BY
JDD
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Hardenability
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Introduction
Hardenability can be defined as the ease with which a given type of steel can form
martensite and bainite when it is quenched from the austenitic region. The
properties that can be achieved at any given location within a steel part are
dependent on a number of factors including the the alloy content of the steel and the
rate of cooling at that specific location. The cooling rate at a given location is
dependent on the size of part, the type of quenchant, the amount of agitation, and a
number of other factors. Clearly hardenability is a complex topic, but a very
important one for engineers to grasp. Knowing a steels hardenability is important
because it allows you to determine if a steel is capable of achieving the properties
you need where you need them in a given size part after heat treatment.
In order to form martensite and bainite, the chief hardening constituents in our
steels, we must be able to cool the austenitized steel faster than a certain critical
cooling rate. The critical cooling rate is dependent mostly on composition, but is also
affected by a number of other factors including austenitic grain size. Alloying
elements such as chromium, nickel, manganese, silicon, molybdenum, and
especially carbon greatly increase the hardenability of steel. When a large steel bar
is quenched after austenitizing, the surface of the bar will cool at the fastest rate
while the center cools at the slowest. The surface may cool at a rate faster than the
critical rate for martensite/bainite formation and thus harden. Depending on the size
of the bar, a point may be reached below the surface of the bar where the cooling
rate drops below the critical value and 100% hardening does not occur. Soft ferrite
and pearlite begin to appear as the cooling rate decreases below the critical value.
This is the reason why strength and hardness of large steel parts are typically
highest at the surface and then decrease towards the center.
Consider two large, identical sized bars: one made of steel A and the other of steel
B. Steel A has twice Cr and Mo contents of steel B, but is otherwise similar in
composition. If we austenitize and quench both A and B together, we would expect
steel A to have a greater depth of hardening than steel B even though both were
cooled at the same rate. The increased Cr and Mo contents give steel A better
hardenability. If we quench a series of different size bars, well find that we can
through harden a larger diameter of steel A than we can steel B. The increased
hardenability of steel A allows for a slower critical cooling rate so a larger diameter
bar can be quenched.
ARGUS Subseas material specifications typically call out a specified minimum yield
strength (SMYS). It is very important that you understand that this strength
requirement must be met in the Qualification Test Coupon (QTC) at the location
specified in the material specification, but it does not necessarily reflect the strength
of the production parts at all locations. Under API 6A rules, a 4 X 4 QTC can
represent any size parts. The QTC may very well through harden while the
production parts may have a sudden drop off in strength and hardness somewhere
below the surface where the cooling rate drops below the critical value. The purpose
of a QTC is not to represent the mechanical properties of the production parts, but
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rather to represent the thermal response of the specific heat of material used in
making the production parts. It is a capability test that shows that if a specific heat of
material in a standard 4 X 4 test bar responds to a prescribed heat treatment in a
predictable and acceptable manner, then it can be assumed that the same heat in
other sizes and configurations will also respond to heat treatment in a known and
predictable manner.
Dont be misled by a material test report that states that a large, quenched and
tempered, 4130 gate valve forging has a reported yield strength of 75ksi when
qualified by a QTC! In reality you may only have 75ksi yield material only within of
the outer surface. When you design a part and specify a steel, you must make
certain that the hardenability of the steel is such that it will give you the strength
where it is needed within the part. With the possible exceptions of stems, hangers,
fasteners, and running tools, most of the parts we deal with have their highest
stresses on the surface due to bending. Seldom is it necessary (except for those
parts just noted) to have the same SMYS throughout the entire cross section of a
part.
In this module well look at some of the ways hardenability can be quantified and
used to predict properties and aid in material selection. Well discuss the pros and
cons of pre-heat treat machining and give some guidelines on how dimensions
should be specified on pre-heat treat machining drawings. And finally data will be
presented showing typical mechanical properties at different locations for different
size bars for the types of steel commonly used by ARGUS Subsea.
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The Rockwell hardness data is typically plotted against the distance from the
quenched end as shown in Figure 4. This type of Jominy curve has many practical
uses. The highest hardness, as expected, will always be on the end being quenched
and then decrease along the length of the bar as the cooling rate decreases.
