The steel superstrengthening phenomenon, part 2
Abstract
The paper discusses a combined heat treatment that includes the potentialities of high-temperature thermal-mechanical treatment and intensive quenching. Due to high-temperature thermal-mechanical treatment and intensive quenching within the martensite range, the strength and plastic properties of materials are significantly improved and compressive residual stresses are formed at the surface and small tensile stresses in the core, which result in the increase of their service life. The suggested combined approach is also efficient in the case of the heat treatment of forgings with the use of forging heat. The suggested technology considerably saves energy resources and makes unnecessary intermediate operations such as repeated heating before quenching. Oil, as a quenchant, is replaced by plain water. The industrial quenching line can be placed directly in the forgery workshop and yield big economical benefits.