Identification of the important parameters that control distortion during quenching and heat treating of steel

A series of computer simulation experiments, using DANTE has been conducted on a Navy C-ring distortion coupon [1] to identify and rank the important material properties, geometry and process parameters that control distortion. The temperature dependent heat transfer coefficient of the quenching media, quenching start temperature, Ms temperature of the steel, quenching fluid, immersion speed, quenchant temperature and the part geometry including variations in the Biot number are ranked based on their impact on the gap opening. In addition, Navy c-ring samples made of AISI 4140 steel were quenched in oil with selected agitation speeds. The gap opening of Navy c-ring was measured by inside micrometer and was compared with simulation results.

1. Totten, George E., Charles E. Bates, and N. A. Clinton. Handbook of quenchants and quenching technology. ASM international, 1993.