HEAT TREATMENT PROCESSES (Weightage of Marks = 14, Teaching Hours = 08) 6.1 Annealing : Purposes of annealing, annealing temperature range, types and applications. 6.2. Normalizing : Purposes of normalizing, temperature range, broad applications of normalizing. 6.3 Hordening : Purposes of hardening, hardening temperature range, application. 6.4 Tempering : Purpose of tempering, types of tempering and its appli 6.5 Cose hardening methods like carburizing, nitriding and eyaniding, 6.6 Heal treatment furnaces — Muffle, box type. eT tes Alter learning this chapter, students will be able to > Describe with sketches the specified heat treatment processes. > Select the relevant heat treatment process for the given material with justification. > Explain with sketches the working principle of given heat treatment furnace >_Suggest the relevant heat treatment process for the given situation with justification. 6.0 INTRODUCTION ‘+The heat treatment is a very important tool, The heat treatment is a very broad term and includes ‘any heating and cooling operations or any sequence of two or more such operations applied to any material in order to modify its internal structure or to alter its physical, mechanical or chemical properties’. Usually, it consist of heating materials to certain specific temperature, holding at this temperature for @ definite period and cooling to room temperature or below room temperature with a definite rate, The objectives of various heat treatment of steels are as follows To increase hardness, wear and abrasion resistance and cutting ability of steels. To alter the physical, mechanical or chemical properties of steels. To resoften the steel after heat treatment or cold working processes. To reduce or eliminate internal residual stresses. To modify the grain size of steels. To induce controlled residual stresses. e.g. Compressive stresses on the surface sharply increase the fatigue life of component. ‘To stabilize the steel so that it does not show changes in dimensions with time. To produce special microstructure ta increase machinability or corrosion resistance. To improve electrical and magnetic properties. 10, Toimprove ductility and toughness, Using different heat treatment processes, we get following advantages. Refined grain structure of workpieces. 2. Internal stresses in workpieces are relieved (removed). 3. Improved mechanical properties of material as per our need. 4, Increased hardness of workpieces. aa awnee (6.1)Mechanical Engineering Materials 62 Heat Treatment Processes 6.4 ANNEALING + Annealing is the process of heating a metal which is in a metastable or distorted structural state, to a temperature which will remove the instability or distortion and then cooling (usually at a slow rate) so that the room temperature structure is stable and/or strain free. Purposes of Annealing : 1. To induce a completely stable structure (full annealing). 2. Refining and homogenizing the structure, 3. Toreduce the hardness. 4, To reduce the internal stress. 5. To improve the machinabilty 6. Toincrease the ductility, 7. To prepare steel for subsequent heat treatment. 8. To remove gases. 9. To improve cold working (process annealing) 10. To improve mechanical, physical electrical and magnetic properties. Classification of Annealing : The process of annealing is further classified to following types : Full anneating or conventional annealing. Bright annealing. Box annealing. Isothermal annealing, Spheroidise annealing. |. Sub-crtical annealing, Flow chart for Annealing : Loading steot Heating steal Holding the stoo! Cooling in components || — toanneaing |e) components |-—P — firanon healt Into the furance temperature range for sufcient time Effects of Annealing on Properties of Steel : () Gain refinement takes place. (i) Recrystalization takes place. (li) Internal stresses are reduced, (iv) Electrical resistance also goes to its original level, ‘+ Full annealing is also called as conventional annealing. Purpose : + Toimprove ductility, remove intemal stress, refine grain structure, Method: ‘+ Steel is heated 30° - 50°C above upper critical temperature (As) for hypoeutectoid steel and above lower critical temperature (Ay) for eutectoid steel ‘+ After the above austenisation, itis slowly cooled in furance.Mechanical Engineering Materials: 63 Heal Treatment Processes Changes in Microstructure : + Ferrite and pearlite is made for hypoeutectoid steel and pearlite for eutectoid steel. The properties of steel depend