Atlas Copco Secoroc AB are searching after new bulk materials for drill heads that are used in percussive drilling in order to improve their strength and durability. The aim of this project is to assist Atlas Copco in this search and provide them with further information regarding material properties, alloying elements, suppliers, etc. A literary study was carried out in order to identify materials that had UTS and KIC more than or equal to 1700 MPa and 70 MPa*m1/2, respectively. Materials that fulfilled these criteria were T250 grade maraging steel, Cobalt free maraging steel, High cobalt maraging steel, 300 grade maraging steel, AerMet 100, AF1410, S53, M54, 300M, 4340M and PremoMet. These were categorized into maraging steels, high alloy secondary hardened steels, and low alloy steels, and were then further researched.  The material with the highest combination of UTS and KIC was M54 followed by AerMet 100; while AF1410 had the highest KIC but a low UTS, and PremoMet had the highest UTS but a low KIC. Maraging steels and HASH steels have a similar price range, while low alloy steels are much cheaper.

Atlas Copco Secoroc AB are searching after new bulk materials for drill heads that are used in percussive drilling in order to improve their strength and durability. The aim of this project is to assist Atlas Copco in this search and provide them with further information regarding material properties, alloying elements, suppliers, etc. A literary study was carried out in order to identify materials that had UTS and KIC more than or equal to 1700 MPa and 70 MPa*m^1/2, respectively. Materials that fulfilled these criteria were T250 grade maraging steel, Cobalt free maraging steel, High cobalt maraging steel, 300 grade maraging steel, AerMet 100, AF1410, S53, M54, 300M, 4340M and PremoMet. These were categorized into maraging steels, high alloy secondary hardened steels, and low alloy steels, and were then further researched. The material with the highest combination of UTS and KIC was M54 followed by AerMet 100; while AF1410 had the highest KIC but a low UTS, and PremoMet had the highest UTS but a low KIC. Maraging steels and HASH steels have a similar price range, while low alloy steels are much cheaper.

A aplicação de aços de alta resistência está fortemente difundida na indústria mecânica, principalmente em aplicações onde a redução de peso é importante, como por exemplo, a indústria de implementos rodoviários e maquinários agrícolas. Esta dissertação visa analisar a influência de diferentes aportes térmicos no comportamento microestrutural e mecânico de juntas soldadas através do processo MAG de modo a obter juntas com propriedades otimizadas. Para este estudo foram utilizadas chapas metálicas com espessura de 3 mm do aço de alta resistência e baixa liga USI LNE700. Os parâmetros nominais de energia de soldagem foram variados de acordo com os valores descritos pelo fornecedor SSAB. O processo de soldagem foi realizado com o auxílio de um sistema robotizado para manter a homogeneidade ao longo da junta, distância e posicionamento correto no comprimento total da junta soldada. Os ensaios para verificação do comportamento microestrutural e mecânico foram realizados com auxílio de microscopia ótica, perfis de microdureza e ensaios de tração. Buscaram-se utilizar aportes térmicos reduzidos para minimizar os efeitos de revenimento da martensita presente no metal de base, um dos principais responsáveis pela redução das propriedades mecânicas da junta soldada. Os resultados não mostraram significativa variações na microestrutura e propriedades de tração do material, porém o preenchimento da junta soldada formada apresenta um comportamento diretamente proporcional à energia de soldagem. / The application of high strength steels is strongly diffused in the engineering industry, especially in applications where weight reduction is important, such as the industry of agricultural machines and trailers industry. This investigation aims to analyze the influence of different heat inputs on microstructural and mechanical behavior of joint welded by GMAW in order to obtain joints with optimized properties. Sheet metal with a thickness of 3 mm high strength low alloy steel LNE700 (supplier Usiminas) were used. The welding energy was varied around the nominal value informed by the steel supplier SSAB for this study. The welding process was made using robotic system to maintain homogeneity along the joint, right distance and position during the total weld joint length. The microstructural and mechanical behaviors were performed with the optical microscope, microhardness profile and traction test. We attempted to use lower heat inputs to minimize the effects of tempering of martensite present in the base metal, a major contributor to the reduction of the mechanical properties of the welded joint. The results did not show significant microestructural and tensile properties variation, however, when the welding energy is increased, the welded joint penetration formed was increased as well.

