Patent Application
20250179599
This disclosure relates to a mechanical structural part having a hardened layer by induction hardening and tempering treatment, which is used in the fields of construction industrial machinery and automobiles, in particular, a mechanical structural part having a shaft-shaped portion, and a method for manufacturing the same.
Alloy steels for mechanical structural use, such as JIS standard SCr420 and SCM420, are used for power transmission parts such as drive shafts and axle shafts used in automobiles, construction machinery, etc. The outline of the method for manufacturing this type of parts is as follows. That is, a steel bar or wire rod using the alloy steel for mechanical structural use as material is roughly formed into a part shape by hot forging and/or cold forging, and then finely formed by cutting work. The formed body is then subjected to surface hardening treatment, such as induction hardening and tempering treatment (induction heat treatment) or carburizing-quenching and tempering treatment (carburizing heat treatment) to be a product. Induction heat treatment and carburizing heat treatment harden the target member using transformation of steel microstructure, by heating and holding at 900° C. or more and then cooling the target member. Therefore, heat treatment strain is generated due to the transformation of steel microstructure during heating. In particular, for parts with a large aspect ratio, such as shafts and other parts with shaft-shaped portions, the eccentricity of the parts due to strain cannot be ignored, and the correction process is required according to the degree of eccentricity, leading to increased costs.
To address these problems, for example, techniques disclosed in PTLs 1-5 have been proposed. That is, JPS61-261427A (PTL 1) proposes a method for manufacturing steel in which the coarsening of austenite grains is suppressed by precipitating AlN, thereby reducing the heat treatment strain during carburizing heat treatment.
JPH08-199316A (PTL 2) proposes controlling the size and precipitation density of AlN by controlling the cooling speed in the specified temperature range after hot working, thereby reducing the heat treatment strain during carburizing heat treatment.
JP2004-204263A (PTL 3) proposes a steel in which decarburization is reduced by controlling the post-casting heating and hot rolling temperatures, thereby reducing coarse grain generation and heat treatment strain during carburizing heat treatment, and a method for manufacturing the same.
JP2006-265703A (PTL 4) proposes a steel in which coarse grain generation and heat treatment strain during carburizing heat treatment are reduced by controlling TiN precipitation by adding Ti and the finishing temperature of hot rolling, and a method for manufacturing the same.
JP2013-151719A (PTL 5) proposes suppressing the occurrence of non-uniform martensite transformation by controlling the variation of martensite transformation temperature in the longitudinal cross section of a steel bar, thereby reducing the heat treatment strain generated during carburizing-quenching or carbonitriding-quenching.
Here, comparing carburizing heat treatment and induction heat treatment, the strain generated after heat treatment is larger in carburizing heat treatment. Therefore, reducing strain after carburizing heat treatment is conventionally emphasized. Therefore, the techniques disclosed in PTLs 1-5 are effective in reducing the strain generated by carburizing heat treatment, but they are not sufficient to reduce the smaller strains generated by induction heat treatment.
This disclosure was made in consideration of the above situation, and it could be helpful to provide a mechanical structural part in which the problem of eccentricity in, in particular, a part with a large aspect ratio having a shaft-shaped portion has been resolved, by reducing strain after induction heat treatment.
The inventors investigated the effects of steel material composition and steel material manufacturing conditions on strain after induction heat treatment in order to reduce strain in members after induction heat treatment. As a result, the inventors found that the following (a) and (b) are important for strain reduction after induction heat treatment.
This disclosure is based on the aforementioned findings and primary features thereof are described below.
1. A mechanical structural part comprising:
2. The mechanical structural part according to 1. above, wherein the part has a shaft-shaped portion.
3. A method for manufacturing a mechanical structural part, the method comprising subjecting a steel material having a chemical composition containing (consisting of), in mass %,
VSL≤100/DL(m/s) (1),
According to the present disclosure, a mechanical structural part with low residual strain can be provided. In particular, the reduction of strain is achieved in a mechanical structural part having a shaft-shaped portion, and this disclosure thus produces the effect of suppressing eccentricity in this type of mechanical structural part.
In the following, one form for implementing this disclosure will be described in detail, starting with the chemical composition of the steel applied to a mechanical structural part of this disclosure. Here, “%” indicating the content of each element is “mass %”, unless otherwise stated.
C is an essential element to ensure the strength of the hardened layer of the part when the part is subjected to induction heat treatment. When the C content is less than 0.45%, the strength of the part is insufficient. On the other hand, when the C content exceeds 0.51%, the amount of strain after induction heat treatment increases. For the above reasons, the C content is specified to be in the range of 0.45% to 0.51%. From the viewpoint of balancing strength and amount of strain, the C content is desirably 0.47% or more. Similarly, the C content is desirably 0.49% or less.