Hardness
Rockwell C
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Table 1
Cooling Rate At Jominy Points
Distance from
Quenched End,
1/16th Inch
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
14
16
18
20
Cooling
Rate 1
o
F/sec
490
305
195
125
77
56
42
33
26
21.4
16.3
12.4
10.0
8.3
7.0
How can we estimate what the cooling rate is at a particular location within a given
steel bar as it is being quenched? Obviously the size of the bar matters. Also
important is the severity of the quench. One way of quantifying the severity of the
quench is by the use of the Grossman H-Factor. The Grossman H-Factor is defined
as:
H = h/(2k)
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Oil
0.20-0.30
0.30-0.35
0.35-0.40
0.40-0.50
0.50-0.80
0.80-1.00
Quenchant H Value
Water
Brine
0.9-1.00
2.00
1.00-1.10
2.00-2.20
1.20-1.30
1.40-1.50
1.60-2.00
4.00
5.00
Air
0.02
An ideal or infinite quench is one where the surface of the part immediately cools
down to the quenchant temperature and remains there for the duration of the
quench. An ideal quench has an H-Factor value of infinity. It is a concept that we will
use later on to calculate ideal diameters.
A Croft-Lamont transformation curve shows the correlation between the cooling rate
at a given Jominy location and at a given position in various size bars for different HFactors. The Croft-Lamont transformations curves shown in Figure 5 are for the
center location of round bars. Other curves are available in heat treating handbooks
for other locations. To illustrate the use of these curves, lets assume we have run a
Jominy test on a heat of steel and plotted out the results as shown in Figure 6.
___________________________________________________________________
Example #1
What will be the hardness in the center of a 5 round bar of our example steel if it is
quenched in strongly agitated water?
From Table 2, strongly agitated water has a H-Factor of about 2. In Figure 5, draw a
horizontal line through 5 diameter on the Y-axis and find where it intersects the HFactor = 2 curve. Now drop a vertical line down from the intersection point to find the
corresponding Jominy location. In this example it will be about 1-3/8 from the
quenched end or 22/16. We now go to Figure 6 and see what the hardness of our
example steel is at the 22/16 Jominy location. Its approximately 33HRC. The center
of our 5 diameter steel bar will thus have a Rockwell C hardness of about 33HRC
after quenching in strongly agitated water.
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Example #2
What is the largest diameter bar we can quench in still brine and get a minimum
hardness of 40HRC in the center?
From Table 2, the H-Factor for still brine is 2. From Figure 6, 40HRC corresponds to
a Jominy position of 11/16 from the quenched end. Find 11/16 on the X-axis in
Figure 5, draw a vertical line through it, and find the point of intersection with the HFactor = 2 curve. This point corresponds roughly to 3.25 on the Y-axis. The largest
bar we can quench in still brine and still get at least 40HRC in the center is
approximately 3.25.
___________________________________________________________________
There are other useful curves available in heat treating handbooks that equate the
cooling rates at the surface, mid-radius, center, and other positions of various sized
bars quenched in different media to the equivalent Jominy position. Once this is
known, then the hardness can be predicted at these locations if a Jominy curve for
the steel is available.
Steel bars are sometimes ordered with specific hardness requirements at specified
Jominy locations. Most steels have a relatively broad range for each alloying
element. As a consequence, a lean heat with chromium, molybdenum, etc. on the
low side with have much lower hardenability than a heat rich in these elements. By
ordering to prescribed Jominy location hardnesses, the purchaser can be assured
that the composition of the steel he is receiving has adequate hardenability for its
intended purpose.
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The cooling rate at these locations correspond to the cooling rate at a Jominy
distance of 6/16 from the quenched end. The as-quenched hardnesses at these
locations would be expected to fall within the limits of the hardenability bands at
6/16 or from 50-58.5HRC in Figure 7.
Hardenability band curves can be used in many ways. They are often utilized in
material selection to see if the alloy is capable of producing the desired hardness at
the desired locations.
