Abstract

Effect of austempering will be examined as a potential replacement for the

current quench & tempering process as a method of heat treating alloy steel automotive
components such as gears, shafts and bearings. Three steels grades, EN47, EN24 and EN31
will be subjected to designed heat treatment processes of both quench-temper and
austempering. The effect of heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties
for both austempering (by varying temperature and time) and quench-tempering (by varying
quench media and tempering temperature) will be examined. IZOD impact test (to quantify
toughness), SEM analysis and Rockwell hardness test will be performed. Additionally, a
comprehensive analysis of both energy and time consumption will be conducted to evaluate
the cost effectiveness of replacing austempering will the conventional quench-temper heat
treatment. Also the optimum conditions i.e. quenching media and tempering temperature for
quench-temper heat treatment will be determined using TAGUCHI analysis by arranging the
input parameters in the form of a L9 orthogonal array on MINITAB software.

List of Figures
Fig. No.
2.1

2.15
2.16
2.17
2.18
2.19
2.20
2.21
2.22
2.23
2.24

Title of Figure
The Iron-Carbon Phase Diagram
(A) Coarse pearlite and (B) Fine pearlite. The darker portions of the
diagram are cementite, the lighter portions are ferrite
TTT Curve for a eutectoid steel
Martensite formed and austempered at 500 F for 2 hours
(A) Lower bainite, with a needle like appearance. (B) Upper bainite
TTT curve for 4340 steel showing the bainite shelf
Quench-and-temper process on a TTT curve
Austempering heat treatment cycle
a) Bainite obtained by isothermal transformation at 290 C b) Bainite
obtained by isothermal transformation at 180 C
Hypothetical TTT diagram
Atomic comparison of displacive and reconstructive transformation
Upper and Lower Bainite
High resolution atomic-force microscope plot
a) Microstructure of AISI52100 steel under as received condition, b)
Microstructure of AISI52100 steel austempered at 250C for 30 min, c)
Microstructure of AISI52100 steel austempered at 275C for 30 min, d)
Microstructure of AISI52100 steel austempered at 300C for 30 min. (B:
Bainite,: Martensite and : Retained austenite).
Variation of the impact toughness with austempering temperatures.
Variation of the hardness with austempering temperatures
Variation of the impact toughness with austempering times
Variation of the hardness with austempering times
Relationship between hardness and impact toughness in austempered steels
TTT diagram of EN47 steel
TTT diagram of EN24 steel
Chemical composition of EN 24 steel
Mechanical properties of EN 24 steel
Chemical composition of EN 47 steel

2.25

Mechanical properties of EN 24 steel

27

2.26

Taguchi L4 orthogonal array

28

4.1

Chemical composition of EN 24 steel

30

4.2

Chemical composition of EN 47 steel

30

4.3

Heat treatment procedure

32

2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.10
2.11
2.12
2.13

2.14

Page No.
4
5
5
6
8
9
10
11
13
14
15
15
16

22

23
23
24
24
25
25
26
26
27
27

4.4

Rockwell hardness tester

33

5.1

Microstructure of steel EN-24 in the untreated condition at 100X

35

5.2

Microstructure of steel EN-24 in the air quenched condition at 100X

35

5.3

Microstructure of steel EN-24 in the water quenched condition at 100X

36

5.4

Microstructure of steel EN-24 first air quenched and tempered at 350 C for
1 hour at 100X

36

5.5

Microstructure of steel EN-24 first water quenched and tempered at 150 C

for 1 hour at 100X

37

5.6

Microstructure of steel EN-24 austempered at 325 C for 30 minutes at

100X

37

5.7

Microstructure of steel EN-24 austempered at 380 C for 30 minutes at

100X

38

5.8

Microstructure of steel EN-47 in the untreated condition at 100X

38

5.9

Microstructure of steel EN-47 in the air quenched condition at 100X

39

5.10

Microstructure of steel EN-47 in the water quenched condition at 100X

39

5.11

Microstructure of steel EN-47 first water quenched and tempered at 350 C

for 1 hour at 100X

40

5.12

Microstructure of steel EN-24 austempered at 325 C for 30 minutes at

100X

40

5.13

Microstructure of steel EN-24 austempered at 380 C for 30 minutes at

100X

41

5.15
5.16

Graph showing impact toughness for various processes conducted on EN24

Graph showing impact toughness for various processes conducted on EN47

43
44

5.17

Graph showing hardness values after various treatments on EN-24 steel

46

5.18

Graph showing hardness values after various treatments on EN-24 steel

47

5.19

A scatter plot showing the relation between hardness and toughness values
obtained for various processes for EN-24 steel

49

5.20

A scatter plot showing the relation between hardness and toughness values

50