ALLOY STEEL PRODUCT, DIE BLOCKS AND OTHER FORGINGS AND CASTINGS MADE THEREOF AND A METHOD TO MANUFACTURE THE PRODUCT

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for manufacturing a steel product having a very high hardenability in relation to its alloying content. The method is characterized by melting at least the bulk of a steel composition containing a majority of alloy ingredients to produce a steel melt; superheating said steel melt at a temperature of at least 1625°C and maintaining said melt at said temperature for at least two minutes to form a supertreated melt; prior to said superheating adding to said steel composition at least one micro-alloying ingredient selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, and zirconium; teeming and casting said superheated melt to form cast products; and hot-working said cast products to form said steel product. The invention also concerns a steel product in the form of a block, bar, plate, or forged shape or casting made according to the above method from a steel having the following composition in weight percent: Carbon 0.12 to 0.75, Manganese 0.3 to 1.5, Silicon from traces up to 1.0, Chromium from traces up to 5.0, Nickel from traces up to 2.0, Molybdenum 0.05 to 3.0, Vanadium 0.05 to 1.5, Niobium from traces up to 0.3, Phosphorus 0.03 max, Sulphur from traces up to 0.05, Aluminum 0.02 to 0.16 or, Titanium 0.015 to 0.08 or, Zirconium 0.015 to 0.08 or, at least two of Aluminum, Titanium and Zirconium, wherein the total amount of A1 + 2(Ti + Zr) is about 0.02 to about 0.16.

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to alloy steel products and heavy-section forgings and castings made thereof and in particular to alloy steel for tools and/or for machine constructional parts. Typical applications are forging die blocks, particularly heavy forgings and castings and associated parts. The invention is also concerned with a method to manufacture the alloy steel and in particular to a special procedure which imparts very high hardenability in relation to the alloying level. This means that the alloying costs for the die block are considerably lower than for present commercially-used products without there arising any adverse effects as regards die block performance. The above-mentioned "associated parts" includes inserts, guide pins, tie plates, ram guides and rams for drop hammers and bolster plates for presses, all of which will hereafter be referred to collectively as die blocks. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Forging die blocks operate under severe mechanical and thermal conditions. They are subjected to intermittent heating and cooling, high stresses and severe abrasion. The important properties for a steel to be used in forging die blocks or in blanks for machine constructional parts are: 1 Good hardenability; e.g. since it is normal for a cavity to be resunk several times during the life of a block; 2 Good machinability; the blocks or the blanks are pre-hardened and have to be machined extensively during their lifetime; 3 Adequate degree of toughness particularly in the centre of the block or the blank; 4 Retention of strength and wear resistance at high temperatures. The properties described in points 1-3 above are in fact desirable characteristics for all heavy forgings or castings. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention revolves primarily around point 1 above, hardenability. However, the composition of the steel and method of manufacture are such that points 2-4 are also adequately fulfilled in the finished steel article. The hardenability of a steel describes its propensity to form non-martensitic transformation products, such as bainite or pearlite, during cooling from the austenitic condition. The higher the hardenability, the more slowly the steel can be cooled while retaining a fully-hardened (martensitic) microstructure. To increase the hardenability of steel, it is normally necessary to raise the level of alloying, since most alloying elements retard transformations during cooling. However, increasing the alloying level naturally increases the production cost of the steel. The primary object of the present invention is to provide a steel material for forging die blocks and other heavy forgings as well as castings with extremely good hardenability which, at the same time, is more economical to produce than existing grades. One object of the invention is also to provide a method