QSA has been called by the customer to provide a retrofit of its quench tank using 2 different products ( polymer at low concentration and water+salt) with which he was getting either low hardenability in the cross section ( poor % of martensite at different locations) and high distortions and high risks of cracking .
The Challenge was:
QSA has been called by the customer to provide a retrofit of its quench tank using 2 different products ( polymer at low concentration and water+salt) with which he was getting either low hardenability in the cross section ( poor % of martensite at different locations) and high distortions and high risks of cracking . After survey by QSA technical team of the tank and its agitation, QSA accepted to provide a brand new technology of agitation totally different of the one used previously .
Once the new engineering has been completed the retrofit has been done within a limited time of 15 days in accordance of the customer specifications.
From the new start results have been drastically improved ( see reporting sheet) for all type of parts and all different grades of steel . Since that time the line is running without any problem of quenching quality
- To get 95% martensite minimum at 0,15 depth on front axle beam with SAE 1045 steel grade.
7 different locations were used for the checking .
Previous results were anything from 0,01’’ to 0,04’’ with very high variation.
- Results after QSA revamping has allowed to reach values of 95% martensite up to 0,6 ‘’ depth ( even in the thicker section)
but in any case to guaranty a minimum of 0,3’’ depth in any location of the part
