LOCALIZED INDUCTION HEATING FOR RESIDUAL STRESS OPTIMIZATION

• Main Authors: JOHNSON MICHAEL LYNN, HONG TAO, THOMPSON STEVEN R, LUDEWIG HOWARD W, HU ZHAOLIN, DIEZ FERNANDO MARTINEZ, PATEL KANDRAP SIDDHARTHBAI, ZHAO PINGSHUN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 23.07.2009
• Subjects: ALLOYS; CHEMISTRY; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION ORPROCESSING OF GOODS; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUSMETALS OR ALLOYS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE BY DECARBURISATION, TEMPERING OR OTHERTREATMENTS; METALLURGY; METALLURGY OF IRON; MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS

An apparatus for the heat-treating of a heat-hardenable steel cruciform article having a weld seam includes a heating element to heat the weld seam to a point that an austenitic transformation occurs, and a quenching chamber to cool the weld seam, causing the formation of Martensite and an associated expansion. The quenching is rapid since slow quenching may allow a crystalline phase other than martensite to form. The apparatus may comprise rollers operable to convey the welded cruciform article through the apparatus at a speed such that the weld seam is subjected to heating for a predetermined heat time sufficient to cause a formation of martensite there within, and such that the heated portion reaches the quenching chamber and is quenched to create a substantial amount of martensite, e.g., an amount sufficient to cause expansion of the part.