PM_Fe_07: Hardenability Design of Steel

This application example, which is available on our website, shows how the Steel Model Library in Thermo-Calc can be used to find the optimal compositions for an Fe-Mn-C steel to achieve high hardenability for the purpose of strength.

Hardenability of steel is an important aspect of steel design because it affects the ability of the steel to develop optimum strength and toughness. Hardenability refers to the ability of steel to form martensite on quenching. It is a measure of the capacity of a steel to be hardened in depth when quenched from its austenitizing temperature, meaning that the steel forms martensite not only at the surface of the steel, but throughout the interior. This is usually a prerequisite for the subsequent tempering treatment for an optimal combination of strength and toughness. Insufficient hardenability can make the tempering treatment ineffective and lead to low uniformity of mechanical properties in a steel component. The two most important factors that influence hardenability of steel are grain size and composition, and in this example, we will investigate composition.

  • Folder: Property Models → Steel
  • File name: PM_Fe_07_Hardenability_Design_of_Steel.tcu

Although this example uses the FEDEMO and MFEDEMO databases, running the calculation requires a license for Thermo-Calc 2022b or newer and for the Steel Model Library.

Visualizations

Open the example project file to review the node setup on the Project window and the associated settings on the Configuration window for each node. For some types of projects, you can also adjust settings on the Plot Renderer Configuration window to preview results before performing the simulation. Click Perform Tree to generate plots and tables to see the results on the Visualizations window.

When you run (Perform) this example, it takes several hours to complete the calculations.

The resulting plots and details related to setting up this example are available to download via the dedicated web page.