LOW DISTORTION INTENSIVE QUENCH OF LOW-ALLOY HIGH HARDENABILITY STEEL

This work aims to compare methods of quenchant delivery between an intensive quench (IQ) system and forced convection bath (FCB) systems. 4340 billets were machined, austenized, quenched, and examined for distortion. The parts were then sectioned for hardness, and the microstructure was characterized by light optical microscopy. The results show that spray pattern arrangement is critical for effectively quenching the part without distortion or cracking and that the IQ process can be used with more versatility to quench highly hardenable castings without cracking.