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Ideal Diameter
The ideal diameter, or DI, of a steel is the theoretical, maximum size round that will
through harden given an ideal or infinite quench. Through hardened here means
that the center of the bar contains at least 50% martensite. It is a very useful
concept for comparing hardenability in different heats of the same steel grade or
between different grades of steels. The hardenability of a steel is primarily a function
of its alloying content and grain size. The ideal diameter of a steel is one way to
quantify the overall effect of its alloying content and grain size on its hardenability. It
is calculated using a series of multiplying factors that are based on the effects of
individual alloying elements.
The formula to calculate the ideal diameter, DI, of a steel is:
Where
Table 3 gives the alloy factors for calculating DIs. Lets calculate the ideal diameters
for some common carbon and low alloy steels used in in the Oil Patch as see how
they compare. Well assume nominal (mid-range) content of each alloying element
and use the in Table 1 interpolating when necessary. Well use a 12% carbon (midrange for the ARGUS Subsea spec) for the F22. The carbon factor will be based on
a grain size of #7.
AISI 1020 Carbon Steel
Nominal composition C=0.20%, Mn=0.45%
DI = (0.1509) X (2.50) = 0.38
AISI 1040 Carbon Steel
Nominal composition C=0.40%, Mn=0.75%
DI = (0.2130) X (3.50) = 0.75
AISI 4130 Low Alloy Steel
Nominal composition C=0.30%, Mn=0.50%, Si=0.22%, Cr=0.95%, Mo=0.20%
DI = (0.1849) X (2.667)X(1.60)X(3.0520)X(1.60) = 3.85
AISI 4140 Low Alloy Steel
Nominal composition C=0.40%, Mn=0.88%, Si=0.22%, Cr=0.95%, Mo=0.20%
DI = (0.2130) X (3.900)X(1.60)X(3.0520)X(1.60) = 6.49
ASTM A182, Grade F22 (2-1/4Cr-1Mo) Low Alloy Steel
Nominal composition C=0.12%, Mn=0.45%, Si=0.22%, Cr=2.25%, Mo=1.00%
DI = (0.1200) X (2.500) X (1.60) X (5.00) X (4.00) = 9.6
Table 3
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DATE
%
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.40
0.45
0.50
0.55
0.60
0.65
0.70
0.75
0.80
0.85
Alloying Factor f
Mn
Si
1.167 1.035
1.333 1.070
1.500 1.105
1.667 1.140
1.833 1.175
2.000 1.210
2.167 1.245
2.333 1.280
2.500 1.315
2.667 1.350
2.833 1.385
3.000 1.420
3.167 1.455
3.333 1.490
3.500 1.525
3.667 1.560
3.833 1.595
Ni
Cr
1.018 1.108
0
1.036 1.216
0
1.055 1.324
0
1.073 1.432
0
1.091 1.540
0
1.109 1.648
0
1.128 1.756
0
1.146 1.864
0
1.164 1.972
0
1.182 2.080
0
1.201 2.188
0
1.219 2.296
0
1.237 2.404
0
1.255 2.512
0
1.273 2.620
0
1.291 2.728
0
1.309 2.836
0
Mo
1.15
1.30
1.45
1.60
1.75
1.90
2.05
2.20
2.35
2.50
2.65
2.80
2.95
3.10
3.25
3.40
3.55
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0.346
0
0.321
0
0.296
0
4.000 1.630
0.95
4.167 1.665
1.00
4.333 1.700
2.25
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1.321 2.944
0
1.345 3.052
0
1.364 3.160
0
5.000
0
3.70
3.85
4.00
Clearly the 2-1/4Cr-1Mo (F22) low alloy steel is the winner here! The carbon steels
have very poor hardenability which is why carbon steels are seldom used for the
thick wall components used in wellhead equipment. The 4130 has the poorest
hardenability of the three low alloy steels, yet tonnage wise, it is the most commonly
used low alloy steel in the Oil Patch. How come? Again the answer is because it can
provide the strength where its needed. Through hardening is usually not required for
our designs. 4130 is cheap, readily available, easily forged, easily machined, and
easily welded. 4140 is very difficult to weld (very prone to cracking) and has rather
poor toughness. The 2-1/4Cr-1Mo low alloy steel has the best hardenability; is easily
forged, machined, and welded; and has great toughness, but it can cost up to 40%
more than 4130. 4140 and 2-1/4Cr-1Mo low alloy steels should only be used when
your design requires their better hardenability.