The objective of this thesis is to further understand the austenite Abnormal Grain Growth (AGG) phenomenon in relation with precipitation state in a low alloy steel. The abnormal grain growth is addressed from both experimental and numerical modeling point of view. Prior austenite grain size distribution, precipitation volume fraction and size distribution evolution of the different heat treated states are experimentally determined for two different industrial alloys (steel-A and steel-B) in different heat treated states and experimental results are compared with model predictions. A two-step modeling technique is adopted in this study: precipitation modeling and abnormal/normal grain growth modeling. The abnormal/normal grain growth modeling is done using a simplified analytical model where the grain growth is assumed to be driven by the decrease in interfacial energy. Both the conventional Zener pinning and corner pinning by precipitate is considered as boundary movement retarding forces. The precipitation model is based on the Classical Nucleation and Growth Theories. The assumption of homogeneous precipitate nucleation and growth gave a good prediction of volume fraction, mean radius and size distribution in comparison with the experimental results. Two coupled modeling approaches of abnormal grain growth and precipitation model: ①Soft coupling and ②Dynamic coupling; shed light on the different physical parameters controlling the grain growth condition in a particular material's state. A reasonable prediction of AGG and NGG is obtained from both approaches. The dynamic coupled modeling enabled us to paint a comprehensive time-temperature mechanism map of grain growth conditions. It is found that AGG in the austenitic state depends strongly on the initial grain size distribution and precipitation state. The modeling and the experimental results showed that the precipitation state evolution (increasing or decreasing volume fraction) also impact normal/abnormal grain growth. Plausible explanations in relation with the mean austenite grain size and the precipitation state are derived for the AGG phenomenon from the present work.

High strain rate plastic deformation of metals results in the formation of localized zones of severe shear strain known as adiabatic shear bands (ASBs), which are a precursor to shear failure. The formation of ASBs in a high-strength low alloy steel, namely AISI 4340, was examined based on prior heat treatments (using different austenization and tempering temperatures), testing temperatures, and impact strain rates in order to map out grain size and grain deformation behaviour during the formation of ASBs. In the current experimental investigation, ASB formation was shown to be a microstructural phenomenon which depends on microstructural properties such as grain size, shape, orientation, and distribution of phases and hard particles—all controlled by the heat treatment process. Each grain is unique and its material properties are heterogeneous (based on its size, shape, and the complexity of the microstructure within the grain). Using measurements of grain size at various heat treatments as well as dynamic stress-strain data, a finite element model was developed using Matlab and explicit dynamic software LSDYNA to simulate the microstructural deformation of grains during the formation of ASBs. The model simulates the geometrical grain microstructure of steel in 2D using the Voronoi Tessellation algorithm and takes into account grain size, shape, orientation, and microstructural material property inhomogeneity between the grains and grain boundaries. The model takes advantage of the Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) meshless method to simulate highly localized deformation as well as the Johnson-Cook Plasticity material model for defining the behavior of the steel at various heat treatments under high strain rate deformation.The Grain Model provides a superior representation of the kinematics of ASB formation on the microstructural level, based on grain size, shape and orientation. It is able to simulate the microstructural mechanism of ASB formation and grain refinement in AISI 4340 steel, more accurately and realistically than traditional macroscopic models, for a wide range of heat treatment and testing conditions.

A aplicação de aços de alta resistência está fortemente difundida na indústria mecânica, principalmente em aplicações onde a redução de peso é importante, como por exemplo, a indústria de implementos rodoviários e maquinários agrícolas. Esta dissertação visa analisar a influência de diferentes aportes térmicos no comportamento microestrutural e mecânico de juntas soldadas através do processo MAG de modo a obter juntas com propriedades otimizadas. Para este estudo foram utilizadas chapas metálicas com espessura de 3 mm do aço de alta resistência e baixa liga USI LNE700. Os parâmetros nominais de energia de soldagem foram variados de acordo com os valores descritos pelo fornecedor SSAB. O processo de soldagem foi realizado com o auxílio de um sistema robotizado para manter a homogeneidade ao longo da junta, distância e posicionamento correto no comprimento total da junta soldada. Os ensaios para verificação do comportamento microestrutural e mecânico foram realizados com auxílio de microscopia ótica, perfis de microdureza e ensaios de tração. Buscaram-se utilizar aportes térmicos reduzidos para minimizar os efeitos de revenimento da martensita presente no metal de base, um dos principais responsáveis pela redução das propriedades mecânicas da junta soldada. Os resultados não mostraram significativa variações na microestrutura e propriedades de tração do material, porém o preenchimento da junta soldada formada apresenta um comportamento diretamente proporcional à energia de soldagem. / The application of high strength steels is strongly diffused in the engineering industry, especially in applications where weight reduction is important, such as the industry of agricultural machines and trailers industry. This investigation aims to analyze the influence of different heat inputs on microstructural and mechanical behavior of joint welded by GMAW in order to obtain joints with optimized properties. Sheet metal with a thickness of 3 mm high strength low alloy steel LNE700 (supplier Usiminas) were used. The welding energy was varied around the nominal value informed by the steel supplier SSAB for this study. The welding process was made using robotic system to maintain homogeneity along the joint, right distance and position during the total weld joint length. The microstructural and mechanical behaviors were performed with the optical microscope, microhardness profile and traction test. We attempted to use lower heat inputs to minimize the effects of tempering of martensite present in the base metal, a major contributor to the reduction of the mechanical properties of the welded joint. The results did not show significant microestructural and tensile properties variation, however, when the welding energy is increased, the welded joint penetration formed was increased as well.

