New model predicts how ultra-hard steel transforms during manufacturing
Researchers have developed a computational tool that accurately predicts how wear-resistant steel changes during industrial heating and cooling processes. The model could help manufacturers optimize steel production for demanding applications like construction equipment and mining tools, potentially reducing waste and improving product reliability.
Originaltitel: Modeling and Experimental Study of Phase Transformation Kinetics, Dilatation, and Hardenability in Wear-Resistant Ultra-High-Strength Steels
<p>Models can help to obtain the desired properties of steel by predicting when different microstructures form during phase transformations in manufacturing processes. One prominent model for low-alloy steel is the Kirkaldy–Venugopalan model but it has not been evaluated for wear-resistant ultra-high-strength steels (UHSS). A modified Kirkaldy-type model was developed in this work for the phase transformation kinetics in a wear-resistant UHSS. A modified incremental Koistinen–Marburger model was used for the martensite transformation which considers the gradual start of the transformation. The framework was validated by simulating the dilatometry experiments in a finite element model. Good agreement was obtained for the low cooling rates 2.5 to 15 °C/s yielding ferrite, pearlite, and bainite, as well as for the high cooling rates 20 to 50 °C/s yielding bainite and martensite. The model was also applied to the steel Hardox 450 where it predicted the formation of 99.7% martensite at the experimental critical cooling rate for full martensite formation of 12 °C/s found in the literature, which demonstrates the model’s capability to be used more generally on wear-resistant UHSS. The predicted hardness also captured the general trend seen in the hardness measurements.</p>