80ms Bainite Transformation

Rapid Heating & Water Quenching

Low, Medium, & High Carbon Steel
• My name is Gary M. Cola, Jr.

• BSME, Lawrence Institute of Technology in Southfield,

Michigan in 1988

• The next 4 ½ years, I developed Monte Carlo 3-

Dimensional tolerance analysis software.

• As a consultant, I reviewed manufacturing concerns on

projects such as the FEAD belt alignment of the first
Viper engines at JTE, Ford engine imbalance
harmonics, GM tire clearance modeling through the
suspension and body, and the ink alignment of Xerox’s
first successful prototype color copier.

• I started Master CNC, a machine shop, in 1993 to serve

the Metro Detroit Tooling Industry.
 Flash Bainite
„ SFP Works, LLC has developed an evolutionary,
new Maximum Strength Steel microstructure
with never before seen mechanical properties.

„ Flash Bainite combines the most desired

mechanical properties of today’s best
commercial martensitic and bainitic high
strength steels and develops some of its own.

„ Flash Bainite Processing challenges 75 years of

metallurgical knowledge to create the strongest,
most ductile, readily weldable, LEAST EXPENSIVE
Maximum Strength Steel ever, in just 3 seconds
w/ little energy and minimal capital equipment.
Simple Multi-Patent Pending
Flash Processing Apparatus
¾ Sheet Feed Rollers

9Highly Energy Efficient

Oxy/Propane Rapid
Austenizing Heaters

9Environmentally Friendly
Flowing Water Quench

¾ Sheet Draw Rollers (I-Beam,

Tubing, Wire, etc possible)
Already Recognized by world’s leading
Researchers, Universities, and Industry
Flash Bainite has been created in common steels with
carbon contents ranging from 0.04% to 0.74%wt.
Sixteen vastly different low, medium, and high carbon
steels have an almost identical instantaneous
transformation curve.
The time between
the Bainite Start (Bs)
and Finish (Bf)
temperatures is
interpreted to be 80
milliseconds.
Neither isothermal
holding (TTT) nor
traditional continuous
cooling (CCT) occurs
during this bainitic
transformation.
 AISI8620 Flash Bainite (left) compared to austempered
8620 alloy w/ 1.7%wt cobalt & 0.6%wt aluminum (right).
Note the complete transformation of Flash Bainite.
A 8
I 6
S 2
I 0
8 C
6 O
2 A
0 flash austemper L
The 8620 alloy, even with Co and Al added to accelerate
nucleation, still yields an incomplete transformation
matrix with weak retained austenite.
May07 Automotive Eng Int printed that by MY2012, 56%
of vehicle steel will be <61KSI. 36% will be 62-113KSI.
Formable & weldable Flash Bainite is 2-4x stronger to
make Vehicles 100s of pounds lighter AND safer.

Future designs
should consider
performance of
the component
and its forming
operation as the
main priority to
achieve goals.

AISI8620 Flash Bainite w/ 246KSI Tensile

Strength @ 7.3% Elongation (Stretch)
Austempering vs Flash Processing
„ Typically 30 minutes to „ Just a few seconds
commercially process parts „ Minimal thermal energy to
„ Costly thermal energy to instantly heat 1800-2350ºF
heat 15 minutes@1600ºF „ Water quench is
„ 650ºF molten salt quench environmentally friendly
consumes yet more energy „ Very wide parts of almost
„ Limited to small parts due infinite length possible
to oven/salt bath size „ Complete transformation
„ Incomplete transformation increases hardness
creates weak retained „ Low, medium, and high
austenite carbon steels readily
„ Typical successfully convert to Flash Bainite
austempered medium „ Low carbon steels are
carbon steels weld poorly readily weldable
Variable Thickness Blanks with
Patterns of Microstructure
ƒ Highly austenized steel
stretches easily. With draw
control, multiple thicknesses
with abrupt or tapered
changes can be created.
ƒ By controlling localized heat
intensity, multiple differing
microstructures can result.
Unheated areas leave mill
spec properties unchanged.
ƒ Both techniques can be
applied in combination.
Flash Processed Bainitic AISI8620
has attained 245.7KSI (1800MPa)
while maintaining 7.3% elongation.
AND retains 65% of its strength after
multiple thermal cycles to 1000ºF.
Knowing how parts are
pressure formed, think
what can be done with
a 0.20%wt carbon
Bainitic Steel that is
still >150KSI after being
fully tempered at the
steel mill and then
“Warm Formed”.
Note: AISI8620 is not even a steel
designed to re-harden upon air cooling.
Die Quenching vs “Warm Forming”
„ 5 minute heat to 1800ºF
„ Deep vertical sections
do not quench properly
due to poor die contact
„ Quality control for safety
critical parts is done by
checking Rockwell C
„ Untempered martensite
„ The cost/availability of
Boron steels and die
quenching is?
„ Much lower forming
temperatures
„ Microstructural quality
control at steel mill
„ Fully tempered bainite
„ Secondary operations for
multiple hits, restrikes,
flanging, and hemming
„ Again, any low, medium,
or high carbon steel
readily transforms to
Flash Bainite
AISI4130 Flash Bainite with Tensile Strength of
268.5KSI(1850MPa) @ 6.3% Elongation, taken
mid-section from an 8mm thick bar.
Pieces of steel can be welded
together and then Flash Processed.
Both the joined components and the
Weld Seam become Flash Bainite.
Flash Bainite has fully
nucleated in the weld
seams from 1mm to 8mm
thick thus far.
Matching chemistry, weld
seam strength maintains
93% of that of adjacent
mill spec steel with
NO Heat Affected Zone.
AISI4130 Flash Bainite Weld Seam with Strength
of 249KSI(1717MPa) @ 3.4% Elongation, taken
mid-section from an 8mm thick bar.
 Assemblies of Hardened
Steel are currently
constructed of many smaller
panels
Rivets, Bolts, & Welding are just
a few of the ways