A aplicação de aços de alta resistência está fortemente difundida na indústria mecânica, principalmente em aplicações onde a redução de peso é importante, como por exemplo, a indústria de implementos rodoviários e maquinários agrícolas. Esta dissertação visa analisar a influência de diferentes aportes térmicos no comportamento microestrutural e mecânico de juntas soldadas através do processo MAG de modo a obter juntas com propriedades otimizadas. Para este estudo foram utilizadas chapas metálicas com espessura de 3 mm do aço de alta resistência e baixa liga USI LNE700. Os parâmetros nominais de energia de soldagem foram variados de acordo com os valores descritos pelo fornecedor SSAB. O processo de soldagem foi realizado com o auxílio de um sistema robotizado para manter a homogeneidade ao longo da junta, distância e posicionamento correto no comprimento total da junta soldada. Os ensaios para verificação do comportamento microestrutural e mecânico foram realizados com auxílio de microscopia ótica, perfis de microdureza e ensaios de tração. Buscaram-se utilizar aportes térmicos reduzidos para minimizar os efeitos de revenimento da martensita presente no metal de base, um dos principais responsáveis pela redução das propriedades mecânicas da junta soldada. Os resultados não mostraram significativa variações na microestrutura e propriedades de tração do material, porém o preenchimento da junta soldada formada apresenta um comportamento diretamente proporcional à energia de soldagem. / The application of high strength steels is strongly diffused in the engineering industry, especially in applications where weight reduction is important, such as the industry of agricultural machines and trailers industry. This investigation aims to analyze the influence of different heat inputs on microstructural and mechanical behavior of joint welded by GMAW in order to obtain joints with optimized properties. Sheet metal with a thickness of 3 mm high strength low alloy steel LNE700 (supplier Usiminas) were used. The welding energy was varied around the nominal value informed by the steel supplier SSAB for this study. The welding process was made using robotic system to maintain homogeneity along the joint, right distance and position during the total weld joint length. The microstructural and mechanical behaviors were performed with the optical microscope, microhardness profile and traction test. We attempted to use lower heat inputs to minimize the effects of tempering of martensite present in the base metal, a major contributor to the reduction of the mechanical properties of the welded joint. The results did not show significant microestructural and tensile properties variation, however, when the welding energy is increased, the welded joint penetration formed was increased as well.

Next generation defense and commercial applications for structural steels require new alloys that eliminate or reduce critical elements from their composition to lower cost and improve manufacturability, while maintaining or exceeding high strength and toughness requirements. A new alloy, denoted as AF9628, has recently been developed for this purpose and its manufacturing characteristics and the material response in component manufacturing must be fully understood. In the present study, hardened AF9628 alloy was turned with a coated carbide cutting tool under fixed cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut parameters. This work focuses on chip-form and tool-wear analysis to understand, for the first time with AF9628, these fundamental aspects of the turning process and their relationship to productivity and part quality. Current industry standard practice of flood-cooled machining for AF9628 was used during machining experiments. Dry, minimum quantity lubrication (MQL), and cryogenic machining were investigated as alternative cooling and lubrication conditions. High-speed imaging during AF9628 turning experiments provides a new insight into the chip formation process, while the use of optical microscopy and scanning white light interferometry allowed for further characterization of chip-form and tool-wear. Chip-form is favorable as short, arc-shaped chips with new tools under all of the tested cooling and lubrication conditions. As a result of rapid wear at the end of the tool-life in all of the experimental conditions, chip-form evolves to unfavorably long, snarled ribbon-like chips and the resultant cutting force increased by as much as 64% under flood-cooled conditions. Tool-wear types that were observed during experiments include a combination of nose wear, built-up edge, plastic deformation, and groove wear on the rake face. Due to the fixed cutting parameters and cutting tool selected for this study, which were designed for flood-cooled machining in a prior study, undesirable failure of the cutting tools under dry, MQL, and cryogenic machining occurred. Future work requires experimentation across a wider processing space, and with different cutting tools, to thoroughly evaluate alternative cooling and lubrication techniques for machining AF9628.

