Gas quenching and modelling of steel components with increased demands

Purpose and goal

The project´s objective is to use and develop advanced calculation tools to quickly and resource efficient adapt component loading and gas quenching parameters in connection with low-pressure carburizing. The calculation tools should predict hardening results and distortions, which will reduce the amount of practical testing, hard machining and scrap runs. CFD and FEM calculations will be used and adopted. Verification is an important part of the project and will be carried out both for the flow pattern in the quench chamber as well as change in distortion of the component.

Expected results and effects

The effect goal is to be able to sustainably manufacture new, complex and high-performance power-train-components by using calculation tools already in the design phase of a component to identify and improve geometries/product requirements that would otherwise be very difficult to manufacture. This will save both time and resources as well as contribute to being able to utilize the advantages of the LPC process, which both means a significantly lower environmental impact and flexible manufacturing thanks to the fact that the furnaces are modular.

Planned approach and implementation

The calculation tools are based on CFD calculations of flow conditions in gas quenching chambers at the component level as well as FEM calculations of the hardening of the steel during quenching, from hardening temperature to room temperature. The result is hardening results and shape changes and how they depend on process parameters, charging, steel type and component geometry. The project setup is based on selected company components to enable evaluation and demonstration of the results of the calculations with practical trials.