^ ------- HEAT TREATMENT

\ OF METALS
V 1996.3 p.63-66

New Computer-aided Method for Steel Selection based on

Hardenability
T. FILETIN, B. LISCIC and J. GALINEC

University of Zagreb, Croatia

When selecting a steel grade (and heat) for a part to be heat

treated, its applicability depends on whether or not its
hardenability will promote the required hardness at the
specified point of the cross-section after quenching under
known conditions. Because Jominy hardenability curves or
hardenability bands are used as the basis, this method of
selecting a steel is confined to those grades for which the
hardenability data are known.
If, for example, a shaft of given diameter is involved, and the
bending fatigue stresses are known, engineering analysis will
yield the minimum hardness that must be met after hardening
and tempering at a specified point of the cross- section.
Production considerations, like minimum distortion, may dictate
a relatively mild quenchant; e.g., oil. Adequate toughness after
tempering (because the part may also be subject to impact
loading) requires a tempering temperature of, say, 500C.

The first step in the selection process will be to establish the

necessary minimum hardness after quenching to promote the
required hardness after tempering. This can be found using the
diagram shown in Fig. 7. If a hardness of 35HRC is required
after hardening and tempering at 500C, at the critical point of
the cross-section, the necessary minimum hardness after
quenching is 45HRC.
The second step in the selection process is to ascertain
whether a certain steel grade (or heat) will provide the required
as-quenched hardness at the critical point of the cross-section.
Let us assume that the diameter of the shaft is 45mm, and that
the critical point on the cross-section (as a result of the
engineering analysis of relevant stresses) is 3/4 of the radius.
In order to find out whether a certain steel grade (e.g. AISI
4140H) can satisfy the requirement of 45HRC at 3/4R after this
shaft is quenched in oil, the diagram in Fig.2a should be used.
This diagram1 correlates the cooling rates along the Jominy
end-quench specimen and at four characteristic locations
(critical points) in the cross- section of round bars, when
quenching in an oil at 1m/s agitation rate.
As can be seen in Fig.2a, the point 3/4R of a 45mm-diameter
will, after quenching, have the hardness that can be found at
the 6.5/16 inch distance from the quenched end of the Jominy
specimen.
The third step in the selection process is to check whether the
steel grade in question, represented by its hardenability

Fig.l. Correlation between the hardness after tempering and the hardness
after quenching, when hardening and tempering constructional steels
Iaccording to DIN 17200).

Fig.2. Selecting a steel of adequate hardenability(a) Equivalent cooling rates

land hardness after quenching) for characteristic points in the cross-section
of round bars and along the Jominy end-quench specimen; (b) Hardenability
band of AISI 4140H.

For specified component properties, a computerised system

enables instant precise selection of the optimum structural
steel grade for hardening and tempering from many stored on a
hardenability database. Unlike the established graphical
method based on hardenability, it allows a flexible choice of
quenching conditions. The program also calculates optimum
tempering temperature and all the resultant mechanical
properties.

INTRODUCTION

Heat Treatment of Metals 1996.3

63

New Computer-aided Method for Steel Selection based on Hardenability

band (or a certain heat represented by its Jominy hardenability

curve), at the specified distance from the quenched end meets
the required hardness. As can be seen from Fig.2b\ the steel
grade AISI 4140H gives, even for the curve of minimum
hardenability, a hardness of 49HRC. This means that, in this
case, steel AISI 4140H has more than enough hardenability
and can be used for the shaft discussed.
This graphical method for steel selection based on
hardenability, published in 1952 by Weinman, Thomson and
Boegehold2, can be used as an approximation. The weakest
part of this approach is the diagram in Fig.2a, giving no data on
the quality of the quenching oil and its temperature. Such
diagrams should actually be prepared experimentally for
precise quenching conditions in a specific quenching bath, and
are valid only for that bath. Just 3 was the first to develop an
algorithm for steel selection based on hardenability, using
regression formulae for equivalent locations. (The equivalent
location, Ex, is a function of the diameter and the quenching
intensity factor). These formulae are derived from the
Crafts/Lamont diagrams4. The quenching intensity is
represented by Grossmann's value H.
The method described by Filetin5 is the first attempt at
computerisation of the previous processes. In our own
approach, the degrees of hardening, which are being
computed on the equivalent locations from the quenched end
of the Jominy specimen, are the main variables in the steel
selection.

points on the optimum Jominy hardenability curve for the

relevant case, based on the as-quenched hardness required on
the surface of the bar and at one of the critical points in its
cross-section (3/4R, 1/2R, 1/4R or centre). The input data for
the computer-aided selection process are the following:
Diameter of the bar (D - from 20 to 90mm)
Required surface hardness (or tensile strength) after
tempering, HRC
Required hardness (or tensile strength) at a critical point
after tempering, HRC
Quenching intensity factor 1 (I equals the value of
Grossmann's quenching intensity factor H-from 0.35 to 2)
Minimum percentage of martensite required at the critical
point (from 50 to 100%).

