Numerical simulation of intensive quenching process and experimental validation for 40Cr

Abstract

To study the evolution of temperature, microstructure, and stress in the intensive quenching process, as well as the mechanism of low probability of cracking in this process, a numerical simulation of the intensive quenching of 40Cr impact specimens is carried out using the simulation software DEFORM. A two-stage intensive quenching process is designed to investigate the effect of different cooling rates of the second half of the process on the surface residual compressive stress. Finally, the numerical simulation is experimentally validated by intensive quenching experiments. The results indicate that the surface layer of the intensive quenching workpiece presents compressive stress, and the core presents tensile stress; the average thickness of the surface layer of compressive stress is 1.5mm. The cooling of the intensive quenching process presents the characteristics of layer-by-layer, and the microstructure transformation also presents the characteristics of layer-by-layer. This characteristic plays a significant role in compressive stress on the surface. For the two-stage intensive quenching process, the results of simulation indicate that the compressive stress in the surface layer of the workpiece increases with the increase of the cooling rate on the surface in the second half of the process.

Keywords

intensive quenching / finite element simulation / cooling rate / residual stress / layer-by-layer cooling / surface compressive stress / two-stage quench

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Central South University