Papers by Author: Kurt Steinhoff

Abstract: Micrometric surface topologies are required for a wide range of technical applications. While lowered surface features have been used for many years to improve the tribological behavior of contacting surfaces, there are also other fields of application, where the potential of elevated surface features is known, e. g. for metal forming tools. However, the demand for a high wear resistance of these structures often inhibits an industrial application. A solution is offered by structuring techniques that use additional material. A promising approach is the localized dispersing of hard ceramic particles by pulsed laser radiation, the so-called laser implantation. This paper describes the potential to adjust the geometry as well as the mechanical properties of laser implanted surfaces by means of microstructural and topological investigations. Afterwards, results of a wear test are given and different applications for this structuring technique are discussed. It can be shown that dome-shaped or ring-shaped structures on a micrometric scale can be produced with high hardness and wear resistance.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Study of anelasticity in AZ31 magnesium-based alloy in initial (hot-rolled at 370 оС) condition and after one and four passes of equal channel angular pressing is carried out. An internal friction peak was found at 170 °C at a frequency f of about 1 Hz. Two possible mechanisms of this peak are discussed: it is suggested that the peak origin is the grain boundary relaxation.