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Figures 9, 10, and 11 are very powerful tools for predicting the microstructure and
hardness in the center of a quenched bar as a function of the quench media. For
example look at the 2-1/4Cr-1Mo diagram in Figure 11. What is the microstructure in
the center of a 50mm (2) round bar quenched in water? To ascertain this well draw
a vertical line through the 50mm point on the Y axis for water. Starting in the
austenitic range and then following our vertical line down through the diagram, we
see that the austenite begins to transform at approximately 510C. The diagram
shows that the initial transformation product is bainite. Its not until we reach about
390C that some of the remaining austenite begins to transform into martensite. At
this point roughly 92% of the austenite has already transformed into bainite so only
8% is available to form martensite. At roughly 320C the austenite has completely
transformed. The center of our bar will thus have a microstructure consisting of
approximately 92% bainite and 8% martensite.
Note in Figure 11 that the hardness of 100% martensite is the highest. The hardness
of 100% bainite is slightly lower. There is a significant drop in hardness if the cooling
rate is so slow that the austenite begins to transform into ferrite and/or pearlite. For
the types of steels that ARGUS Subsea utilizes, a bar having a center microstructure
consisting of mostly martensite and bainite after quenching may be considered
through hardened. From Figure 9, a predominately martensitic/bainitic
microstructure in a 4130 bar is possible with a water quench up to about 75mm (3).
For 4140, a bar up to 280mm (11) will be predominately martensitic/bainitic after an
oil quench. For a 2-1/4Cr 1Mo low alloy steel, the largest possible bar diameter for
a predominately martensitic/bainitic microstructure in the center after a water quench
is around 500mm (20). Clearly the 2-1/4Cr 1Mo low alloy steel has the best
hardenability of the three alloys. Note that the 4140 has the highest as-quenched
hardness at the surface because it has the highest carbon content. The 2-1/4Cr
1Mo low alloy steel has the lowest surface hardness because it has the least carbon.
Figures 9, 10, and 11 illustrate the fact that alloying elements such as chromium and
molybdenum enhance the hardenability of steels by shifting the austenitic
transformation curves to the right on continuous cooling transformation diagrams.
This means that there is more time allowed during cooling before the onset of ferrite
and pearlite formation: a slower cooling rate is possible while still missing the
ferrite/pearlite knee of the curves. Highly hardenable steels have a lower critical
cooling rate and can thus be hardened in larger sizes.
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Figure 10: AISI 4140 CCT Diagram (From Atlas of Continuous Cooling
Transformation diagrams for Engineering Steels, ASM International, 1980.
Reprinted with Permission of ASM International. All Rights Reserved.
www.asminternational.org)
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(thus NACE compliant), will have a 75ksi yield strength only in the outer or so of
material. Go deeper than this and this yield will drop precipitously to around 5560ksi. API 6A requires a surface hardness of 197HBW minimum for 75ksi SMYS
material. If we machine our bonnet from 4130, the bonnet neck will be well below the
OD of the bar. All the 75ksi material will end up as chips on the floor and the surface
hardness will be well below the required 197HBW. Does this mean we cant use
4130? Are we now forced to go to an alloy with more horsepower such as 2-1/4Cr
1Mo low alloy steel?
Now the engineer is at a fork in the road. He or she can certainly choose to go with
the more hardenable (and more expensive) 2-1/4Cr 1Mo low alloy steel that is
capable of giving 75ksi throughout the entire cross section. There is an alternative,
however, that would permit the use of the cheaper 4130. We can rough machine the
bonnet from the 12 4130 bar prior to heat treating. This reduces the wall section
so the cooling rate during quenching is faster. If we rough machine close to the final
dimensions (but retaining some cover to allow for the distortion that occurs in heat
treating), then we minimize the amount of material that must be removed during
finish machining after heat treatment and well retain the high strength material near
the heat treated surface. As long as the design requires 75ksi yield strength just
near the surface, but can tolerate lower strengths at deeper locations, then preheat
treat machining would be a viable option that would permit the use of 4130.
