PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS IN BARS AND FORGINGS THROUGH MICROALLOYING AND INCLUSION ENGINEERING.
Abstract
The search for higher strengths, elimination or abbreviation of heat treatments, simplified cold finishing or machining operations and improved toughness has been combined with a concern for other end-user properties such as machinability and weldability. The result has been an integrated approach including selection of microstructure and transformation conditions, thermomechanical processing and inclusion engineering via control of deoxidation and solidification processes. Some of the steels developed through this approach are reviewed.