Si has actions of reducing oxygen inclusions by deoxidation action of the steel and suppressing hardness reduction in tempering heat treatment. That is, Si has an effect of improving the mechanical properties of the product. On the other hand, excessive addition of Si will reduce cold workability due to hardening of the material. For the above reasons, the Si content is specified to be in the range of 0.15% to 0.35%. A more desirable range of the Si content is 0.20% or more. A more desirable range of the Si content is 0.30% or less.
Mn has an action of greatly improving hardenability. Thus, Mn needs to be added at 0.60% or more. On the other hand, an increase in amount of addition of Mn increases hardness of the material and decreases cold workability. However, the Mn content is allowed up to 0.90%. For the above reasons, the Mn content is specified to be in the range of 0.60% to 0.90%. A more desirable range of the Mn content is 0.70% or more. A more desirable range of the Mn content is 0.80% or less.
P: 0.030% or less (including 0%)
P has an action of segregating at the prior austenite grain boundary after induction hardening, thereby reducing fatigue resistance of the hardened layer. Therefore, it is preferable to keep the P content as low as possible. For the above reason, the P content is specified to be in the range of 0.030% or less. The P content is more preferably decreased to 0.012% or less. Of course, the P content may be 0%.
S: 0.025% or less (including 0%)
S exists as sulfur inclusions and is an effective element for improving machinability by cutting. However, the addition exceeding 0.025% of S adversely affects manufacturability during casting. Thus, the upper limit of the S content is 0.025%. When improvement in machinability by cutting is required, 0.010% or more of S may be added. The preferred range of the S content is 0.010% to 0.015%. When the machinability by cutting is not a consideration, the S content may be 0%.
Al combines with N to form AlN. Thus, Al has an action of suppressing the coarsening of austenite grains during rolling and induction hardening of a steel bar and a wire rod. Al is an important element in this disclosure because austenite grain size control during rolling and induction hardening of the steel bar and wire rod is effective in strain control. When the Al content is low, the above effect is not expected. On the other hand, excessive Al content leads to an increase in inclusions, which increases the number of initiation points of fatigue fracture and causes a reduction in fatigue strength. For the above reasons, the Al content is specified to be in the range of 0.040% to 0.059%. The Al content is preferably 0.045% or more. The Al content is preferably 0.055% or less.
Cr effectively improves the hardenability and strength of steel. On the other hand, as the Cr content increases, a decrease in workability due to increased hardness is inevitable. For the above reasons, the Cr content is specified to be in the range of 0.10% to 0.50%. The Cr content is preferably 0.10% or more. The Cr content is preferably 0.20% or less.
N combines with Al to form AlN. Thus, N is an important element in this disclosure as is Al. An N content of 0.0060% or more is necessary to control austenite grain size during rolling and induction hardening of the steel bar and wire rod. On the other hand, an increase in the N content generates cracks during solidification. The cracks will remain as defects in subsequent processes. If the defects remain, the steel cannot be used as a product because the defects open up to make cracks be significantly more likely to be generated. For the above reasons, the N content is specified to be in the range of 0.0060% to 0.0100%. The N content is preferably 0.0060% or more. The N content is preferably 0.0080% or less.
In the mechanical structural part of this disclosure, the balance of the chemical composition is Fe and impurities. Impurities are those that are introduced during the industrial manufacture of steel material, from ores and scrap as raw materials or from manufacturing environment, etc., and are acceptable to the extent that they do not adversely affect the properties of this embodiment.
The following describes the specification in this disclosure regarding the prior austenite grain size of the hardened layer by induction heat treatment.
The mechanical structural part of this disclosure is formed into a part shape, such as a shape having a shaft portion, using steel with the above-described chemical composition, and then subjected to induction heat treatment of induction hardening and tempering. In the hardened layer formed by this induction heat treatment, it is necessary that the area ratio of crystal grains each having a prior austenite grain size of 80 μm or less is 80% or more, and that the number ratio of grains each having a grain size twice or more than the mode of grain size is 5% or less.
In the mechanical structural part of this disclosure, the formed body that has become the part shape is subjected to induction heat treatment of induction hardening and tempering to form a hardened layer on the surface layer. This hardened layer is a portion hardened by induction heat treatment. Specifically, the hardness (e.g., Vickers hardness) distribution is measured from the surface toward the center of the part after induction heat treatment, and in the resulting hardness distribution, a depth position where a predetermined hardness (e.g., HV 450) is maintained is defined as an effective hardened case depth (ECD). The region of this effective hardened case depth is defined as a hardened layer.
