Effect of RE on Granulation of Eutectic Carbide in Ledeburite Steel

The effect of RE on granulation of eutectic carbide in ledeburite steel was studied. The mechanism of RE action was also discussed. The results show that by addition of RE compounds, the austenitic grains and eutectic carbide are fined, and the amount of divorced eutectic increases. Moreover, crystal defects, such as twins in M 7C 3, increase and the segregation of Cr and Mo decreases, which reduces the stability of carbide. Thus RE can accelerate the dynamic processes of eutectic carbide granulation. The satisfactory result of granulation of carbide was obtained in the ledeburite steel modified by RE compounds.

Fracture analysis of chilled cast iron camshaft

The fracture of a camshaft made of chilled cast iron, installed in a home-made Fukang car, happened only after running over a distance of 6,200 km. The fractured camshaft was received to conduct a series of failure analyses using visual inspection, SEM observation of fracture section, microstructure analysis, chemical composition analysis and hardness examination and so on, while those of CKD camshaft made by Citroen Company in France was also simultaneously analyzed to compare the difference between them. The results showed that the fracture of the camshaft mainly results from white section in macrostructure and Ledeburite in microstructure; the crack in the fractured camshaft should be recognized to initiate at the boundary of coarser needle-like carbide and matrix, and then propagate through the transverse section. At the same tide, the casting defects such as dendritic shrinkage, accumulated inclusion and initiated crack and abnormal external force might stimulate the fracture of camshaft as well. Based on failure analysis, some measures have been employed, and as a result, the fracture of home-made camshafts has been effectively prevented.

Study on Factors Affecting the Structure of High Speed Steel Ingot Produced by ESR

The influence of the metal pool depth and the local solidification time on the structure of high speed steel ingot produced by electroslag remelting (ESR) process has been studied by measuring the dendritic arm spacing and the size of the carbides. It is shown that the metal pool depth is a factor that influences the uniformity of the ESR ingot structure and not only the dendritic arm spacing, but also the size of the carbides can be influenced by the local solidification time in the solidification process of the ingot. The relationship between the melting rate during ESR process and the local solidification time has been studied. It is shown that there is an optimum melting rate at which the local solidification time is minimum as a result of the combination of the influence of the melt rate on the width of the local mushy zone and on the local solidification rate. The influence of the inoculants on the solidification structure of high speed steel produced by ESR has been studied and it is shown that the size of the grain can be significantly reduced by inoculation process.

Formation of Eutectic Carbides in the Structure of High-Purity White Cast Iron in the Forging Process

It is found that the deformation of white cast iron under forging production is only possible with a minimum number of permanent impurities. The developed modes of high-temperature intermediate annealing facilitate the deformation of the forging under normal production conditions. It is shown that in the process of isothermal annealing of white cast iron begins the process of disintegration of ledeburite in the more stable eutectic carbides, providing technological plasticity for subsequent forging. The installed influence of the purity of white cast iron on the morphology of the excess carbides and their ability to divide. Studies the morphology of the excess eutectic carbides after melting, pre-annealing and after deformation forging. Discovered that after severe plastic deformation the structure of white cast iron becomes more stable, due to the appearance of eutectic carbides. It was determined that the deformed structure of white iron, because of its lack ledeburite component, was more identical with the structure of the alloy ledeburite steels. The data obtained can be used for making Damascus bladed weapons products, experiencing shock-variables loads.