of making steel more hardenable by a special melting practice. The method of the invention is given in claim 1. The dependent claims disclose preferred embodiments thereof. The amount of aluminum when added alone should be sufficient to achieve a final melt content in weight percent of between 0.02 % and 0.16 %, preferably between 0.04 % and 0.1 %; if titanium and/or zirconium is used alone, the final melt content of titanium and/or zirconium should be between 0.015 % and 0.08 %; and if at least two of aluminum, titanium and zirconium are added, the total content in weight percent of aluminum plus two times the amount of titanium and circonium should be between about 0.02 % and about 0.16 %, preferably not less than about 0.04 %. The method of the invention has been developed for the production of improved low-alloy steel products, and the broad compositional range for the steel which is to be treated in the above way is (weight percent): Carbon 0.12 to 0.75 Manganese 0.3 to 1.5 Silicon from traces up to 1.0 Chromium from traces up to 5.0 Nickel from traces up to 2.0 Molybdenum 0.05 to 3.0 Vanadium 0.05 to 1.5 Niobium from traces up to 0.3 Aluminum 0.2 to 0.1, or Titanium 0.015 to 0.08, or Zirconium 0.015 to 0.08, or Aluminum and/or Titanium and/or Zirconium, wherein the total amount of Al + 2 x (Ti + Zr) is about 0.02 to about 0.16, balance iron and impurities normally occuring in steel made from scrap, including, as impurities, max 0.03 % phosphorus and from traces up to 0.05 % sulphur. In low-alloyed steels, for which the invention particularly was developed, the content of chromium shall be max 1.8 %, molybdenum max 0.4 %, and vanadium max 0.15 %. It should, however, also be possible to choose one or two of the elements chromium, molybdenum and vanadium within the broader ranges in Table 1, while restricting the content of the other of the said elements to below the said maximum contents. It is suggested that the content of carbon shall be chosen within the range 0.3 to 0.55 % carbon, and that the content of aluminum shall not be loss than 0.04 % and not more than 0.1 % when existing alone or that the total amount of Al + 2 x (Ti + Zr) shall not be less than 0.04 %. It is also suggested that niobium shall not exist in the steel more than at an impurity level. Therefore the broad compositional range for a low-alloy steel which is to be treated in accordance with the invention is (weight percent): Carbon 0.3 to 0.55 Manganese 0.3 to 1.5 Silicon from traces up to 1.0 Chromium 0.75 to 1.8 Nickel from traces up to 2.0 Molybdenum 0.05 to 0.4 Vanadium 0.05 to 0.15 Aluminum 0.04 to 0.1, or Titanium 0.015 to 0.08, or Zirconium 0.015 to 0.08, or Aluminum and/or Titanium and/or Zirconium, wherein the total amount of Al + 2 x (Ti + Zr) is about 0.04 to about 0.16, balance iron and impurities normally occuring in steel made from scrap, including, as impurities, max 0.03 phosphorus and from traces up to 0.05 sulphur. However, for application as forging die blocks, the following composition range is to be preferred (weight percent): Carbon 0.4 to 0.55 Manganese 0.5 to 1.2 Silicon from traces up to 1.0 Chromium 1.1 to 1.8 Nickel 0.2 to 1.2 Molybdenum 0.015 to 0.4 Vanadium 0.05 to 0.15 Aluminum 0.04 to 0.08, or Titanium 0.015 to 0.06, or Zirkonium 0.015 to 0.06, or Aluminum and/or Titanium and/or Zirconium, wherein the total amount of Al + 2 x (Ti + Zr) is about 0.04 to about 0.13, balance iron and impurities normally occuring in steel made from scrap, including, as impurities, max 0.025 phosphorus and from 0.005 to 0.05 % sulphur. For the compositional range as in Table 3, the following, narrower composition ranges may be chosen, manganese 0.6 to 1.1, silicon up to 0.5, and sulphur 0.02 to 0.05. The most preferred compositional range for forging die blocks is as follows (weight percent): Carbon 0.42 to 0.49 Manganese 0.6 to 1.0 Silicon up to 0.4 Chromium 1.4 to 1.7 Nickel 0.2 to 0.8 Molybdenum 0.15 to 0.30 Vanadium 0.07 to 0.13 Aluminum 0.04 to 0.07, or Titanium 0.015 to 0.06, or Zirconium 0.015 to 0.06, or Aluminum and/or Titanium and/or Zirconium, wherein the total amount of Al + 2 x (Ti + Zr) is about 0.04 to about 0.12, balance iron and impurities normally occuring in steel made from scrap, including, as impurities, max 0.025 phosphorus and from 0.025 to 0.045 sulphur. Once a steel within the most preferred compositional range has been melted, subjected to the special treatment outlined above and then teemed to produce ingots, it can be shaped to forging die blocks via normal forging procedures. Similarly the heat treatment (quenching and tempering) of the die block, whereby the required level of hardness is attained, can be performed by conventional methods. This heat treatment includes austenitization of the steel block or corresponding piece of steel at a temperature between 800°C and 900°C for a period of time of 2 to 20 hours, thereafter quenching in oil or water and eventually tempering at a temperature between 500°C and 700°C, preferably between 550°C and 650°C, suitably at about 600°C for about 2 to 20 hours. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the following description of tests performed, reference will be made to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 compares Jominy hardenability curves (hardness versus distance from the quenched end o f the Jominy specimen) for four laboratory-melted steels, Fig. 2 shows the Jominy hardenability curve obtained for a full-scale melt (30 tons) of the steel of the invention, and Fig. 3 presents data for the hardness distribution across forged and heat-treated dieblocks for the steel of the invention, and as a comparison, a conventional die block steel. DESCRIPTION OF TESTS PERFORMED AND DETAILS OF RESULTS The details of the present invention have been established partly via laboratory experimentation (2 kg ingots) and partly through manufacture of a full-scale charge of steel (30 tons). The compositions of the laboratory ingots which have been studied are presented in Table 5 below. Steels A, C and D were during manufacture superheated to 1650°C under two minutes prior to teeming. For steel B, on the other hand, a normal melting practice involving heating to a maximum temperature of 1570°C was adopted. The small laboratory ingots were hot forged in a 350 ton press to 30mm square section and standard Jominy specimens were machined from these bars. Jominy testing was performed after austenitization at 875°C/30 minutes. In Fig. 1, Jominy hardenability curves are shown for the four steels A-D. In these, the Rockwell hardness is plotted as a function of the distance from the end of the specimen which is quenched during the Jominy-test procedure. A rapid drop-off in hardness with increasing distance from the quenched end is indicative of low hardenability; n other words, the closer the Jominy curve is to a horizontal line, the greater is the hardenability. Steels A-C have similar base analyses with regard to carbon, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, nickel and vanadium; however, their Jominy hardenability curves are very different (Fig. 1). Steel C, which is characterized by: (a) a titanium microaddition; and (b) superheating to 1650°C under two minutes prior to teeming, exhibits significantly greater hardenability than Steels A or B. Steel A was subjected to superheating to 1650°C under two minutes prior to teeming, but does not contain titanium; Steel B, on the other hand, is microalloyed with titanium but was not superheated prior to teeming. Steel D has a higher base hardenability than Steels A-C, i.e. higher levels of carbon, manganese and chromium. Notice, however, that the level of the expensive molybdenum addition is lower than in Steels A-C, i.e. Steel D has a lower content of expensive alloying elements despite its higher base hardenability. In this case, microalloying with titanium combined with superheating to 1650°C under two minutes prior to teeming results in a Jominy curve which is to all intents and purposes horizontal, i.e. the steel exhibits a very high level of hardenability indeed. The mechanism whereby the hardenability level of the steel is increased via the special melting procedure incorporated in the present invention is not clear and is the subject of continuing study. It is perhaps significant that both aluminum and titanium, where aluminum and/or titanium can be replaced wholly or partly by zirconium, the addition of at least one of which appears necessary to secure the hardenability effect, are strong nitride formers. One possibility is, therefore, that increasing the temperature of a melt containing either titanium or aluminum or zirconium (in excess of the amount required to kill the steel) or two or all of them cause titanium and/or aluminum and/or zirconium nitrides to be dissolved, and reprecipitated once again during solidification of the steel after teeming. In this way, the dispersion of