[Area Ratio of Crystal Grains Each Having Prior Austenite Grain Size of 80 μm or Less being 80% or More]
This specification regarding the prior austenite grain size is an indicator of the properties of prior austenite grains that can suppress strain after induction heat treatment. As
Here, the prior austenite grain size can be obtained by properly corroding and observing the part after induction heat treatment. For example, after corroding the hardened layer formed on the part surface layer with a picric acid solution to reveal the prior austenite grain boundary, the prior austenite grain microstructure can be photographed and processed by image processing software to obtain the equivalent circle diameter of each prior austenite grain and determine the area ratio of the crystal grains of 80 μm or less.
[Number Ratio of Grains Each Having Grain Size Twice or More than Mode of Grain Size being 5% or Less]
By specifying the number ratio of grains each having a grain size twice or more than the mode of grain size to 5% or less in the hardening layer, strain and eccentricity of the part after induction hardening can be suppressed. Even when the area ratio of prior austenite grains in the previous section is satisfied, if a certain small number of prior austenite grains are significantly coarsened than the other grains (specifically, twice or more than the mode of grain size), eccentricity is not suppressed to the desired degree. Thus, the inventors found that the above conditions are appropriate as the criteria for suppressing eccentricity.
Here, the mode of grain size can be obtained by properly corroding and observing the part after induction heat treatment. For example, the mode of grain size can be obtained by, after corroding the hardened layer formed on the part surface layer with a picric acid solution to reveal the prior austenite grain boundary, photographing and processing the prior austenite grain microstructure by image processing software to obtain a histogram of grain size. Furthermore, the histogram can be used to determine the number ratio of grains each having a grain size twice or more than the mode of grain size.
The following describes a method for manufacturing a mechanical structural part of this disclosure.
That is, a steel material having the above chemical composition is subjected to hot rolling at a rolling speed that satisfies the following formula (1) to form a steel bar or wire rod, and the bar or wire is forged to a part shape and then subjected to induction hardening at 900° C. to 1150° C. to manufacture a mechanical structural part. The steel material is, for example, cast steel, slab, etc., with a billet as a typical example, but is not limited to these.
Here, in order to satisfy the above-mentioned specification regarding the prior austenite grain size in the hardened layer, in addition to the adjustment of the above-mentioned chemical composition, it is necessary to subject a steel material, for example, cast steel, to hot rolling at a rolling speed that satisfies the following formula (1) to form a steel bar or wire rod:
where VSL is a rolling speed (m/s) just before passing through the final stage of rolling, and DL is a diameter (mm) of the rolled material after the rolling is completed.
Formula (1) above is an indicator that indicates the rolling speed at which cast steel is subjected to hot rolling to be a steel bar or wire rod, which will be a forged material to form a mechanical structural part. Appropriate rolling speed according to the diameter of the steel bar or wire rod can reduce the temperature gradient inside the rolled material and control the microstructure of the rolled material. By using a rolling speed that satisfies this formula, the time required for cooling the inside of the rolled material can be guaranteed, and the temperature difference between the surface layer and the inside of the rolled material can be suppressed, resulting in a homogeneous post-rolling microstructure. Therefore, when the rolling speed and diameter of the rolled material do not satisfy Formula (1) above, the prior austenite grain size in the final part will not satisfy the above conditions even if the heat treatment conditions during induction heat treatment described below are satisfied.
Furthermore, from the viewpoint of strain suppression, it is preferable to use a rolling speed where the constant on the right side of Formula (1) is specified to be from 100 to 90. In other words, hot rolling at a rolling speed that satisfies the following formula (2) is preferable for suppressing strain:
where VSL is a rolling speed (m/s) just before passing through the final stage of rolling, and DL is a diameter (mm) of the rolled material after the rolling is completed.
Incidentally, it is basically appropriate to use the diameter of the rolled material just before the final stage of rolling as an indicator that indicates the rolling speed. However, the final stage of rolling of a steel bar or wire rod is usually a minor rolling reduction for arranging dimensions, and the change in diameter is minute. Thus, the diameter after the rolling is completed can be used as an indicator that indicates the rolling speed.
The steel bar or wire rod manufactured as above is subjected to hot forging and/or cold forging, cutting, or other processing to finish it into a part shape, and are then subjected to induction heat treatment to be a part. In order for the prior austenite grains in the hardened layer after induction heat treatment to satisfy the above grain size conditions, the temperature of induction hardening needs to be 900° C. to 1150° C.
The above temperature range is specified on the basis that, within the chemical composition range of this disclosure, complete austenite transformation occurs during heating and that no significant austenite grain growth occurs during heating. The commonly known conditions for tempering heat treatment after induction hardening are acceptable.