on size of grains and their relative distribution which in turn depends on size of austenite grains and rate of cooling, Applications : ‘+ Full annealing increases machinability of medium carbon steel, It is also used for heat treatment of steel casting and forging. It increases mechanical properties. It refines grains. Limitations = + Not used for hypereutectoid steel because healing above Az, results in coarsening of austenite grains. + Long process and hence full annealing is expensive. * Annealing of steel components is cartied out using some protective medium to prevent oxidation and surface discolouration. This annealing keeps the surface bright and hence it is called as bright anneoling.. The surface protection is obtained by the use of an inert gas such as argon or nitrogen, ‘+ In this process annealing is carried out in a sealed container under conditions that minimize oxidation. The components are packed with cast iron chips, charcoal or clean sand and annealed in the same way as full annealing, tis also known as black annealing, close annealing or pot annealing 6.1.4 (d) Isothermal Annealing Purpose : + To increase machinabilty due to formation of spherodised structure. Method : + Austenised components are slightly fast cooled as compared to conventional annealing to a constant temperature just below A, held for sufficient period for complete transformation and then cooled to room temperature in air. Structure Change: + Spherodised grains are formed, ‘Applications : ‘+ Increases machinability of medium carbon, high carbon and some alloy steels. Advantages: + It takes less time than full annealing, has better machinability and surface finish and has more homogenous structure. Spheroidising Ann 1 Purpose: + Toimprove machinability and ductility of high carbon steels and air hardening alloy steels, Method : (2). This method consists of heating steel to a temperature just below lower critical temperature, holding at that temperature for a prolonged period, followed by slow cooling (b) This method involves heating and coaling steel alternately just above and below lower critical temperature. (© This method consists of heating steel to a temperature above lower critical temperature followed by slow cooling to a temperature below lower critical temperature and holding at that temperature for a long time.Mechanical Engineering Materials. 64 Heat Treaiment Processes Structure Change: ‘+ No phase change takes place, but cementite is spherodised. There is spheroids of carbide in a matrix of ferite. Applications: ‘High carbon steel has cementite which is hard and hence not machinable. By spherodising annealing, cementite plates are broken into spheroids which improve machinability. Also less cracks are formed during cold work 6.1.1 ) Subcritical Anne: ing| + In these processes of annealing, the cold worked steel is heated to some temperature below the critical temperature and hence they are classified as subcritical annealing processes. They are used after cold working of steels to relieve the internal stresses or to reduce the hardness or to refine and modify the structure. (i) Stress-relief Annealing : In this process, cold worked steel is heated to a temperature between 500 to 550°C Le. below its recrystalization temperature (~ 600°C), kept at this temperature for 1 - 2 hours and cooled to room temperature in air. Due to this, internal stresses are partly relieved without lass of strength and hardness ie. without change of microstructure. It reduces the risk of distortion in machining, and also increases corrosion resistance. Since only low cartoon steels can be cold rolled/worked, the process is applicable to hypoeutectoid steels containing less than 0.4% carbon, Stress relief annealing is also carried out on components in which intemal stresses are developed fram other sources like rapid cooling and phase changes. (ii) Recrystallization Annealing : This is done below A, temperature ie. at temperature between 625 and 6750C. The cold worked ferrite recrystallizes and cementite tries to spheroidise during this. annealing process. Not only internal stresses are eliminated, but also the steel becomes soft and ductile. Refinement in grain size is also possible by control of degree of cold work prior to annealing or by control of annealing temperature and time. (ili) Process Annealing (Intermediate Annealing) Purpose: + To form new stress free equiaxed grains from strained and distorted cold worked grains. Method : + Components are heated above recrystallization temperature. Structure Change ‘+ New strain free equiaxed grains are formed. Application: + Used to continue cold working process without cracking of metals or to reduce hardness or to: refine and modify the structure, 6.2 NORMALIZING Purpose: + Refine grain structure, increase machinability, decrease residual stresses. Method : + Steel is heated to 40° - 50° C above (Aa OF Aca) upper critical temperature for a sufficient time and then cooled in still air or slightly agitated air to room temperature. Structure Change : + Temperature of austenisation is more so more homogeneous austenite is formed. This results in better arrangement of ferrite and cementite, Also because of faster cooling, grain size is finer in normalised structure.Mechanical Engineering Materials 65 Heat Treatment Processes jons of Normalizing: 1. By completing the normalizing of steel, the strength of the piece of steel can be improved, Compound to steel that is not normalized or treated with another heating process. 2, Ductile performance of steel can also be improved through normalization, this is possible without reducing the hardness or strength as can happen with other heat treatments 3. By using normalizing, modifications can be made to the grain structure of the steel to make it usable for specific purpose. 4. By using normalizing, we can eliminate the cementite network, that may have formed due to slow cooling in the temperature ranges from em to Ax Advantages and Limitations of Normalizing : Advantages of Normalizing = 11. Normalizing takes less time 2. Itis more convenient and economical. 3. It gives slightly more hardness and toughness 4. Pearlite is fine and usually appears unresolved with optical microscope. Limitations of Normalizing = 1. Grain size distribution is less uniform, 2. Internal stresses are more. 3. This cannot be used for complex shapes because air cooling may cause cracking, Flow chart for Normalising : Loading steel Heating steet Holding the stost Cooling in components |—| tonormalising |e) forsuticlentiime [> sill alr or lr flow to Into the furanee temperature range room temperature Note : Heating removes internal stresses and slow cooling refines grain structure and improves strength and toughness. ‘= Even though the process of normalizing is similar to the annealing, they have some differences which are enlisted below. 6.2.1 Comparison between Annealed Components and Noramlized ‘Components or Comparison between Annealing and Normalizin: [Link]. ‘Annealing Normalizing 1. Temperature “Ay + 30 to 40°C for Hypoeutectoid steel | -As + 30 to 40°C hypoeutectoid steel Ranges [Ay + 30 to 40°C for hypereutectoid steel. | Ag + 30 to 40°C for hypereutectoid steel, 2. Cooling Rate Cooling is dane in furance itself by Cooling is done in air. Faster cooling switching OFF the supply. Slower cooling | rate rate 3. Property Less hardness, T'S. and toughness. Slightly more hardness, TS. and toughness. 4, Micro-structure | Microstrucutre shows pearlite whi Microstrucutre shows more pearlite coarse and get resolved by optical which is fine and unresolved with optical roscope, microscope. 5. Grain Distribution — | Uniform distribution of grains. Slightly less uniform distribution of grains. 6. Internal Streams | Internal stresses are least. ‘Internal stresses are slightly more.Mechanical Engineering Materials 66 Heal Treatment Processes 6.3 HARDENING Hardening is that heat treatment of steel which increases its hardness by quenching and tempering, Hardening can be defined as ‘the process of heating the steel above the critical temperature, holding it at this temperature for considerable time and cooling suddeniy’ This sudden cooling is called as quenching. And the quenching media used is water, oil or brine solution (ve. mixture of ice and salt) Tools and machine parts acquired to undergo heavy duty service are oftenly hardened. Hardening of steel requires the formation of martensite. Purposes of Hardening : L -wawn To harden the steel to the maximum level by austenite to martensite transformation. The main purpose of hardening of steel is to increase hardness and strength. To obtain a suitable microstructure which will have desired mechanical properties. To improve magnetization property of a steel for producing a permanent magnet. To increase the wear resistance and cutting ability of steel To improve structures in welds After hardening, the parts become brittle, poor in ductility and