into ferrite, pearlite and bainite, while the Koistinen and Marburger (K–M) model is used to describe the displacive transformation of matensite. The simulation results show that the introduction of incubation time into a JMAK equation can provide a more reasonable prediction of the transformation kinetics than if the equation is unmodified. A comparison between the simulation and the standard Jominy end-quenching test demonstrates the capability of the present model for the prediction of transformation kinetics, microstructure distribution and mechanical properties. Furthermore, the adoption of experimentally measured microhardness values for the individual phase constituent can produce improved accuracy of the hardness predictions compared to the empirical hardness equations.

Heat Transfer in Hot Stamping of High-Strength Boron Steel Sheets

An optimization-based numerical procedure was developed to determine the temperature-dependent interface heat transfer coefficient (IHTC) between blank and tools during the hot stamping of boron steel. During the quenching period, IHTC changed with the temperature difference between blank and lower tool. The maximum value of 4300 W/m2 K was achieved at ΔT = 798 K (525 °C). The IHTC decreased with temperature difference and reached the lowest value (1400 W/m2 K) at about ΔT = 573 K (300 °C).

Simulation and experiment research of phase transformation on the hot stamping of 22MnB5 high strength steel

Take the special high strength boron steel 22MnB5 as research object, a thermomechanical coupling and metallographic phase transformation model is established by ANSYS/LS-DYNA. After the simulation of the transient temperature field and phase transformation in the process of hot stamping, dwelling and quenching of the high strength steel sheet, the weight percent (martensite, bainite, pearlite and ferrite), Vickers hardness and yield strength of the sub-phases following austenite decomposition are achieved. The experiments are taken and some relevant conclusions are obtained. The results show that high strength steel sheets from hot stamping are almost composed of lath martensite. The maximum error between simulation hardness and measurement one is 22·5%, which is consistent with the simulation results. It proves that the simulation results are feasible and reliable compared with the experimental results.

Investigation of the hot ductility of a high-strength boron steel

In this study, the high-temperature ductility behaviour of an Al–Si-coated 22MnB5 sheet was investigated. The mechanical properties of Al–Si-coated 22MnB5 boron steel were examined via hot tensile tests performed at temperatures ranging from 400 to 900°C at a strain rate of 0.083s−1. The deformation and fracture mechanisms under hot tensile testing were considered in relation to the testing data and to the fracture-surface observations performed via SEM. The hot ductility of the tested boron steel was observed as a function of increasing temperature and the Al–Si-coated 22MnB5 boron steel exhibited a ductility loss at 700°C.

Abrasive wear behaviour of hardened high strength boron steel

Abrasive wear in industrial applications such as mining, materials handling and agricultural machinery constitutes a large part of the total wear. Hardened high strength boron steels are known for their good wear resistance and mechanical properties, but available results in the open literature are scarce. This work aims at investigating how different quenching techniques affect the two-body abrasive wear resistance of hardened high strength boron steels. Furthermore, the wear as a function of depth in thicker hardened high strength boron steel plates has also been studied. The material characterisation has been carried out using microhardness, SEM/energy dispersive spectroscopy and three-dimensional optical surface profilometry. The results have shown that water quenched and tool quenched high strength boron steel had similar wear resistance. The main wear mechanisms appear to be microcutting combined with microfatigue. Workhardening during the abrasion process has been found to affect the abrasive wear.

A novel approach to wear testing in hot stamping of high strength boron steel sheets

Hot stamping of high strength steel sheets was developed in the automotive industry for the production of components characterized by a high strength-to-weight ratio and an increased resistance to impact. In order to avoid scaling and decarburization, the steel blanks are usually coated with an Al–Si coating that has proved a relevant influence also on their tribological behaviour during the forming stages. However, the knowledge of the influence that this coating may have on the dies wear mechanisms is still inadequate.The paper proposes a novel approach to wear testing, based on a pin-on-disk testing configuration, capable to reproduce in a laboratory environment the conditions arising at the interface between the dies and the blank, by reproducing the sliding velocities at the interface and the cyclic thermal and mechanical stresses on the die material. Investigations were carried out on a hot working tool steel sliding against high strength steel blanks coated with the Al–Si coating under dry reciprocating sliding conditions. Scanning electron microscopy and 3D profilometer analysis were utilized to evaluate the wear mechanisms.The presented results show that the proposed procedure can properly simulate the thermal and mechanical cycles to which the forming dies are subjected during the hot stamping process, allowing to control and vary a number of parameters characterizing the industrial process. The presence of both adhesive and abrasive wear mechanisms is highlighted and a possible explanation of their appearance is given.

핫프레스포밍 공정에서 내산화 코팅처리가 TWB 용접부 특성에 미치는 영향

In order to increase the anti-oxidation property during the tailor welding blanked hot press forming process for a high strength boron steel sheet, we performed a different coating method on the boron-steel sheet such as 87% Al - 13% Si and Fe - 8.87 Zn dipping plating procedure. However, during laser welding process, the Al-Si coated steel sheet has showed a low tensile strength and about half value of elongation than the original boron-steel sheet. Aluminum and silicon, elements of coating layer were diffused into the boron-steel matrix and have shown a low strength result than non-coated specimen. On the other hand, Zinc-coated boron-steel has expectedly showed a excellent tensile strength and micro-harness value in the welded area like original boron-steel.