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Once the decision is made to preheat treat machine, a preheat treat machining
drawing must be prepared. The drawing should be identified with the words Preheat
Treat Machining Drawing and include a note that the specified dimensions must be
met prior to heat treatment. Do not use Rough Dimensions or similar words to
identify the drawing. A vendor could interpret this as allowing rough machining after
heat treatment. The exact dimensions to include on the drawing require a great deal
of thought. We want to minimize the preheat treat machining. We want to keep the
configuration as simple as possible. We need to remove material just in those areas
that are critical. We need to provide sufficient heat treat cover to allow for the growth
and distortion of the material during heat treatment. We need to minimize stress
risers that may lead to quench cracking. Remember that steels, depending on their
carbon content, may undergo a volumetric expansion of up to 4% as the austenite
transforms during quenching.
Here are some guidelines for developing a preheat treat drawing.
Minimize the number of features that must be preheat treat machined.
Preheat treat machine only where its needed. Often a single bore is all that
is required.
Bores should have a uniform diameter throughout the length of the part.
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Only put in a single bore. For dual bore equipment, put in the one bore that
will be most effective in increasing the cooling rate where enhanced
properties are needed.
Do not put intersecting bores in parts with carbon contents over 0.20%
because of the risk of quench cracking where they intersect. For example, in
a 4130 gate valve body, preheat treat machine the through bore or the gate
cavity, but not both. Select the one that will do the most good.
Avoid making blind holes. These may trap steam and greatly reduce the
effectiveness of the quench. Where a blind hole is unavoidable, there should
be a note on the drawing showing that the part must be oriented with the
blind hole opening on top during quenching.
Generally a heat treat cover of 0.25 on both the interior and exterior surfaces
(including end faces) is sufficient to account for the growth and movement
that occurs in the part during heat treatment. It may be possible to reduce
this cover slightly for simple cylindrical shapes.
Use a generous radius on both interior and exterior corners. A minimum is
a good rule of thumb. It should never be less than .
Generally no special provision is necessary for the increase in length that
occurs in the part during heat treatment except for long components with
features on either end such a flanged spool piece. Here the back face-toback face dimension between the flanges may be critical in the finished part.
It may be necessary to increase the heat treat cover on the back face of
each flange to or more to insure clean-up to the correct finished
dimension after heat treatment and final machining. Its always a good idea
to review this with the vendor and his heat treater and let them comment on
the adequacy of the proposed heat treat cover for clean-up.
For parts with fixed dimensions that will not be altered by pre-heat treat
machining (the length of a closed die gate valve forging, for instance), only
the pre-heat treat machining dimensions and any necessary reference
dimensions should be included on the drawing.
Try to keep uniform wall thicknesses along the length of the part. Removing
too much material from just one side may result in a long part becoming
bowed (banana shaped).
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Ruling Sections
The following data in Table 4 is provided to help engineers select an appropriate
steel and to decide when preheat treat machining is necessary. A ruling section is
defined as the largest size bar that can be expected to have the required specified
yield strength at the desired test location within the stated parameters. Please note
that the mechanical properties are typical values and not guaranteed minimums.
The actual values for a given part will vary with actual composition, the specific heat
treatment, and the severity of the quench.
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Table 4
Ruling Sections
Alloy
SMYS
ksi
Surface
Hardness
4130
4130
4130
4130
4140
4140
4140
4140
4340
8630MOD
8630MOD
8630MOD
8630MOD
F22
F22
F22
F22
410
410
410
410
F6NM
F6NM
F6NM
F6NM
60
75
85
105
60
75
85
105
105
60
75
85
105
60
75
85
105
60
75
85
105
60
75
85
105
22HRC max.
22HRC max.
22HRC max.
35HRC max.
22HRC max.
22HRC max.
22HRC max.
35HRC max.
35HRC max
22HRC max.
22HRC max.
22HRC max.
35HRC max.
22HRC max.
22HRC max.
22HRC max.
35HRC max.
22HRC max.
22HRC max.
22HRC max.
35HRC max.
23HRC max.
23HRC max.
23HRC max.
35HRC max.
Note 1: The sizes given show what can be expected for a mid-range surface hardness and
mid-range chemical composition. Actual sizes are of course dependent on chemical
composition, quench severity, tempering temperature, etc. and may vary from the stated
values.