toughness, good in tensile strength and poor in impact strength, relative elongation and reduction in area, Depending upon the temperature and type of quenching media used, the hardening process is classified into two types Conventional hardening Tempering. Flow chart for Hardening Process: Leading steel Heating steel Holding the stest components |—e) tohardening |—s) ‘components |» Qvenching in water, into the furance temperature range for suficient time Conventional Hardening| Hardening Procedure This is the most widely used method of hardening steels. When steel is quenched in a single medium, such as water, oil or air, itis called conventional hardening. The conventional hardening process consist of heating the steel above As temperature for hypoeutectaid steels and above A; temperature for hypereutectoid steels by 50°C, austenitising for a sufficient time and cooling with a rate just exceeding the critical cooling rate of that steel to room temperature or below room temperature. Steel with sufficient carbon (0.35 to 0.70%) is heated upto 30 to S0*C above As temperature, It is held at that temperature for 15 to 30 minutes per 25 mm of cross-section, Itis cooled rapidly or quenched in 2 suitable medium (for example, brine, water, of cooling and suitable hardened steel can be produced. or air) to desired rate Temperature of the quenching medium in conventional hardening is generally less than 100°C. The main drawback of conventional hardening method is that it produces high internal stresses in steel after quenching, This may result in high distortion, warpage and cracks.Machanical Engineering Materials: 6.7 Heat Treatment Processes Hardening Defects : 1. Hardening is a process in which steel is heated to 2 temperature above critical point, held at this temperature and quenched (rapidly cooled) in water, ol or salt bath. 2. Extremely hard martensite is formed. 3. After hardening, steels must be tempered to remove following defects - ( Brttleness Gi) Internal stresses 4. Oil gives the best balance between hardness, toughness and distortion for standard steels. 6.4 TEMPERING + Tempering may be defined as “the process of heating the hardened steel below its lower critical temperature, holding it at this temperature for 3 to 5 minutes for each mm of thickness or diameter, cooling it either rapidly or slowly except in case of steels susceptible to temper brittleness”. * Exact temperature at which tempering should be carried out depends upon the purpose for which the workpiece is to be used Purposes of Tempering : |. To impact toughness to an already hardened steel. To improve yield point of structural steel, which is already hardened. To stabilize the structure of the metal. To reduce internal stresses produced during previous heating. To improve ductility. To reduce hardness. To increase percentage elongation. Necessity of Tempering : ‘© The structure of steel obtained after hardening is not suitable directly for engineering applications because of the following reasons 1. The structure obtained after hardening is extremely hard, brittle and highly stressed and may result in failure by cracking and distortion. 2. Due to sudden cooling (quenching) high internal stresses set-up which may result in distortion or cracking of the part during service. Therefore, in practice tempering is followed by hardening. Stages of Tempering 1L_At low tempering temperatures (Approx. 80°C - 200°C) a hexagonal close-packed carbide HCC (called epsilon carbide) begin to form and with the rejected carbon the crystal structure of martensite changes from tetragonal to BCC characteristic of ferrite. 2. The second stage at about 200°C to 300°C, depending upon the steel is characterized by transformation of the retained austentite to bainite 3. During third stage from 300°C to 475°C, there is formation of () FesC (cementite) from epsilon carbide and (i change from low carbon martensite to cubic ferrite. 4. From 450°C to 705°C (approx) the cementite (Fe;C) agglomerates and coalesces. The structure becomes an aggregate of ferrite with cementite in quite fine spheres. = Depending upon the heating temperature ranges used, tempering is classified into three types Low temperature tempering, Medium temperature tempering, High temperature tempering. NOW PWN weMechanical Engineering Materials, 68 Heat Treatment Processes. 