1

Laboratory

THERMAL TREATMENT PROCESSES

ME 311: Manufacturing Processes Course

Objectives:
Learn to use Rockwell hardness machine to measure hardness of different specimens.
Understand the processes and effects of annealing and quenching on different specimens.

Section I: Introduction to Thermal Treatment Processes

A metallic material can be altered via mechanical and/or thermal means to change the mechanical
properties of the material. Such treatments are most often used to alter strength, hardness, and
ductility of a material.

1. Heat Treatment: Tempering of Hardened Steel

The heat treatment process for steel and steel alloys is composed of three steps:
a) Heating to a temperature at which austenite is formed (austenitizing)
b) Rapid cooling (quenching)
c) Reheating to stabilize structure (tempering)
Austenite is a solid solution of carbon in iron in a face centered cubic (FCC) crystalline structure
which is stable at elevated temperature. The temperature at which austenite formation occurs
depends primarily on carbon content of the steel. This temperature can be determined from the
phase equilibrium diagram for the particular steel composition. The material must be held at the
austenitizing temperature for a period of time to ensure completeness of the phase transformation
and homogeneous structure. The amount of time required is dependent on the size and shape of the
work piece as well as its composition.
After the time required for austenite formation, the material is rapidly cooled by quenching. Most
often, quenching is accomplished by immersing the material in oil or water although air quenching is
also used. Under conditions of rapid cooling, austenite transforms into an unstable (non
equilibrium) phase known as martensite. This phase is a supersaturated solution of carbon in iron in a
body centered tetragonal structure. Martensite is very hard, relatively brittle phase which provides
the ability of strengthening steel to very high levels. Quenching usually results in a structure
composed of martensite plus ferrite (solid solution of carbon in iron in body centered cubic
structure) and iron carbide (cementite). The proportions present after quenching depend on carbon
content and cooling rate. Higher carbon content and rapid cooling tend to produce larger
proportions of martensite.
Martensite is hard and brittle. In order to reduce brittleness, increase ductility, and relieve internal
stresses from rapid cooling step, the material is subjected to a second heating operation known as
tempering. The temperature for the tempering step must be below the austenite transformation
temperature and is usually between 400F and 800F. The resultant properties of the steel after
tempering depend on the time allowed for tempering as well as the temperature. In this lab, a
constant temperature will be used and the effect of tempering time on hardness will be investigated.

Figure 1: Iron-Carbon Phase Equilibrium diagram. (Source: Material Science and Metallurgy, 4th
edition, Pollack, Prentice-Hall 1988)

2. Hardenability: The Jominy Test

The Jominy end quench test is the most commonly used method for determining the hardenability
of steel. Hardenability is the relative capacity of steel to be hardened by transformation to
martensite. In this test, a standard specimen (octagonal cross-section bar stock) is heated to the
austenite range and quenched by impinging a stream of cold water on one end of the specimen while
the specimen is held in a vertical orientation. This procedure results in cooling rates ranging from
very rapid at the end impinged by the water to very slow at the opposite end. With the variation in
cooling rate along the length, a single specimen will be composed of material ranging from hard
martensite to soft pearlite.
The effect of cooling rate on the resultant structure of steel can be observed on a time-temperature
transformation diagram. A sample diagram is provided (Figure 2) that shows three cooling rates
resulting in cooling curves A, B, and C. Curve A represents conditions at the end of the Jominy
specimen nearest the water stream. The material at this end will be composed primarily of

martensite and should be relatively hard. Curve C is indicative of conditions farther along the bar
and indicates a softer composition which includes ferrite and pearlite.
The effect of cooling rate is evidenced by obtaining hardness measurements along the length of the
bar. A plot of hardness versus distance (Figure 3) is the standard method for presenting
hardenability data.

Figure 2: Effect of cooling rate on hardness

Figure 3: Effect of distance on hardness

Name:

Section:_

Group:_

Due Date:

Section II: Heat Treatment Exercise

The exercises of laboratory 2 investigate heat treatment techniques and measurement of hardness of
different specimen.
The instructor/TA will demonstrate heat treatment process and use of Rockwell hardness machine.
A. Steel Heat Treatment
The instructor/TA will provide samples of AISI 1080 steel. These samples were first heated to a
temperature of 1700F (Austenizing temperature for steel). One sample was quenched in water
and another in oil. For each sample, remove the scale formed during heat treatment using sand
paper or emery cloth. Using Rockwell tester, obtain and record five Rockwell C hardness
measurements on the polished and unpolished surface of each sample. Record these readings in
Table 1.
Table 1: Hardness Rockwell C for polished and scaled surfaces for heat treated AISI 1080 Steel

Measurement
Number
1
2
3
4
5

Water quenched
Polished
Scaled

Oil quenched
Polished
Scaled

The instructor will provide different samples from the above experiment that were placed in the
furnace preheated to 650F for 5 min, 10 min, 20 min and 30 min. These samples were then
allowed to cool in air. Measure the Rockwell C hardness on the cut surface of each sample and
record in Table 2.
Table 2: Hardness vs Tempering Time for AISI 1080 Steel austenized at 1700F and then tempered at
650F

Measurement
number

Water Quenched
Initial

5 mins

10 mins

20 mins

30 mins

Oil
Quenched
30 mins

1
2
3
4
5
B. Jominy Test
An AISI 1040 or 4140 alloy specimen will be given with indentations along the length. Use the
Rockwell hardness machine to measure Rockwell hardness values. Each measurement should be
made in the center of the flat area. Record the data in Table 3. Note: One person should
perform the hardness measurement while another person holds the specimen steady in position

on the machine. This will avoid erroneous reading caused by the overhanging weight of the
specimen.
Table 3: Hardness vs distance, Jominy test

Distance from Hardness

end
1040 Steel
1/16
57
1/8
55
3/16
55
1/4
56
5/16
55
3/8
52
7/16
52
1/2
48
9/16
49
5/8
50
11/16
48
3/4
45
13/16
43
7/8
43
15/16
41
1
39

4140 Steel
58
57
56
54
57
56
54
52
53
53
49
47
46
43
42
40

Distance from Hardness

end
1040 Steel
1-1/8
38
1-1/4
36
1-3/8
36
1-1/2
33
1-5/8
33
1-3/4
33
1-7/8
32
2
31
2-1/4
34
2-1/2
32
2-3/4
32
3
31
3-1/4
31
3-1/2
31
3-3/4
30
4
27

4140 Steel
40
39
37
36
34
36
34
33
33
33
32
34
32
31
31
30

Using the data obtained and recorded in the tables above, prepare a report which answers the
following questions.
1. What effect does surface scale have on hardness measurements ?
2. How does tempering time affect the hardness of AISI 1080 steel ?
3. What is the effect of cooling rate on hardness of 1040 and 4140 steel per the Jominy test ?
In support of your answers to these questions, include graphs as follows:
a) Mean hardness vs tempering time for water quenched 1080 steel
b) Hardness vs distance for both Jominy tests
c) Bar graph of Table 1 data showing 95% confidence intervals for each condition. Compute
mean hardness, sample standard deviation for each condition. Use small sample statistical
methods (n=5) and present in tabular for such as shown below. Show your calculations.
Treatment
Water-polished
Water-scale
Oil-polished
Oil-scaled

Mean Hardness

Standard Deviation

95% confidence limits