Investigation of Mechanical and Internal Structure Properties of 1040 Steel After Heat Treatments

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

This study aims to compare two heat treatment techniques—high-frequency induction and conventional furnace heating—applied to AISI 1040 medium-carbon steel. The effects on surface hardness, microstructure, and energy efficiency were evaluated under controlled thermal conditions at 950 °C followed by water quenching. A total of six samples were examined, varying in heating durations from 2 to 10 minutes for induction and 60 minutes for furnace treatment. A 4-minute induction process was found to be the most efficient, providing the highest surface hardness (647 HV), optimal martensitic depth (172.75 µm), and 33% lower energy consumption compared to the furnace-treated sample (613 HV). Microstructural analysis revealed a dense martensitic layer near the surface for induction-treated samples, while furnace-treated specimens exhibited a uniform ferrite–pearlite structure. This makes short-duration induction hardening a cost-effective and technically superior surface treatment strategy for medium-carbon steels.