Experimental investigation of the tribological behavior and wear mechanisms of tool steel grades in hot stamping of a high-strength boron steel

In this study, the high temperature wear behavior of hot forming tool steel grades is investigated by successive sliding of a pre-alloyed Usibor1500P® strip heated at high temperature. Experimental tests are performed at high temperature on an instrumented Deep-Drawing Process Simulator (DDPS). This laboratory pilot is employed to rank different steel grades used as tool materials in the hot-stamping process. The wear damage of the tool (die radius) is characterized by profilometry and SEM observations, and three quantitative criteria are determined from 2D profile measurements to assess adhesive and abrasive wear. Under examined conditions at high temperature, a predominant transfer mechanism is observed, while abrasive wear appears as minor damage. When the surface hardness of the tool material is not great enough, the sub-surface of the die radius can exhibit a plastic shear deformation of about 10μm in depth. This leads to emission of wear debris coming from the cumulated cyclic plastic deformation of the sub-surface. In contrast, for high surface hardness, the adhesive wear rapidly reaches an asymptotic state.

Effects of cooling rate, austenitizing temperature and austenite deformation on the transformation behavior of high-strength boron steel

The phase transformation behavior of high-strength boron steel was studied considering the segregation and precipitation behavior of boron (B). The effects of cooling rate, austenitizing temperature and austenite deformation on the transformation behavior of B-bearing steel as compared with B-free steel were investigated by using dilatometry, microstructural observations and analysis of B distribution. The effects of these variables on hardenability were discussed in terms of non-equilibrium segregation mechanism and precipitation behavior of B. The retardation of austenite-to-ferrite transformation by B addition depends strongly on cooling rate (CR); this is mainly due to the phenomenon of non-equilibrium grain boundary segregation of B. The hardenability effect of B-bearing steel decreased at higher austenitizing temperature due to the precipitation of borocarbide along austenite grain boundaries. Analysis of B distribution by second ion mass spectroscopy confirmed that the grain boundary segregation of B occurred at low austenitizing temperature of 900 °C, whereas B precipitates were observed along austenite grain boundaries at high austenitizing temperature of 1200 °C. The significant increase in B concentration at austenite grain boundaries due to grain coarsening and a non-equilibrium segregation mechanism may lead to the B precipitation. In contrast, solute B segregated to austenite grain boundaries during cooling after heavy deformation became more stable because the increase in boundary area by grain refinement does not cause B concentration at grain boundaries to exceed the critical point; thus the effect of B on hardenability could be maximized under controlled cooling after hot deformation. Therefore, the austenite grain size and non-equilibrium segregation behavior of B are important variables that determine the magnitude of the hardenability effect of B in steel.

Hot Forming Analysis of Car Door Bar for Ultra High Strength Steel

Ultra high strength steel plays an important role of light weighting in automotive industry. The hot forming simulation of car door bar is processed with 22MnB5 ultra high strength boron steel. FEM is built with the 12 nodes shell elements and MAT 106 is selected in LS-DYNA. The hot forming processes include two heat transfers. One is the process from the oven to the tools after the blank is heated. The other is the process after the blank contacts the tools. The hot forming simulation results are obtained by LS-DYNA. The results show that the thickness distribution, the forming limit and the maximum effective plastic strain and other performances attain to standards. It is proved that the hot forming simulation method is correct.

Forming Response of Ultra High Strength Steel Sheet to Stamping Speed during Hot Forming

Stamping speed is an important parameter in sheet metal forming especially in hot forming. In this study, hot forming of a U-shaped part made of ultra high strength boron steel (22MnB5) sheet is simulated with solid elements. The mechanical properties of 22MnB5 steel sheet and the key process parameters are introduced in detail. Emphasis is laid on the forming response of the boron steel sheet to stamping speeds of 3.25m/s, 0.325m/s and 0.0325m/s. The mechanism of stamping speed acting on hot formability and temperature field of the stamped part is analyzed. It is demonstrated that stamping speed affects both formability and the heat transferred from blank to tools and to environment during hot forming. And the coupling effect of material properties, the heat produced during plastic deformation and heat boundary condition decides the formability and temperature field. An appropriate stamping speed is more important for hot forming than that for common cold forming.

Influence of Low Tempering Temperature on Fracture Toughness of Ultra High Strength Boron Steel for Hot Forming

The influence of low tempering temperature (TT) on mechanical properties and fracture toughness of ultra high strength boron steel 22MnB5 for hot forming was investigated by tensile and Kahn tearing experiments. Compared with the conventional quenchable boron steel, The results show that the toughness of tested steel are both preferable when tempered at 200 , 40min. When TT between 100 ～200 , The tear strength (TS) and unit propagation energy (UPE) of quenched steel heightened along with the temperature raised, but in 200~350 temperature range, the toughness appears negatively growth. Appropriate TT could improve the mechanical properties and fracture toughness obviously, and the temper brittleness can be avoided.

Tribological properties of hardened high strength Boron steel at combined rolling and sliding condition

The use of hardened high strength steel is found in applications where high wear resistance is required. The wear properties of high strength Boron steel are well known in applications with abrasive wear from stones, ore and other hard material. A unique concept of wear protection of rails is newly presented, a wear resistant cap made of hardened high strength Boron steel. Reducing the wear of rails and wheels and controlling the frictional behavior in the wheel/rail contact are two key issues for railway owners in order to reduce the increasing costs related to higher axle loads, higher speeds, more frequent traffic, etc. Therefore, the aim of this work has been to investigate and compare the tribological properties of Boron steel and UIC 1100 rail steel in contact with Blue Light wheel steel (AAR Class C (69-JDG-8)) under dry and water lubricated conditions in a two-disc tribometer. Advanced analytical instruments including 3D optical surface profiler, micro-hardness indenter, light microscope and SEM/EDS were used to analyze the results. Results from the experiments show that the friction coefficient in tests with Boron steel is more stable both in dry and water lubricated conditions than tests including UIC 1100 rail steel used in todays application. Surface damages seen from water lubricated tests on UIC 1100 rail steel are not seen on the surface of the Boron steel discs. In all tests, the wear decreased when water was added in the contact and friction was slightly decreased.