Many thick contoured soft pieces can now be

welded together and
transformed into a Single Panel of Strong,
Ductile Flash Bainite
with NO Heat Affected Zones
 45% Stronger than Current Steel Armor
Armor Plate, Slat Armor, Axles, Frame Rails,
Drive Shafts, Springs, Tubular Spaceframes,
Cables, Perimeter Fences, Guard Shacks, …

TARDEC, OEMS, & AUTOSTEEL have seen us

Great Interest & Testing is Underway
 Vehicles sometimes carry a
much heavier burden than
they were initially designed for.
• Sheet, plate, bar, and hollow
tubing have been transformed
into Flash Bainite.
• Preformed 60-80KSI frame rails
could be Flash Processed into
160 to 270KSI, and still retain
7.5% Reserve Elongation.
• Oxy-propane flames are just
one way to rapidly heat steel.
• Heat/Quench from only one
side, including water spray.
 Current/Future Capabilities
„ Now We Can „ Soon We Will
„ Flash Process 1mm-2.5mm „ 0.25mm to 25mm thick?
thick by 75mm wide by the „ 3/4” diameter tubing
length of the coil „ Width to match machine
„ OR 8mm thick by 33mm size and heating method
wide by length of the bar with unlimited length
„ Continuously vary the Flash „ Induction heat
Processed steel’s gauge „ Replace Laser Welded
„ Create patterns of different blanks on components
steel microstructures by „ Components with
varying heat intensity microstructurally
„ BUT prototype through-put patterned crumple zones
is limited by a two stage „ Thick Welded Assemblies
oxy-propane regulator without weak HAZs
How much in our World is made of Steel?
Sheet, plate, bar, and tubing have been
transformed to Flash Bainite.

Angles and I-beams are simple. The Blue Water Bridge

shows the strength of old steel (back) vs current steel
(fore). Flash Bainite is far stronger than both, with
ductility!
Flash Processes have
patents pending in
more than 95% of the
industrial world.

The basic technology is

already globally known and
ready to be applied for very
reasonable terms, far less
than the total savings that
will be realized.
What is Next?
Vehicles could be made many hundreds
of pounds lighter, saving hundreds of
dollars in steel costs alone.

The technology has now gone far beyond

Proof of Principle. Parts must be made.
Vehicles must be tested.

Flash Bainite is the very product that the

US Automotive and Steel Industries have
sought for the last 20 years.
 Strength, Ductility, & Benefits of
Titanium at the Cost of Steel
„ Titanium-38644 density „ Low Carbon Flash Bainite
is 61% that of Steel has attained 245-270KSI
„ Widely used Titanium Tensile Strength with
Alloys have 150-180KSI 6.3 to 7.3% elongation.
Tensile Strength. „ 270KSI x 61% density ratio
„ High Strength Titanium = 165,000 pound load
Alloys maintain 6 to 8% „ At the same mass and only
elongation (stretch). 61% part volume, the
BUT … strength and ductility of
„ 20x the cost of Steel Flash Bainite matches
that of High Strength
„ 29% of available reserve Titanium Alloys at a
is under Russian Control. fraction of the cost and the
„ White Glove Welding familiarity of STEEL.
There are a great many
ways to prevent carbon
dioxide emissions.
Some are just easier,
and far less costly, to
implement than others.
 Flash Bainite is the Strongest, Most
Ductile, yet Inexpensive Steel ever.
Flash Bainite is made w/ little energy
from low grade steel in just 3 seconds.
Flash Bainite is as strong and ductile
as Titanium Alloys at 20x less cost.
Armor can be made much stronger,
Combat Systems will weigh far less,
and soldiers will be better protected.
™ Vehicles 100s of Lbs Lighter
Generate Far Less CO2
Michigan’s own Using Less Foreign Oil.
Independent SFP Works LLC needs Allies to
help Detroit Jobs, the US, & the World.
Congressional Funding is Needed
 Steel as Strong as Titanium
Low Grade Steel into Strongest EVER
3 Second Process, Very Eco-Friendly
Gary M. Cola, Jr. 11825 29 Mile Road
info@bainitesteel.com Washington Twp,__
Cell: (586) 453-4090 Michigan 48095
Fax: (586) 752-7161