Hardness Prediction of Grind-Hardening Layer Based on Integrated Approach of Finite Element and Cellular Automata

As an emerging composite processing technology, the grind-hardening process implements efficient removal on workpiece materials and surface strengthening by the effective utilization of grinding heat. The strengthening effect of grind-hardening on a workpiece surface is principally achieved by a hardened layer, which is chiefly composed of martensite. As a primary parameter to evaluate the strengthening effect, the hardness of the hardened layer mostly depends on the surface microstructure of the workpiece. On this basis, this paper integrated the finite element (FE) and cellular automata (CA) approach to explore the distribution and variation of the grinding temperature of the workpiece surface in a grind-hardening process. Moreover, the simulation of the transformation process of “initial microstructure–austenite–martensite” for the workpiece helps determine the martensite fraction and then predict the hardness of the hardened layer with different grinding parameters. Finally, the effectiveness of the hardness prediction is confirmed by the grind-hardening experiment. Both the theoretical analysis and experiment results show that the variation in the grinding temperature will cause the formation to a certain depth of a hardened layer on the workpiece surface in the grind-hardening process. Actually, the martensite fraction determines the hardness of the hardened layer. As the grinding depth and feeding speed increase, the martensite fraction grows, which results in an increase in its hardness value.

Barkhausen Noise Emission in AISI 321 Austenitic Steel Originating from the Strain-Induced Martensite Transformation

This paper investigates the sensitivity of the Barkhausen noise technique against strain-induced martensite in AISI 321 austenitic stainless steel. Martensite transformation was induced by the uniaxial tensile test, and a variable martensite fraction was obtained at different plastic strains. It was found that Barkhausen noise emission progressively increases with plastic straining, while its evolution is driven by the martensite fraction in the deformed matrix. This study also demonstrates that the uniaxial tensile stressing produced a certain level of stress and magnetic anisotropy in the samples. The number of strong Barkhausen pulses increased for more developed strains, whereas the position of the Barkhausen noise envelope remained less affected. This study clearly demonstrates the good sensitivity of the Barkhausen noise technique against the degree of martensite transformation in austenitic stainless steel. Moreover, this technique is sensitive to the direction of the exerted load.

Evaluation of Martensite Fraction in 1026 Steel by Infrared Thermography Combined with the Koistinen-Marburger Model

In the present work, the martensite formation during heat treatment of 1026 steel was studied in order to acquire process knowledge and reinforce the effectiveness of infrared thermography method to evaluate the temperature distributions. Several tests were carried out and monitored by an infrared camera and thermocouples. Martensite fraction was evaluated with the aid of the Koistinen-Marburger model and adequate parameters describing phase transformations were obtained for 1026 steel samples. This research revealed the need of model adjustment in order to accurately describe the martensite transformation kinetics according to experimental results.

Effect of Martensite Fraction on Void Nucleation Behavior and Ductility in DP Steels

Void nucleation behavior of ferrite/martensite dual phase steels varying martensite fraction was investigated. As easily recognized, void fraction was increased with strain induced, and more voids were nucleated in the sample with higher martensite fraction. On the other hands, void fraction at ductile fracture was decreased with increasing martensite fraction. Void nucleation was observed to occur due to the fracture of martensite in DP steels. In the sample with high martensite fraction, many micro voids were nucleated at initial deformation with small strain and lead to ductile fracture. Inter-voids distance at the fracture was almost same among the DP steels with various martensite fractions. It is considered that the most effective factor on ductile fracture of DP steels was not 2nd phase fraction but the distance between 2nd phases which caused micro voids.