Influence of Heat Treatment on Residual Stress in Cold-Forged Parts

Abstract

Residual stresses are those stresses that remain in a body when there is no external load applied. Numerous factors can induce residual stresses in the material, including cold forming. Thermal treatments of steel are widely used because they can improve the mechanical properties of the steel, such as toughness, tenacity, and resistance; however, thermal treatments can also produce residual stresses. This study aims to analyze the residual stresses present in a cold-forged part after heat treatments. Half-cylinder samples of AISI 1045 steel were cold-forged, and a wedge tool was pressed into their surface, causing a strain gradient. The samples were then heat-treated by annealing, normalizing, quenching, or quenching and tempering. A numerical simulation was also performed to aid in choosing the measurement points in the samples. The results show that residual stresses are dependent on the heat treatment and on the intensity and nature of previous residual stresses in the body.