1. Low temperature tempering : This process is carried out at a temperature from 150°C to 200°C. The purpose isto relieve internal stresses and to increase the ductility without reducing the hardness. This type of tempering process is applied on cutting and measuring tools of carbon steel and low alloy steel and to the components that are surface hardened and carburized, 2, Medium temperature tempering : This process is carried out at a temperature from 350°C to 450°C, The Purpose is to reduce the hardness strength of the metal and to increase the elongation and ductility, This treatment develops troostite structure. This type of tempering is employed for coils and laminated springs as it provides the highest attainable elastic limit in conjunction with ample toughness, chisels, hammers, springs etc. 3. High temperature tempering : This process is carried out at a temperature range of 500°C to 650°C. The purpose is to eliminate the internal stresses completely. It imparts high ductility with adequate hardness. This treatment develops a sorbite structure. High temperature tempering is employed for the mat ine parts, which are subjected to high stresses and impacts viz, transmission gears, shafts, connecting rods, structural steel etc, Effects of Tempering Temperature on Mechanical Properties of Steel : + Tempering decomposes martensite into ferrite-cementite mixture. Thus, properties are strongly affected (a) At low tempering temperatures (200°C - 250°C) tensile strength increases, hardness changes. (b) If temperature is further increased, hardness, tensile strength, yield point are reduced and relative elongation increases. (©) Tempering at temperature (250°C - 400°C) reduces impact strength. 6.4.1 Comparision between Hardening and Tempering Proce: shafts, valve stems. Hardening Tempering 1, Hardening is the pracess in which steel is heated to | 1, Tempering process consists of heating the ‘temperature above the critical ternperature, held | hardened steel to a temperature between 100°C at this temperature and quenched (rapidly cooled) | to 700°C (Below A), holding at this temperature in the water, oilor molten salt baths. ‘for specific period (1 to 2 Hr, and cooling to oom temperature, usually in air 2._Hardening increases hardness of steels 2, Tempering decreases hardness of steels, 3._Hardening increases brittleness of steels. 3._ Tempering decreases brittleness of steels. 4,_ After hardening internal stresses exists, 4, Tempering relieve internal stresses existing, 5. Applications = Ways of lathe, pulleys, spindles, |. Applications : Connecting rod, coil spring, hammer, geats, chisels etc. 6.4.2 Interrupted Quenching ‘+The continuous rapid cooling (Quenching) to room temperature ordinarily used to cause martensite formation has many disadvantages like = o (i) Setting-up severe quenching stresses, Warping and distorting the object, and Promoting crack formation in the steel ‘+ One of the alternatives to achieve the desired hardness with reduced stresses is to use steels of moderate hardenability and subjecting them to an Interrupted Quenching Procedure. ‘Interrupted quenching procedure is a two-stage process. The piece is first quenched in a medium which cools it rapidly past the nose of the TTT diagram.Mechanical Enginearing Materials 69 Heat Treatment Processes, ‘+ Then, the piece is further quenched in a second medium which cools it rapidly enough (but much more slowly than the first medium) to avoid the bainite transformation ‘+ There are two types of interrupted quenching © Auster ‘+ Martempering is the interrupted quenching. In this method, the steel is heated to the hardening temperature and then quenched in a medium usually (from 200 to 350°C) in a salt bath. ‘+ In this process, the austenitized steel is cooled rapidly avoiding the nose of the LT. diagram to 2 temperature between the nose and Ms, soaked at this temperature for 2 sufficient time for the equalization of temperature but not long enaugh to permit the formation of bainite - and then cooled to 0.0m temperature in air oF oll, The hardening cycle is shown in Fig. 3.6. ‘+ Since the component has to be held for some time for equalization of temperature, the process will be applicable to steels of slightly high harclenability such as high carbon steels and low alloy steels. + The process produces martensitic structures with the following advantages. (It results in less distortions and warping, since the martensite formation occurs at the same time throughout the cross-section of the component. Gi) There is less possibility of quenching cracks appearing in the component. ‘+ This fs a hardening process and therefore, the name martempering (an abbreviation for “martensite tempering’) is a misnormer of the treatment. 