Papers by Keyword: Hot Work Tool Steel

Abstract: The paper deals with the influence of thermal load on functionality of the Toolox 33 hot work tool steel equivalent to the materials of W.Nr. 1.2311, 1.2312, 1.2738 and P20 in order to assess its suitability as a material for glass manufacture preform. Using light and electron microscopy it was shown that the steel was highly unfitting for this application where the steel comes into contact with the hot glass. Regarding the evaluation of the microstructure, it was shown that intense decarburization reflecting on the fracture behaviour of the surface layer during the thermal load has occurred. This fact was confirmed by a static tensile test and hardness measurements. Moreover, the thick layer of flakes has formed on the surface.

Abstract: In the present work, we investigate the influence of laser radiation on the evolution of microstructure and wear resistance of X38CrMoV5-1 tool steel in hardened and tempered condition. The microstructure of the laser surface hardened zone consists of fine and coarse grained carbides (M₂₃C₆, M₇C₃, MC or M₂C) which are dispersed within martensite matrix. On the other hand, the laser melted microstructure is characterized by martensite, retained austenite and fine carbides precipitated in the inter-dendritic zone. The laser surface affected zone microstructure exhibits the enhanced hardness in the range from 857 to 775 HV in comparison with quenched and tempered conditions (720-655 HV) and decreases from the surface to the soft zone with a typical hardness of 530 HV. The wear resistance of the laser treated samples is investigated by “ball on disc” method, which shows a significant improvement as compared to that in quenched and tempered condition.

Abstract: The paper is a practical study, in which the authors have proposed to improve the reliability in operation of hot work tool steels, used for the manufacturing of seamless steel tubes.There were developed samples of hot work tool steel with different chemical compositions by micro-alloying with Mo. The samples were studied in order to investigate their structure and the relations between the microstructure and in-situ behavior.

Abstract: Pressure casting dies are exposed to harsh service conditions consisting of cyclic thermal and mechanical loading and thus undergo thermo-mechanical fatigue. Due to cyclic plastic deformation of the material near the surface of the dies the loading conditions gradually change because of the formation of tensile residual stresses which add to the stress field from external loading. This change in the stress field influences the nucleation and the growth of cracks. Typically after a few thousand casting cycles a network of heat checks forms. In such a network crack shielding has a big influence on the evolution of the crack array. Firstly, it influences the propagation rates of the cracks and secondly it may change the propagation direction compared to the case where no neighbors are present. The crack growth rate and the length at which the cracks stop growing are also influenced by the thermo-physical and mechanical properties of the die material. It was found that the shielding effects of neighboring cracks are of equal importance. Crack deflection caused by the presence of neighboring cracks can lead to break-outs at the surface ensued by fast degradation eventually necessitating the replacement of the die. Consequently, the focus in this work is put on the investigation of the interaction of cracks in a network and their effect on the fatigue life. The problem is tackled by means of an automated strategy based on the finite element method.

Abstract: Recent modifications in chemical composition have been applied commercially to high alloy tool steels, using different combinations of Cr, Si and Mo contents. Several reports have been published in the literature about the effects of such modifications on mechanical properties and tool performance, but only a few of these studies were concerned with the effects on secondary carbide formation. In previous papers, improvements in toughness and tempering resistance that were found in a 5% Cr tool steel (type H11 with lower Si contents) have been attributed to particular distributions of Cr-rich M₇C₃ particles. Although M₇C₃ carbides have been studied extensively in low alloy steels, some important differences have now been observed by the present authors for high alloy tool steels, especially regarding the effects of Si and Cr. The present work is concerned with the formation of Cr-rich M₇C₃ as well as Fe-rich M₃C particles in modified H11 tool steels, discussing the precipitation sequence and particle distributions developed during tempering within the martensite microstructure. By means of transmission electron microscopy, the effect of Si on M₃C cementite formation has been found to be responsible for a substantial change in the distribution of the M₇C₃ carbide phase, leading to a concentration of these particles at high energy interfaces in interlath and interpackage regions.