titanium or aluminum and/or zirconium nitrides is finer than that which would have been produced had the melt not been superheated. The hypothesis is that this fine dispersion of titanium and/or aluminum and/or zirconium nitrides retards the transformations to bainite and/or pearlite which normally limit the hardenability of the steel during cooling, and thereby a high level of hardenability is ensured. Guided by the experiences from the laboratory experimentation described above, thirty tons of steel were produced in an electric-arc furnace. The melt was transferred to an ASEA-SKF ladle furnace and the following composition obtained (weight percent, except gases which are given in parts per million by weight). The melt was heated in the ladle furnace to a temperature of 1658°C and held at this temperature for two minutes. The ladle was then transferred to a vacuum-degassing station and subjected to vacuum treatment combined with argon flushing for 20 minutes; after this treatment, the melt temperature was 1586°C. The melt was subsequently allowed to cool further to 1565°C before teeming. The final gas levels in the steel ingots are given in Table 6, below the alloy elements. The steel ingots were then forged to die blocks using conventional press-forging practice for manufacture of such blocks. Jominy specimens were taken from the forged material and tested, and the Jominy hardenability curve obtained is shown in Fig. 2. As can be seen the curve is more or less horizontal and well corresponds to that shown for Steel D in Fig. 1. Also included in Fig. 2 is a calculated Jominy curve, which is expected for a steel with the same analysis as that given in Table 6 but which has neither been microalloyed with titanium nor superheated prior to teeming. The pronounced effect on hardenability of the special treatment of the melt, which is advocated in the present invention, will be apparent. A die-block made from the steel composition given in Table 6 was heat treated in the following way: Austenitizing 843°C/10 h, oil quenched to 121°C, temper 624°C/12 h. These heat treatment conditions for the die-block of the present invention are also given in Fig. 3. The special advantages conferred by the present invention in the context of heavy-section forgings, and in particular for forging die blocks and associated parts, will become apparent from the comparison made in the following. The die block heat treated as indicated above and with a steel composition as given in Table 6 was compared with similar-sized blocks (300 × 500 × 500 mm) made from a steel with the following composition in weight percent. The hardness distribution in cross-sections through the centres of the two die blocks are given in Fig. 3. It is seen that the steel die block of the present invention exhibits a hardness uniformity which is at least as good as that characterizing the die block steel with composition given in Table 7.

Claims: A method for for manufacturing a low-alloy steel product having a very high hardenability in relation to its alloying content, said method including melting a bulk of steel having the following composition in weight percent: Carbon 0.12 to 0.75 Manganese 0.3 to 1.5 Silicon from traces up to 1.0 Chromium from traces up to 5.0 Nickel from traces up to 2.0 Molybdenum 0.05 to 3.0 Vanadium 0.05 to 1.5 Niobium from traces up to 0.3 balance iron and impurities normally occuring in steel made from scrap, including, as impurities, max 0.03 % phosphorus and from traces up to 0.05 % sulphur, comprising adding to the molten steel at least one micro-alloying ingredient selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, and zirconium; superheating said micro-alloyed steel melt at a temperature of at least 1625°C and maintaining said melt at said temperature for at least two minutes to form a supertreated melt; teeming and casting said micro-alloyed and superheated melt to form cast products; and hot-working said cast products to form said steel product. A method as in claim 1, wherein the melt is subjected to superheating to a temperature of at least 1625°C and maintained at that temperature for at least two minutes prior to vacuum degassing the melt and teeming. A method as in claim 1, wherein aluminum or titanium or zirconium or at least two of them are added to the steel melt after melting the bulk of the steel ingredients but prior to said superheating treatment to an amount such that the final content of aluminum in