Study on the Induction Quenching Process and Fatigue Testing for Cr-Mo Steel Ball Screw

Abstract:

Due to the deficiencies such as shallow hardened layer and short fatigue life of the ball screws treated by the traditional induction quenching process, a new process has been developed. The new induction quenching process has four-turn induction coil. The power of the this process is 150-160kw, feeding speed 270mm/min and the spraying cooling water distance is 35mm. It has been successfully used on the Cr-Mo steel ball screw with a diameter of 80 mm. The microstructure and hardness distribution of the induction hardened layers were investigated by a metallographic microscope and a micro-hardness apparatus. The fatigue life of the ball screw was measured through a constant stress accelerated fatigue test. The degree of fatigue wear on the raceway of the ball screw was analyzed by a field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The experimental results showed that the microstructure and hardness distribution of the hardened layer of the Cr-Mo steel ball screw could satisfy the design requirements of contact fatigue resistance. The fatigue life was longer than the theoretical service life and there was no obvious fatigue wear on the raceway after the fatigue testing. It shows that the safety and reliability of the Cr-Mo steel ball screw fabricated through the new induction quenching process could be guaranteed in practical application.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 1145)
• Pages: 154-159
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.1145.154
• Online since: March 2018
• Authors: Xia Ding, Yu Hong Gai, Bao Min Li, Mu Sen Li*
• Keywords: Ball Screw, Contact Fatigue Resistance, Fatigue Testing, Hardness Distribution, Induction Quenching, Microstructure

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