6.4.4 Austempering ‘Austempering consists of cooling the austenitized steel with a rate exceeding the critical cooling rate in a ‘molten bath held at some constant temperature between the nose of TTT diagram and M, temperature ie. in the bainitic region, holding at this temperature for a sufficient period for the completion of bainitic transformation and Cooling to room temperature at any desired rate. (Fig. 6.1) 1” “Austenite’ Transformation ends Transformation starts Austempering — Martempering Tine Fig. 6.1 : Martempering and austempering + Depending on the temperature of transformation, the product may be upper bainite or lower bainite. Properties of bainite are intermediate to those of martensite and pearlite and are very much similar to that of tempered martensite. ‘+ The most important advantage of austempering is that (0 It produces structures and properties very much similar to tempered martensites without involving ‘martensitic transformation,Heat Treatment Processes. Mechanical Engineering Materials ) The dimensional stability of components is more due to the absence of retained austenite because the austenite to bainite transformation proceeds to 100% in contrast to austenite to martensite transformation which never proceeds to 100%, (i) Steels treated are tougher and more ductile than steels after tempering. (iv)_Austempering gives bainite product. (wv) Tempering is not needed after austempering. (vi) Less danger of quenching cracks because the quench is not very drastic. (vi) Warping and distortion are less than conventional quench. ‘+ However, it has some definite disadvantages as compared to hardening and tempering process, which are as below = () The hardness produced is not so high as that produced by martensitic transformation, Also, wide range of property variation can be achieved by variation of tempering temperature which is not possible by this process. (i) Since the critical cooling rate has to be exceed during cooling, the process is applicable only to slightly igh hardenability steels The holding times are long and hence the process is expensive 5 Difference between Austempening and Martempering ‘Austempering ‘Martempering Itis an isothermal hardening. It is martensite tempering. Austenite is transformed into bainite. Austenite is transformed into martensite. It is quenched in a bath maintaining the | It is quenched in 2 bath maintaining temperature of 200 to 500°C. the temperature of 180 to 250°C. Their is no distortion and warping It result less distortion and wraping. Their is no possibility of quenching cracks as | There is less possibility of quenching there is no retained austenite. cracks. 6.5 SURFACE HEAT TREATMENT (CASE HARDENING) ‘+ The components such as cams, gears, crankshafts etc. need hard and wear resistant surfaces to withstand wear in service condition and a tough, shock resistant care to withstand shocks. Such a combination can be achieved by: (2) Surface o Case hardening: Hardening by diffusion of hardening elements (C, N) into surface of non-hardenable steel. These elements alter the composition of surface by forming compoounds carbides, nitrides which are hard, eg. Carburising, nitriding, cyaniding, (2) Selective hardening: Hardening by phase transformation through rapid heating and cooling of the surface of a hardenable stee! is called selective hardening, These methods do not alter the composition of steel 9. flame hardening, induction hardening Objectives of Case Hardening : 1. To obtain a hard and wear resistant surface on workpiece. To obtain tough core to resist shocks. To obtain higher fatigue limit. To obtain close tolerances on workpieces. To rebuild warn or undersized parts. wewNMechanical Engineering Materials: et Heal Treatment Processes Some most commonly used surface hardening processes are as follows . Flame hardening, . Induction hardening, 3. Nitriding, Carburizing. ‘+ Carburizing is a method of intraducing carbon into solid iron-base alloys such as low carbon steels in order to produce a hard case (surface). Carburizing is also called cementation. ‘It increases the carbon content of the steel surface by a pracess of absorption and diffusion, Process: ‘+ The mild steel parts, which are to be surface hardened are packed in a steel or C1. box along with carburizing mixture, containing charcoal granules, bone dust, barium carbonate