USE OF DIRECT QUENCHING AS AN ALTERNATIVE IN AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS MANUFACTURING

Abstract

This work has the aim to evaluate the replacement of quenching and hardening thermal treatment by direct quenching of forged safety washer component, to ensure and to maintain the mechanical properties of the products associated with competitive manufacturing costs. Supporting that, a statistical tool was used to delineate the processing routes, and forging tests were conducted at industrial scale. The effect of the different processing routes on the forged product was investigated through Finite Element Method and metallurgical analysis of the final product. The results showed the viability of the direct quenching with technical and economical advantages, once the control of the process parameters are guaranteed.

Keywords

• Direct quenching; Hot forging; Controlled cooling.