Mistakes Before, During and After Heat Treatment of Steel

A multitude of steel components undergo heat treatment to alter their properties. This practice-oriented book provides a vivid overview of the various influencing factors in the lifecycle of such products, from design to deployment. Through numerous examples, it illustrates potential sources of errors associated with heat treatment and how to avoid them. Drawing on decades of experience in the field of technical failure analysis, the author offers valuable guidance for both students and practitioners. Preface Contents 1 Introduction References 2 Design Influence Area 2.1 Heat Treatment Specifications in Drawings 2.1.1 Specifications for Annealing Processes 2.1.2 Specifications for Hardening and Tempering 2.1.3 Specifications for Surface Hardening 2.1.4 Specifications for Case Hardening 2.1.5 Specifications for Nitriding and Nitrocarburizing 2.1.6 Specifications for Boriding 2.2 Thermal Stresses and Notch Effects 2.3 Damage Examples—Construction References 3 Material Purchasing Influence Area 3.1 Case-hardening Steels 3.2 Quenched and Tempered Steels 3.3 Nitriding Steels 3.4 Martensitic Stainless Steels 3.5 Precipitation Hardening Steels 3.6 Tool Steels 3.7 Damage Examples—Material Purchase References 4 Material Influence Area 4.1 Trace Elements 4.2 Segregation 4.3 Non-metallic Inclusions 4.4 Hardenability 4.5 Damage Examples—Material References 5 Manufacturing Influence Area Before Heat Treatment 5.1 Uneven Material Removal 5.2 Residual Stresses 5.3 Surface Hardening 5.4 Non-removed Functional Layers 5.5 Passive Layers 5.6 Damage Examples—Manufacturing Before Heat Treatment References 6 Heat Treatment Influence Area 6.1 Process Parameters 6.1.1 The Heating Phase 6.1.1.1 Damage Examples—Heating 6.1.2 The Holding Phase 6.1.2.1 Damage Examples—Temperature and Time 6.1.3 The Quenching Phase 6.1.3.1 Damage Examples—Quenching 6.1.4 Furnace Atmospheres 6.1.4.1 Damage Examples—Atmosphere 6.2 Thermochemical Heat Treatments 6.2.1 Damage Examples—Case Hardening 6.2.2 Damage Examples—Nitriding/Nitrocarburizing References 7 Manufacturing Influence Area After Heat Treatment 7.1 Damage Examples—Manufacturing After Heat Treatment References 8 Operating Conditions Influence Area 8.1 Damage Examples—Operating Conditions References