the product if added alone will be between 0.02 and 0.16 %, the final content of titanium or zirconium if added alone will be between 0.015 and 0.08 %, and if aluminum and titanium and/or zirconium are added the total final content of aluminum plus two times the content of titanium and zirconium will be between 0.02 and 0.16 %. A method as in claim 3, wherein aluminum or titanium or zirconium or at least two of them are added to the steel melt after melting the bulk of the steel ingredients but prior to said superheating treatment to an amount such that the final content of aluminum plus two times the content of titanium and zirconium will be at least about 0.04. A method as in claim 3, wherein the bulk of the steel prior to said addition of alumium or titanium or zirconium or at least two of said elements contains 0.3 to 0.55 % carbon. A method as in claim 3, wherein the bulk of the steel prior to said addition of aluminum or titanium or zirconium or at least two of said elements contains 0.75 to 1.8 % chromium. A method as in claim 3, wherein the bulk of the steel prior to said addition of aluminum or titanium or zirconium or at least two of said elements contains 0.05 to 0.4 % molybdenum. A method as in claim 3, wherein the bulk of the steel prior to said addition of aluminum or titanium or zirconium or at least two of said elements contains 0.05 to 0.15 % vanadium. A method as in claim 3, wherein the bulk of the steel prior to said addition of aluminum or titanium or zirconium or at least two of said elements does not contain more than trace amounts of niobium. A method as in claim 3, wherein the bulk of the steel prior to said addition of aluminum or titanium or zirconium or at least two of said elements has the following composition in weight percent: Carbon 0.3 to 0.55 Manganese 0.3 to 1.5 Silicon from traces up to 1.0 Chromium 0.75 to 1.8 Nickel from traces up to 2.0 Molybdenum 0.05 to 0.4 Vanadium 0.05 to 0.15 balance iron and impurities normally occuring in steel made from scrap, including, as impurities, max 0.03 % phosphorus and from traces up to 0.05 % sulphur. A method as in claim 10, wherein the bulk of the steel prior to said addition of aluminum or titanium or zirconium or at least two of said elements has the following composition in weight percent: Carbon 0.4 to 0.55 Manganese 0.5 to 1.2 Silicon from traces up to 1.0 Chromium 1.1 to 1.8 Nickel 0.2 to 1.2 Molybdenum 0.015 to 0.4 Vanadium 0.05 to 0.15 balance iron and impurities normally occuring in steel made from scrap, including, as impurities, max 0.03 % phosphorus and from traces up to 0.05 % sulphur. A method as in claim 11, wherein the bulk of the steel prior to said addition of aluminum or titanium or zirconium or at least two of said elements has the following composition in weight percent: Carbon 0.42 to 0.49 Manganese 0.6 to 1.0 Silicon up to 0.4 Chromium 1.4 to 1.7 Nickel 0.2 to 0.8 Molybdenum 0.15 to 0.30 Vanadium 0.07 to 0.13 balance iron and impurities normally occuring in steel made from scrap, including, as impurities, max 0.03 % phosphorus and from traces up to 0.05 % sulphur. A method as in claim 4, wherein prior to superheating the melt aluminum and/or titanium and/or zirconium are added such that the amount of aluminum when added alone is sufficient to achieve a final melt content in weight percent of between 0.04 and 0.08 %; the amount of titanium or zirconium when added alone is sufficient to achieve a final melt content in weight percent of between 0.015 and 0.06 %, or if at least two of aluminum, titanium and zirconium are added the final amount of aluminum plus two times the amount of titanium plus two times the amount of zirconium will be at least 0.04 % but not more than 0.13 %. A method as in claim 13, wherein the final amount of aluminum will not be more than 0.07 % if added alone, and if aluminum as well as titanium and/or zirconium are added the total amount of aluminum plus two times the amount of titanium plus two times the amount of zirconium will be not more than 0.12 %. A method as in claim 1, wherein the cast products are hot-worked by forging. A method as in claim 1, wherein the hot worked products are subjected to austenitizing at a temperature of between 800 and 900°C, quenching in oil, and tempering at a temperature of between 500 and 700°C.

Inventors: ROBERTS, WILLIAM
Applicants: UDDEHOLM TOOLING AKTIEBOLAG
Application year: 1987
Main classification: C21C7
IPC codes: C22C38, C22C33, C21C5, C21C7