etc. ‘The box is covered with a suitable lid and its searns are sealed with mud, The packed box is charged into a furnace and heated to a temperature of about 900°C to 950°C and maintained at that temperature for about 3 to 35 hours. ‘At this temperature, the carbon diffuses into the surface of workpieces and make it rich in carbon content. Then the box is removed from the furnace and cooled slowly. Due to prolonged heating at about 900°C, the grain structure of the core of steel parts becomes relatively coarse grained and get toughen. Then the surface layer, which had become rich in carbon by carburizing, is hardened by heating the part to about 850°C and quenched in water. ‘+ The core (Le. central portion) does not get harden due to its low carbon content. After this, the surface ofall the parts get extremely hard and of course brittle also. So the brittleness is reduced by tempering at about 200°C. Advantages : 1. Rapid heat transfer and hence process is quick. 2. Distortion of the component is small. 3. Workpieces of variety of shapes and sizes can be handled in a single bath 4. After carburizing, parts can be directly quenched into water, oil or salt baths. Limitations = 1. Carburizing salts are highly poisonous. 2. Salt bath fumes are also poisonous and proper arrangement for their disposal is necessary. 3. Cleaning for salt removal of complex parts is dificult. Applications : For case hardening of bearing races and pinions, gears, cam shatts. ‘+ Nitriding accompanies the introduction of nitrogen into the surface of certain types of steels (e.g. containing Al and Cr) by heating it and holding it at a suitable temperature in contact with partially dissociated ammonia or other suitable medium. This process produces a hard case without quenching oF any further heat treatment. + This process is used for alloy steels only.Mechanical Engineering Materials 6.12 Heat Treaiment Processes Process of Nitriding : ‘+ The alloy steel parts, which are to be nitrided are kept in a steel box in different layers separated from each other and the box is closed by a gas-tight lid. ‘+ The box is provided with an inlet and outlet connection for ammonia gas for this process and is arranger ina furnace. ‘+ The furnace is maintained at about 600°C, At the same time, steady flow of ammonia (NH) is maintained through the box, The time necessasrily depends upon the depth of the nitrided case required, ‘+ When ammonia vapours come in contact with steel, they get dissociated and nascent nitrogen so produced diffuses into surface of the workpieces forming very hard nitrides. ‘+ When parts are taken out after nitriding, the hardening is complete and no further treatment is necessary. Advantages of Nitriding : 1. No other heat treatment is required after nitriding. 2. Nitrided steel parts possess very high hardness (about 60 to 70 Re) and wery good wear resistance. 3. Italso possess higher fatigue life and good corrosion resistance. 4. Because of non-metallic nature of nitrides, nitrided surfaces have less coefficient of friction. Limitations of Nitriding = 1. Because of long duration of the process, itis costlier 2. Nitrided cases are usually thin ie. less than 0.5 mm, 3. Cleaning of the part after nitriding process is dificult. 4. |. No heat treatment can be done after nitriding. Therefore, the core properties should be adjusted before the components are nitrided. Applications of Nitriding : 1, For aeroplane, automotive and diesel engine wearing parts. 2. For gauges, drawing dies, clutch plates and mandrels. ‘+ Itis a process of superficial case hardening in which the steel is heated in a molten cyanide salt at about 850° € followed by quenching. Both carbon and nitrogen are absorbed in this process. © -2NaCN + 20; = NaxCO, + 2N + CO» dissociation of carbon monoxide at steel surface. Itis carried out in a bath of 20-50% sodium cyanide, upto 40% sodium carbonate (soda ash) with varying amount of sodium and barium chloride. ‘This process produces a thin, hard shell (between 0.25 - 0.75 mm, 0.01 and 0.03 inches) that is harder than the one produced by carburizing, and can be completed in 20 to 30 minutes compared to several hours so the parts have less opportunity to become distorted. ‘+ Then steel is quenched in water or oil. Advantages : ‘+ Itis typically used on small parts such as bolts, nuts, screws and small gears. ‘The major drawback of cyaniding is that cyanide salts are poisonous. Application : ‘= Itisused for low and medium carbon