Modeling the Carbon Concentration and Microhardness Profiles in Carburized and Carbonitrided Steel

The CHTE surface hardening simulation tools, CarboNitrideTool© and CarbTool© have been enhanced to improve the accuracy of the simulation and to prediction the microstructure and microhardness profile after heat treatment process. CarbTool© can be used for the prediction of both gas and low pressure carburizing process. The prediction has successfully predicted the carbon concentration profiles for gas carburizing process and mostly low pressure carburizing process. In some case, the simulation toll may not work well with the low pressure carburizing process.An improved model for the process is proposed to enhance the boundary condition. In the modeling, carbon potential and mass transfer coefficient are calculated and used.CarbonitrideTool^Ⓒhas been improved to predict the Martensite start temperature (Ms) which can be used for RA prediction. Mixture rule is used then to predict the hardness profiles. Experiments has been conducted to verify the simulation.