Grade 35 Carbon Steel Heat Treatment
Grade 35 carbon steel is an alloy steel made from a combination of carbon and iron. It is generally used for automotive and truck parts and other applications involving parts that need to be particularly strong and resilient. It is often used in applications that require extremely tight tolerances. This can include screws and bolts, fasteners, casings, and heavy machinery parts. Grade 35 steel is typically weldable and it can be machined and cold-formed. Its also heat treatable and can even be hardenable by precipitation hardening, a hardening process used to increase strength and hardness. The heat treatment process for Grade 35 steel includes quenching and tempering, as well as the addition of a tempering process, in order to achieve desired mechanical properties.
The quenching and tempering process involves heating the steel to the austenitizing temperature, which is generally between 860 and 900℃, then rapidly quenching it in a suitable medium in order to fully and rapidly cool it. When done properly, this will cause the steel to transform into a martensitic microstructure. To further adjust the microstructure and to alter the properties of the steel, it may also be necessary to perform a tempering process following the quenching. Tempering is done by reheating the steel to temperatures between 120 and 730℃ and then allowing it to cool in the air. The amount of tempering used depends on the application the steel is being used for.
For Grade 35 carbon steel, the heat treatment process typically includes an austenitizing temperature of 860℃, followed by a quenching and tempering process that involves a tempering temperature of 180℃. During this heat treatment process, the microstructure of the steel will likely be composed of ferrite, pearlite, and Martensite.
Due to the ferrite and pearlite present in Grade 35 carbon steel, it has a good strength-to-weight ratio and is therefore preferred in many applications. As this steel is heat treatable, hardening can also be achieved by precipitation hardening, which involves subjecting the steel to a solution heat treatment followed by a precipitation heat treatment. This is a process that increases the strength and hardness of the steel without having to add any additional materials to it.
The heat treatment process used for Grade 35 carbon steel is designed to increase its strength and durability by altering its microstructure, making it more resistant to wear and abrasion. Its relatively high strength-to-weight ratio and its ability to be hardened and strengthened make it a good choice for many applications, including automotive and truck parts, heavy machinery parts, and tools.