Calculation of equivalent locations

First the equivalent locations from the quenched end on the
Jominy curve (or Jominy hardenability band) are calculated.
These equivalent locations are the points on the Jominy curve
at which the required as-quenched hardness is met. They are
calculated according to the following formulae7:

COMPUTER-AIDED STEEL SELECTION BASED ON

HARDENABILITY
As in other fields, computer technology has made it possible to
improve the steel selection process by rendering it quicker,
easier and even more precise.
A software package HARDSEL, developed at the University in
Zagreb6, is based on a file of relevant hardenability bands. The
method is valid for round bars of 20 to 90mm diameter
(because the formulae used for calculating equivalent locations
on the Jominy curve7 have been established through
regression analysis for this range of diameters).
The essential feature of this method is the calculation of

The calculated E values are in mm!

After calculating the equivalent locations for the surface of the
bar (Es) and for one of the critical points (E crjt), the hardness
values achievable with the Jominy curve of the lowest (H|ow) and
highest (Hhigh) hardenability, for both Es and Ecrjt locations, are
determined, using the hardenability band of the relevant steel
(Fig.3).

Degree of hardening/optimum hardenability curve

The degree of hardening is defined as the ratio of the measured
hardness after quenching (at a specified point in the
cross-section) to the maximum hardness that can be achieved
with the steel in question, i.e.:

Fig.3. Determination of minimum and maxmum hardness for equivalent

locations Es and Ecril from a relevant hardenability band5.
64

This can be calculated easily for the equivalent location Ecrit

on the upper and lower curve of the hardenability band,
taking the value for Hmax from the relevant Jominy curve at
the quenched end. In this way, two distinct values of the
degree of hardening, Supper and S|0wer, are established.
Each corresponds to a certain percentage of martensite in
the as-quenched structure-see Table 1.
Now we can judge whether or not the required percentage
of martensite can be met by either Jominy curve of the
hardenability band. Sometimes, instead of giving the
percentage of martensite in the as-quenched structure as
input data, the value of S (degree of hardening) is given.
For statically-stressed parts, S<0.72; for moderately
dynamically-stressed parts, 0.72<S<0.94; and for highly
dynamically-stressed parts, 0.94<S<1.0. In this case, one can
directly compare the required S value with those calculated
Heat Treatment of Metals 1996.3

T. Filetin, B. Uscic and J. Galinec

for both Jominy curves at the Ecrjt location. There are three
possibilities in this comparison:
(a) The value of S required is lower, even than the S value
calculated for the lower curve of the hardenability band
(S|oWer)- In this case, all heats of this steel will satisfy the
requirement. The steel actually has higher hardenability
than required.
(b) The value of S required is higher, even than the S value
calculated for the upper curve of the hardenability band
(SUpper)- In this case, none of the heats of this steel can
satisfy the requirement. This steel must not be selected
because its hardenability is too low for the case in
question.
(c) The value of required degree of hardening (S) is somewhere between the values for degree of hardening
achievable with the upper curve (Suppgr) and with the lower
curve (S|0wer) of the hardenability band. In this case, the
position of the S required, designated as X, is calculated
according to the formula:
X=

~-s'9r

Table 1. Correlation between the degree of hardening (S) and

percentage of martensite in as-quenched structure acording to the
formula8: % martensite = 180S - 80.

% Martensite
50-60

Degree of hardening, S
0.72-0.78

60-70
70-80

0.78-0.83
0.83-0.89

80-85
85-90

0.89-0.92
0.92-0.94

90-95
95-97
97-100

0.94-0.97
0.97-0.98
0.98-1.00

(7)

upper lower

X is the distance from the lower curve of the hardenability band

on the ordinate Ecrjt, to the actual position of S required, that
should be on the optimum Jominy curve.
The software program divides the area of the hardenability
band into the three following zones:
the lower third
(X<0.33)
the middle third
(0.33<X<0.66)
the upper third
(0.66<X)
All those heats of a steel grade, the Jominy curves of which
pass through the zone in which the point S required is situated,
can be selected as heats of adequate hardenability. This zone
is highlighted in graphical presentation of the results.
Once we know the distance X, we can also draw the optimum
Jominy hardenability curve for this case. The only condition is
that, for every distance from the quenched end, the same
calculated ratio X (i.e. the same relative position of the Jominy
curve to the lower and the upper hardenability curve of the
hardenability band) is maintained.

