Identification Coding for Steel

Most general-purpose steels used for aircraft work are

wrought steel products.

In addition to the standard carbon and alloy steels, a

substantial number of heat and corrosion resistant steels
are used as well.
SAE – Society of Automotive Engineers

Table 1.3
Identification Code
From Table 1-3

Example : 10xx

 1st Digit
 Indicates general classification
 1 indicates carbon steel.
From Table 1-1

Example : 2330

Indicates approximate percentage

of the principal alloying element
 2nd Digit
3 indicate 3% nickel

 Last 2 digits Indicates approximate amount of

carbon in one-hundredths of 1%.
Identification Coding for Steel

A. For ordinary carbon steel, the higher the carbon content,

the greater is the hardness as well as brittleness.

B. High carbon steels are used for cutting tools, springs, etc.

CARBON Greater Hardness

And Brittleness
C. The most commonly used steel for aircraft structural purposes is SAE 4130
chromium- molybdenum (Chrome-moly) steel.

 When properly heat-treated, it is approximately four times as strong

as 1025 mild-carbon steel.

 The tensile strength of 4130 steel will range from 90,000 psi to more
than 180,000 psi depending upon heat treatment.
hardenable

easily machined heat treatable

SAE 4130
readily weldable easily worked

withstand high temperature

Identification Coding for Steel

The nickel-steels, SAE 23xx and 25xx contain from 3.5 to 5% nickel
and a small percentage of carbon.

The nickel increases the strength, hardness and elasticity of the

steel without affecting the ductility.

Nickel steel is used for making nuts, bolts, clevis pins and
screws.

Nickel-chromium and Chromium-Vanadium steels are used where

still greater strength, hardness, and toughness are required.

Such steels are often found in highly stressed machine parts,

such as gears, shafts, spring and bearings.
HEAT TREATMENT OF STEEL
The internal structure of most forms of steel can be varied by
carefully controlled cycles of heating and cooling known as…….

HEAT TREATMENT

The object of heat treatment is to produce certain properties

inherent in the untreated material and to reduce other
less desirable properties.
 925 o C

860 o AUSTENITE
906 o C 830 o

UCT 800 o 780 o

810 o
760 o

Ferrite + 745 o Cementite +

730 o Austenite
Austenite 727 o
725 o C
LCT 723 o C
FERRITE + PEARLITE Pearlite +
(Hypoeutectoid) Cementite
TEMP
(Hypereutectoid)

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1
CARBON CONTENT
 Heat Treatment Processes
 
The properties of steel can be varied over a
wide range by heat treatment.

 
The four main forms of heat
treatment used on steel are :

Annealing Hardening Normalising

Tempering
 The cycle of events in heat treating.

1.Controlled Heating 2.Soaking or Holding 3.Controlled Cooling

(Quenching)
The process of keeping
Heating metal to a metal at an evaluated
temperature Returning the metal
temperature for a definite
within or above it’s
period of time. to room
critical temperature.
temperature
So that it can become by means of air,
thoroughly saturated water, oil, brine.
with heat and the
necessary changes in
grain structure can
take place.
 

ANNEALING is a softening process

1) To relieve internal stress.

2) To bring the steel to the softest possible condition when cold.

 

3) To refine grain structure.

 TWO METHODS OF ANNEALING

1. Full Annealing

• Heat steel to between 300 and 500 C. above UCT of the steel
• Soak at this temperature approximately ½ to 1 hr. per inch thickness( To permit
recrystallization to occur).
• Cool the steel very slowly by leaving it in the steel furnace and switch –off the
furnace

2. Process Annealing

 
•                     Heat
steel to between 5200 and 6200 C.
•       Soak at this temperature ( To permit recrystallisation to occur).
•       Cool the steel very slowly.
NORMALISING
 The purpose for normalizing is to :

• Produce maximum refinement of the grain structure.

• Relieve stress set up by machining, welding, etc.

Normalizing is also used prior to other heat treatment process to ensure a fine
grain structure.

The normalizing process consists of :

• Heating the steel to between 300 to 800 C above UCT.

• Soaking for ½ to 1hour per inch of thickness.
• Cooling in still air.
HARDENING
Hardening produces a fine grain structure, great hardness, maximum
tensile strength and minimum ductility.

* Heat steel above the critical temperature

The hardening process * Soak between 15 to 30 minutes
* Rapid quenching through suitable medium

Quenching medium used are :

~ Brine ( Salt Water or Sodium Chloride )

~ Water
~ Oil
~ Air
CASE HARDENING
 CASE HARDENING treatments are given to iron base alloys to produce a hard,
wear-resisting surface, and at the same time, to leave the core of metal tough.

Three common methods of case hardening.

Carburizing Nitriding Cyaniding

Accomplished by soaking This is a fast method of producing

Soak the metal at an evaluated special alloy steels at surface hardness.
temperature while in contact temperatures below the
with rich carbonaceous material. critical point in anhydrous The steel is immersed in a
ammonia. Molten bath of cyanide salt.

Nitrogen from the ammonia is absorbed or

into the surface of the steel as iron nitride
and produces hardness on the surface. Powdered cyanide may be
applied to the surface of the heated steel.
TEMPERING
 Tempering is often called drawing.

It relieve internal strain in hardened steel and increases its toughness.

Hardened steel is tempered to increase its toughness so that it will

not crack or fracture under heavy stress, vibration or impact.

Methods of tempering

1. Heat the metal to a temperature below the LCT.

2. Soak between 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. Cool in air or quenched in water, oil or brine.
The Purpose of Heat Treatment
 Heat treatment is the process used to hardens or strengthens metal.
 It will make the metal stronger and more resistant to impact
 Heat treatment also can make a metal softer and more ductile.
 The following are the types of heat treatment processes.

1. Hardening
Process, which makes steel harder.

2. Tempering

Process, which relieves internal strain in, hardened steel and thus
increases it’s toughness.
3. Annealing

Process, which is used to soften and improve machinability of

hardeners steel.

4. Normalizing

Process, which involves heating steel to the normalizing

temperature soaking it at this temperature for a period of time
and allowing it to cool in air.

5. Case Hardening

Process, which involves hardening a thin surface layer on

steel, while the inner layer remains quite soft.
END OF 6.1: