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Ultrasonic Fatigue Testing in the Tension-Compression Mode
Published on: March 7, 2018
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Fatigue Properties of Spring Steels after Advanced Processing
Radek Procházka1, Adam Stehlík1, Jakub Kotous1
1COMTES FHT a.s., Průmyslová 995, 334 41 Dobřany, Czech Republic.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 13, 2023
Summary
Strain-assisted tempering (SAT) significantly enhances the fatigue properties of 54SiCr6 steel springs. This advanced treatment improves static and cyclic performance, enabling lighter automotive components and better fuel efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
- Metallurgy
Background:
- 54SiCr6 steel is crucial for automotive coil springs due to its high strength and fatigue resistance.
- Current spring designs aim for weight reduction to improve fuel efficiency and vehicle dynamics.
- Enhancing the yield point and fatigue properties of spring steel is a key objective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of strain-assisted tempering (SAT) on the static and fatigue properties of 54SiCr6 steel.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of laser shock peening (LSP) in further improving the fatigue resistance of SAT-treated steel.
- To assess the potential for using SAT-treated steel in advanced automotive spring applications.
Main Methods:
- Application of large plastic deformation and strain-assisted tempering (SAT) to 54SiCr6 steel.
- Tensile tests and three-point bending (3PB) fatigue tests at ambient temperature.
- Advanced laser shock peening (LSP) process applied to SAT material for enhanced fatigue resistance.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements observed in both static and cyclic (fatigue) properties of 54SiCr6 steel after SAT.
- Laser shock peening (LSP) further increased the fatigue resistance of the strain-assisted tempered material.
- The treated material showed superior performance compared to conventionally treated commercial steel.
Conclusions:
- Strain-assisted tempering (SAT) is a highly effective method for enhancing the mechanical and fatigue properties of 54SiCr6 spring steel.
- The combination of SAT and LSP offers substantial improvements for automotive spring applications.
- Further research is needed to optimize material processing for specific applications, as current quality was insufficient for cold coiling.
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