Application of the program

As an example of how the method described can be used in
practice, when selecting a steel grade for hardening and
tempering, let us considerthe following case:
After hardening and tempering, a shaft of 65mm diameter
should have a hardness on the surface of H S=36HRC and a
core hardness of Hc = 35HRC. The part is exposed to high
dynamic stresses. Quenching should be performed in agitated
oil.
The software program enables entry of the input data and
selection of the critical point on the cross-section (in this case
the centre) - see Fig.4. The next screen/window enables
choice of the required percentage of martensite at the critical
point after quenching (in this case 90%, because of high
dynamic stresses) as well as the quenching intensity I (in this
case 0.45 - corresponding to the Grossmann's value H).
Thereafter, the program repeats the above- described
calculations for every steel grade for which a hardenability
band is stored in the file and presents the result on the screen
as shown in Fig.5. This is a list of all stored steel grades, with
indications for each about its suitability in the relevant case
(unsuitable steel grade; suitable from the upper, middle or
lower third of the hardenability band; steel grade with too-high
hardenability).
For every suitable steel grade, a graphical presentation as per
Fig. 6 can be obtained, giving the optimum Jominy
hardenability curve for the case required and indicating the
relevant zone of the hardenability band.

Fig. 4. Input data screert/windows6.

Fig.5. List-of-results screen/windowe.

Heat Treatment of Metals 1996.3

65

New Computer-aided Method for Steel Selection based on Hardenability

Calculation of tempering temperature and mechanical

properties
The program further enables calculation of the necessary
tempering temperature according to the following formula3:

T. Filetin, B. Liscic and J. Galinec

band) that has been found suitable, the program automatically

calculates all of these mechanical properties for the surface and
for the critical point on the cross-section, and displays the
results, as shown in Fig.7.

CONCLUSIONS

Rm=0.426H2+586.5
[N/mm2] (9)
where H is the corresponding hardness value in HRC. Knowing
the tensile strength (Rm), other mechanical properties are
calculated according to the following formulae3: Yield strength:
Rp02=(0.8+0.1S)Rm+170S-200
[N/mm2]
Elongation:
A5=0.46-(0.0004-0.00012S)Rm
[%]
Contraction:
Z=0.96-(0.00062-0.00029S)Rm
[%]
Bending fatigue strength: Rd=(0.25+0.45Z)Rm
[N/mm2]
Impact energy: KU=[460-(0.59-0.29S)Rm]x0.7
[J]
For every steel grade (and relevant zone of the hardenability

Compared with the previously-described steel selection

process, the computer-aided method (besides attaining the
results in a more convenient way, practically instantly) has the
following advantages:
While the previously-described graphical method is valid
only for one specified quenching condition, for which the
relevant diagram has been plotted, the computer-aided
method allows great flexibility in choosing specific
quenching conditions.
The selection of the optimum hardenability to satisfy the
requirements is much more precise.
It enables calculation of the exact tempering temperature
and all mechanical properties after tempering at the critical
point, giving much more information to facilitate steel
selection.

REFERENCES
1. Metals Handbook, Ninth Edition, Vol. J., 493. American Society for
Metals, 1978.

2. Weinman E.W., Thomson R.F. and Boegehold A.L. A correlation of

end-quenched test bars and rounds in terms of hardness and
cooling characteristics. Transactions of the American Society for
Metals. 1952, Vol.44,803-844.

3. Just E. Vergten - Werkstoffbeeinflussung durch Hrten und

Anlassen. VDI Berichte. 1976, No. 256, 125-140.
4 Crafts W. and Lamont J.L. Hardenability and Steel Selection. Sir Isaac
Pitman & Son Ltd., 1949.

5. Filetin T. A method of selecting hardenable steels based on

hardenability. Strojarstvo. 1982, Vol.24, No.2, 75-81. tin Croatian).
6. Filetin T. and Galinec J. Software programme for steel selection
based on hardenability. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University
of Zagreb (Research Report), 1994.

7. Liscic B. and Filetin T. Computer-aided evaluation of the quenching

intensity and prediction of hardness distribution. HartereiTechnische Mitteilungen. 1986, Vol.41, No.4,207-212. (In German).

8. Just E. Beabsichtigte Einflsse der Fertigungsverfahren auf das

Dauerfestigkeits-verhalten von Sthlen. VDI-Berichte. 1974, No.214,
75-84.

AUTHORS' ADDRESS
Dr. Tomislaw Filetin Is Assistant Professor and Dr. Bozidar
Liscic Professor with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb, I. Lucica 1, 10000
Zagreb, Croatia. Josip Galinec is a graduate of the same
faculty.
3
Fig. 7. Display of calculated mechanical properties6.
66

Heat Treatment of Metals 1996.3