Intensive Quench a boon to Heat Treatment Technology Presented by : Ramgopal J. Mishra

Heat-Treatment  Heat treatment is a method used to alter the physical, and sometimes chemical properties of a material. The most common application is metallurgy.  It involves the use of heating or chilling, normally to extreme temperatures, to achieve a desired result such as hardening or softening of a material.  It applies that Heat, Hold, Quench that is nothing but HHQ.

Types of Heat-Treatment AnnealingNormalisingHardeningTemperingSurface hardening

Quenching High pressure gas quench Oil quenching Polyalkylene quenching Brine quenching Intensive quenching Air quenching

Intensive Quench System (IQS)  An alternative method for the hardening of steel parts has been developed as a means of providing steel products with superior mechanical properties.  This processing method, termed as "Intensive Quenching," imparts high residual compressive stresses on the steel surface, thus allowing for the use of lower alloy steels, reduction or elimination of the need for carburization and shot peening, and providing for more cost-effective heat treating.

Intensive quench ?

Quench Curves

TTT curve

Formation of Martensite a) Conventional quench b)Intensive quench

Vacuum combined IQS

Graph for Comparison oil Gas IQS

Intensive Quench Performance Table Oil Quench Vs. Intensive Quench

Intensive Quench System

Results

Benefits of IQS  Increases the depth of hardness.  Eliminates surface cracking.  Minimizes part distortion.  Achieves the same or better metallurgical properties while using lower alloy, less costly steel.  Provides an optimum combination of high surface compressive stress; high-strength, wear-resistant quenched layer; and relatively soft but properly strengthened core resulting in longer part life.  Uses less costly, environmentally friendly quenchant (usually plain water), instead of expensive, hazardous oil.  Shortens the duration, or fully eliminates, the carburizing cycle.  Achieves the greater productivity of the quenching equipment due to much faster cooling rate.

Application of Intensive Quench System  Aerospace industries (engine turbine blades, landing gears, transmission)  Automotive industries (transmission components, fuel injectors)  Agricultural industries  Weapon industries  Dies and Punch industries

Heat Treatment future in 2020  Achieve zero distortion and maximum uniformity in heat treated process.  Development of steels for induction that permits even faster processing times.  Development of materials that are suitable for rapid heating technologies.  Reduction in production cost by 75%.  Reduction in cycle time by 50-60%.  Reduction in price of furnace by 50%.  More development in hybrid heat treatment.  Reduction in energy consumption by 80%.

Conclusion “Innovation is path to Success and Success does not comes out without hurdles”

References  [1] George E. Totten, “Heat treating in 2020:what are the most critical issues and what will be the future look like ?”,International Federation of Heat Treatment and surface engineering,2011.  [2] K. Funtani, “Emerging technology in heat treatment and surface engineering of automotive components”,IFHTSE conference,2009.  [3] Donald Jordan, “Vacuum gas nitriding furnace produces precision nitrided parts”,ASM Heat treating society, September 2009 [online]. Available :  [4] Daniel Herring,Frederick J. Otto, “Low-pressure vacuum carburising”,Midwest thermal –vacKenosha,2009 (online). Available :  [5] Daniel Herring, “Technology trends in vacuum heat treating,part one:markets,processes and applications”,Midwest thermal –vac Kenosha,2008(online). Available :  [6] Daniel Herring, “Technology trends in vacuum heat treating,part two:processes and applications”,Midwest thermal –vac Kenosha,2009 (online). Available :

 [7] Daniel Herring, “Technology trends in vacuum heat treating,part three:new technology and future developments”,Midwest thermal –vac Kenosha,January 2009(online). Available :  [8] N.I.Kobasko,M.A.aronov,J.A.Powell,L.C.F. Canale,G.E.Totten, “Improved production of automotive parts by intensive quenching processing”,2 nd international conference on Heat treatment and surface engineering in automotive applications, pp 13-22,20-22 June  [9] Dr. Michael A. Aronov, CEO “Intensive Quenching Technology for Heat Treating and Forging Industries “,Final Technical Report,April 2008 – September 2009.