Change of Structure and Properties of 51CrV4 Shaft Caused by Thermo-Mechanical Treatment

The simultaneous influence of both thermal and mechanical treatment was applied to produce a geometrically complex shaft from 51CrV4 steel. This special treatment led to the formation of adjacent microstructures which were significantly different from each other. It was found that these microstructural changes were accompanied by a change of mechanical properties in terms of hardness, electrical resistivity and especially internal friction. Specimens for structural studies and study of mechanical and physical properties were taken out from different places of the produced shaft and tested in order to verify and understand the obtained gradation. The significant variations in properties could be explained in terms of structure and dislocation behaviour under applied cyclic stress using mechanical spectroscopy technique. The cold-work (Snoek-Köster) peak was recognised and analysed in the structure of this steel.