O presente trabalho avalia e compara os resultados da tenacidade à fratura da zona termicamente afetada (ZTA) de soldas múltiplos passes por meio de ensaios de CTOD. Para este estudo, foi utilizado um aço alta resistência e baixa liga (ARBL) resistente à corrosão ambiental. As soldas foram realizadas com insumo de calor de 30 e 50 kJ/cm em um chanfro 1/2 K. Os resultados dos ensaios de CTOD mostraram que a solda produzida com maior insumo de calor apresenta tenacidade à fratura mais elevada. A análise microestrutural revelou que as microestruturas de elevada dureza e baixa tenacidade, formadas na ZTA de granulação grosseira, para a condição de 30 kJ/cm, deram lugar às microestruturas de tenacidade mais elevada, para o insumo de calor de 50 kJ/cm. / In this work the fracture toughness results of the heat affected zone (HAZ) in a multiple pass welds using a crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) concept were evaluated and compared. It was used an ambiental resistent high strengh low alloy steel. The welds were carried out using a heat input of 30 and 50 kJ/cm in a bevel preparation 1/2 K. The results of CTOD testing showed that increasing heat input, caused an improvement in the weldments fracture toughness. Microstructural analysis revealed that the high hardness and low toughness microstructures formed at coarse grain HAZ, near fusion line, for welding condition 30 kJ/cm were changed to higher toughness microstructure using a heat input of 50 kJ/cm.

L'objectif de cette thèse est d’approfondir la compréhension des relations entre la croissance anormale des grains austénitiques et l'état de précipitation dans un acier faiblement allié. La croissance anormale est le grossissement excessif d’un petit nombre de grains conduisant à une détérioration des propriétés mécaniques. La distribution de taille des grains d'austénite, la fraction volumique de précipités et l'évolution de leur distribution de taille ont étés expérimentalement caractérisés pour différents traitements thermiques et pour deux aciers industriels (acier A et acier B). La modélisation a été réalisée en deux étapes : modélisation de l’état de précipitation et modélisation de la croissance anormale/normale des grains. Les résultats de la modélisation ont étés comparés aux résultats expérimentaux. Le modèle de croissance des grains est basé sur l’hypothèse que la croissance des grains est régie par la diminution de l'énergie d’interface. Les précipités créent une force d’ancrage conventionnelle de Zener ainsi qu’une force d’ancrage de joints de grains, qui retardent la croissance de grains. Le modèle de précipitation est basé sur les théories classiques de nucléation et de croissance (CNGTs). Si la taille des grains austénitiques est supérieure à 3µm, l’hypothèse d’une précipitation homogène permet d’obtenir un bon accord entre les résultats numériques et les résultats expérimentaux (distribution de taille de précipités, fraction volumique). Si la taille des grains est inférieure à 3µm, la présence de précipitation hétérogène a été prise en compte. Le modèle de précipitation a été couplé par deux approches différentes au modèle de croissance de grains ; un couplage ‘doux’ et un couplage ‘ dur’. Ces deux approches ont permis de faire la lumière sur les différents paramètres physiques qui contrôlent la croissance de grains pour un état structural donné. Une bonne prédiction du mode de croissance (normale ou anormale) a été obtenue. Le couplage dynamique a permis de tracer une représentation temps/température claire du mode de croissance des grains. Il a été montré que si la croissance anormale des grains d’austénite dépend fortement de l’état initial de précipitation ainsi que de la taille initiale des grains, l’évolution de la fraction volumique des précipités lors du traitement thermique joue un rôle prépondérant sur le mode de croissance. Les résultats de cette étude ont permis d’expliquer l’influence de l’état de précipitation et de la taille des grains sur la croissance anormale. / The objective of this thesis is to further understand the austenite Abnormal Grain Growth (AGG) phenomenon in relation with precipitation state in a low alloy steel. The abnormal grain growth is addressed from both experimental and numerical modeling point of view. Prior austenite grain size distribution, precipitation volume fraction and size distribution evolution of the different heat treated states are experimentally determined for two different industrial alloys (steel-A and steel-B) in different heat treated states and experimental results are compared with model predictions. A two-step modeling technique is adopted in this study: precipitation modeling and abnormal/normal grain growth modeling. The abnormal/normal grain growth modeling is done using a simplified analytical model where the grain growth is assumed to be driven by the decrease in interfacial energy. Both the conventional Zener pinning and corner pinning by precipitate is considered as boundary movement retarding forces. The precipitation model is based on the Classical Nucleation and Growth Theories. The assumption of homogeneous precipitate nucleation and growth gave a good prediction of volume fraction, mean radius and size distribution in comparison with the experimental results. Two coupled modeling approaches of abnormal grain growth and precipitation model: ①Soft coupling and ②Dynamic coupling; shed light on the different physical parameters controlling the grain growth condition in a particular material’s state. A reasonable prediction of AGG and NGG is obtained from both approaches. The dynamic coupled modeling enabled us to paint a comprehensive time-temperature mechanism map of grain growth conditions. It is found that AGG in the austenitic state depends strongly on the initial grain size distribution and precipitation state. The modeling and the experimental results showed that the precipitation state evolution (increasing or decreasing volume fraction) also impact normal/abnormal grain growth. Plausible explanations in relation with the mean austenite grain size and the precipitation state are derived for the AGG phenomenon from the present work.