The following describes the structures and function effects of the present disclosure in more detail, by way of examples. However, this disclosure is not limited to the following examples and may be changed appropriately within the scope conforming to the purpose of this disclosure, all of such changes being included within the technical scope of this disclosure.
Continuous-cast steel produced through continuous casting by smelting steel having each chemical composition presented in Table 1 was processed into billets and then hot-rolled into round bars with various diameters. The hot rolling conditions are as follows: diameter DL of the rolled material after the rolling is completed=30 mm; and rolling speed VSL just before passing through the final stage of rolling=3.0 m/s. The properties required for steel for mechanical structural use were investigated for the resulting round bars. The hardness of each round bar after hot rolling was measured as a property required for the steel for mechanical structural use, i.e., a property of the steel itself. Furthermore, the hardness distribution was measured after induction heat treatment, as described below, of the round bar to evaluate the hardenability.
As the hardness measurement, the Vickers hardness was measured at 300 gf, at a depth position of ¼ of the diameter of the round bar from the peripheral surface of the round bar. The measurement was taken at 10 arbitrary points, and the average value was calculated and evaluated. The Vickers hardness here is desirably HV 195 or less from the viewpoint of cold workability.
The hardness distribution measurement after induction heat treatment was performed by subjecting each round bar to induction heat treatment. The induction heat treatment was performed at a frequency of 8.5 kHz, a maximum heating temperature of 1000° C., and by mobile quenching. Tempering was performed using a heating furnace under a set of conditions including a temperature at 180° C. and a time for 30 minutes. The Vickers hardness measurement was then performed at 300 gf on the vertical cross section of the axis of the round bar from the surface to the center. That is, the depth position of 1 mm from the surface of the round bar to the inside in the radial direction was set as a first point, and the Vickers hardness was then measured in 1 mm intervals to the inside in the radial direction to evaluate the hardness distribution in the radial direction. Based on the results, the layer from the surface to the position where the Vickers hardness reaches HV 450 or more was evaluated as an effective hardened case depth (ECD). The region of this effective hardened case depth is the hardened layer of this disclosure. To ensure the strength of the part, the ECD is desirably 10% or more of the diameter of the round bar.
The measurement results are presented in Table 2.
Furthermore, using the same continuous-cast steel as that provided for the above hardness measurement and hardness distribution measurement, a billet produced from each continuous-cast steel was subjected to hot rolling and induction hardening heat treatment in the part manufacturing conditions presented in Table 3 to produce a shaft part. The part shape was a round bar with 20% area reduction rate extrusion from the steel bar after hot rolling. Each induction heat treatment was performed after adjusting the conditions so that the ECD (i.e., thickness of the hardened layer) was about 10% of the shaft diameter.
The number ratio of grains each having a grain size twice or more than the mode of grain size and the area ratio of crystal grains each having a prior austenite grain size of 80 μm or less, in the hardened layer of the resulting part, were investigated.
[Number Ratio of Grains Each Having Grain Size Twice or More than Mode of Grain Size]
Observation of the prior austenite grains in the hardened layer of the part was performed by cutting out a sample from the above shaft part with the vertical cross section of the axis as the observation plane. The cut sample was corroded in a 3% picric acid solution, and an optical microscopy was used to capture 10 views of the prior austenite grain microstructure at 200x at the half position of the ECD. Based on the photographs, the prior austenite grain boundary was traced, the traced image was processed by image processing software Image J, and the diameter of each prior austenite grain was calculated by rounding it to the nearest whole number as the equivalent circle diameter. From the obtained grain size data, the grain size with the largest number of grains was defined as the mode, and the number ratio of grains each having a grain size larger twice or more than the mode to the total grain number was calculated. When there were a plurality of candidates for the mode, the smallest value among them was treated as the mode.
The area ratio of prior austenite grains each having a grain size of 80 μm or less was calculated by image analysis of the traced image, obtained in the same manner as above.
Furthermore, the resulting part was evaluated for torsional fatigue life and part center runout.
Torsional fatigue life was measured using an electric servo type torsional fatigue test machine. The load was applied at 2 Hz so that the maximum shear stress was 300 MPa, and the number of repetitions until fracture was measured. When a part exhibits a fracture life of 15,000 times or more in this test, it can be said that the part has sufficient fatigue strength.
The strain of the part was measured using an eccentricity tester. That is, the center runout (%) was calculated by dividing the range of displacement change (difference between the maximum displacement value and the minimum displacement value) when the part was made to go around with holes, which had been drilled in the center of both ends before induction heat treatment, being supported, by the diameter of the measured portion. In this test, it can be said that the strain of the part is sufficiently suppressed when the center runout is 0.25% or less.
The obtained evaluation results are presented together in Table 3.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-061367 | Mar 2022 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2023/012333 | 3/27/2023 | WO |