Abstract: During hot extrusion, tools experience cyclic thermo-mechanical loads that can lead to materials degradation and failure. For a process optimization and study of the occurring damage mechanisms, the finite element method (FEM) is an appropriate means. Local inelastic strains result from the interaction of the applied temperature and stress loading and can be computed by suitable inelastic constitutive equations. Stress amplitudes and dwell times during extrusion result in creepfatigue damage. A lifetime consumption model sums increments of a damage variable over time and defines materials failure as the accumulation of the resulting damage variable to a critical value. The predominant failure mechanism, i.e. creep or fatigue, can be found by the investigation of the damage rate over several cycles. A comparison of both a creep dominated (copper extrusion) and a fatigue controlled (aluminium extrusion) lifetime consumption in an extrusion die is shown with the hot work tool steel Böhler W300 ISOBLOC in comparison with W400 VMR (both ~ EN 1.2343).

Abstract: The objective of the present work was to study the modification of the microstructure of hot-work tool steels X40CrMoV5-1 and X38CrMoV5-3 during the surface modifying by means of laser technology. This treatment aims to harden and alloy the steel surface which had been previously coated with tungsten carbide (WC) and were introduced using the rotor conveyer to improve the properties of the surface layer. The fine grained, dendritic structure occurs in the remelted and alloyed zone with the crystallization direction connected with the dynamical heat abstraction from the laser beam influenced zone. The fine grained martensite structure is responsible for the hardness increase of the alloyed layer.

Abstract: This paper presents the investigation results of laser alloying and the influence on structure and properties of the surface of the 32CrMoV12-28 hot work steel, carried out using the high power diode laser (HPDL). Structure changes were determined in the work, especially structure fragmentation. Also hardness investigation of the different remelting areas was performed. The reason of this work was also to determine the laser treatment parameters, particularly the laser power, to achieve good work stability and to make the tool surface more resistant for work extremal conditions. Based on microstructural examinations of the obtained material, the distribution of the reinforcing ceramic particles in the hot work tool steel was revealed. Tungsten carbide WC powder was used for alloying. The remelted layers which were formed on the surface of the investigated hot work steel were examined metallographically and analyzed using a hardness testing machine.

Abstract: This work presents the investigation results of laser remelting and alloying especially the laser parameters and its influence on the structure and properties of the surface of the 32CrMoV12-28 hot work steel, using the high power diode laser (HPDL). As a result structure changes in form of fragmentation were determined. The reason of this work was to determine the optimal laser treatment parameters, particularly the laser power to achieve good layer hardness for protection of this hot work tool steel from losing their work stability and to make the tool surface more resistant to action in hard conditions. For alloying the tantalum carbide, tungsten carbide and vanadium carbide powders were used. For investigations hardness measurements of the different remelting areas were performed. The remelted layers which were formed in the surface of investigated hot work steel were examined metallographically and analyzed using light and electron microscope. Three phases of carbides, TaC, VC and WC, were observed.

Abstract: Investigations include alloying the X38CrMoV5-3 hot-work tool steel surface layer with the tungsten carbide, using the high power diode laser (HPDL). The tungsten carbide ceramic particles of the medium grain size according to FSSS = 50 /m were introduced using the rotor conveyer to improve the properties of the surface layer. The powder feed rate was set at the steady level of 8.64g/min. Remelting and alloying were carried out several times in the laser power range of 1.2 – 2.3 kW in the remelting/alloying, alloying/remelting sequences. The structural mechanism was determined of gradient layer development, effect was studied of alloying parameters, gas protection method, and powder feed rate on its mechanical properties, and especially on its hardness, abrasive wear resistance, and roughness. Structure changes were revealed consisting, in particular, in its refining, and also hardness and microhardness changes in comparizon to the nonremelted steel. Examination results obtained with the EDX microanalysis, surface and linear analysis of the chemical composition, as well as the X-ray qualitative phase analysis are presented.