steel,Mechanical Engineering Materials 6.13 Heat Treatment Processes, 6.6 HEAT TREATMENT FURNACES Classification of Furnaces : 4) Vertical (Pit type) 2) Harontal Batch furance. (Box LE ‘Stationary hearth Movable hearth 6.6.1 Box Furnace! ‘+A Box furnace is used for the heat treatment of small parts. The parts are manually charged and unloaded from the furnace, TOMI Shell Refractory Jning Charging door Parts ig, 6.8: Box furnace. Procedure : + Determine the type of process required before beginning, Some of the furnaces have PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) controllers and some do not. * For more accurate control of the process, use the furnace ‘control furnaces. There are three types. Analog, Digital and PIO. 6.6.2 Muffle Furnace (Indirect Fuel Fired)| + Itis a type of indirect fuel fired furnace which has a heating chamber and a muffle which separates the combustion space from the workspace. ‘+ Here, the products of combustion do not enter the work chamber, so it becomes possible to control the furnace temperature. + The allowable temperature limit for muffle fumace is about 100°C. PID control, For other processes, use the analog

Mute ‘Work chamber refractory Gas burner J— Metal shel Fig. 6.4: Muffle furnaceMechanical Engineering Materials 614 Heat Treatment Processes ‘+The heat treatment is a very broad term and includes any heating and cooling operations or any sequence of two or more such operations applied to any material in order to modify its intemal structure or to alter its physical, mechanical or chemical properties. + TT T diagrams (Time-Temperature-Transformation) or curves represent the phase existing in steels at various temperatures and times and hence cooling rates required for phase transformations, ‘+ Annealing is the process of heating a metal which is in a metastable state to a temperature wi remove the instability and then cooling at slow rate. ‘+ Normalising consist of heating to above the upper critical temperature, holding kong enough and cooling to room temperature in stil air. + Hardening can be defined as ‘the process of heating the steel about the critical temperature, holding it at this temperature for considerable time and cooling suddenly: ‘+ Tempering is the process of heating the hardened steel below its lower critical temperature holding it at that temperature for 3 to 5 minutes for each mm of thickness or diameter, cooling it either rapidly or slowly except in case of steels susceptible to temper brittleness. ‘+ Martempering is the interrupted quenching. ‘+ Austempering consists of cooling the austenitized steel with a rate exceeding the critical cooling rate. + Surface hardening is a heat treatment process, which produces a hard, wear resistant layer over a tough core portion of a steel ‘+ Flame hardening is the process of case hardening, which produces a hard, wear resistant layer on a tough core of a steel by application of heat from a flame followed by quenching, ‘+ Induction hardening is the process, which utilizes electric induction heating followed by quenching for producing a hard wear resistant layer on a taugh core of a steel part. + Nitriding accompanies the introduction of nitrogen into the surface of certain types of steels by heating it and holding it at a suitable temperature in contact with partially dissociated ammonia or other suitable medium, + Carburizing or cementation is a method of introducing carbon into solid iron-base alloys such as low carbon steels in order to produce a hard surface. rer Which of the following is not a heat treatment process ? (@) annealing (6) normalizing (©) tempering (@) Rotting 2. The rate of cooling is slowest in (@) normalizing (b) hardening (© annealing (@) carburizing 3. The hardiness and tensile strength in austenitic stainless steel can be increased by —— (@) hardening and cold working () normalising (. martempering (@) full annealing “4, The quenching of steel from the upper critical point results in a fine grained structure. (@) Agree (b) Disagree 5. A small percentage of boron is added to steel in order to: (a) increase hardenability (b) reduce machinabilty (0) increase wear resistance (@) increase endurance strength 6. The lower critical point for all steels is —— (a) 600°C Wb) 700°C (© 723°C (a 913°¢ 7. The coke in the charge of blast furnace (@) controls the grade of pig iron (b) acts as an iron-bearing mineral (0) supplies heat to reduce ore and melt the iron (d) forms a slag by combining with impurities