CHANGES IN METAL STRUCTURE AFFECT THE PROPERITES

AND FUNCTION OF METAL

MFET 3750
KELBY SAYER

INTRODUCTION
There are many different types of steel used in modern manufacturing today. Each type is
comprised of its own unique chemistry that is tailored to function in a certain way. In the
manufacturing of steel, elements and alloys are added to create certain characteristics of how the
steel performs under certain environments and conditions. For example, steel starts out as an iron
oxide. Coke and limestone are added to remove the oxygen and form a slag on top of the molten
metal. In this process, some carbon is left behind with the iron ore. The presence of carbon in
steel makes it harder, but too much carbon can make the steel brittle. Oxygen is added to the
molten steel to remove some of the carbon by bonding itself to the carbon molecules as it floats
to the surface. Aluminum is then added to bond with the oxygen to form aluminum oxide,
ensuring the steel is no longer oxidized. The steel now is comprised of the desired amount of
carbon for its application.
The process by which the steel is formed into its final shape also adds certain characteristics. Hot
rolled steel is formed into its shape above the recrystallization temperature (1700 F) allowing its
grain structure to settle after it is formed. The crystals separate when they are hot and regroup
while cooling down, forming large grain structure. Cold rolled steel is formed below the
recrystallization temperature, making its grain structure shrink and elongate as the metal is
compressed and stretched into shape. This makes cold rolled steel harder than hot rolled steel
because of its smaller grain structure.
OBJECTIVE
This lab examined how different forming techniques changed the mechanical properties of low
carbon steel. The forming processes were cold working and hot forming. The hot forming
process was used in two different ways with three different specimens. One specimen was
quenched while being formed, while the other two were slowly cooled to room temperature after
forming.
Understanding both hot rolled and cold rolled processes helped determine what would happen to
each specimen as it underwent its own forming process. The cold worked specimen would likely
have its grain structure forced together during the process, resulting in a harder metal than the
hot formed metal that cooled at room temperature. The hot formed specimen that was quenched
would likely be hardened too. This prediction was supported by the fact that the heat would
separate the crystals, while the quenching process rapidly cooled the specimen, forcing the

crystals to quickly form a grain structure in a short amount of time resulting in a small grain
structure.
MATERIALS

4 pieces of ASTM A36 steel

3/16x2x4
Heating torch
Tank of water for quenching
Hammer
Ear plugs

Safety glasses
Pliers
Gloves
Anvil
Bench vice

PROCEDURE

The first three specimens were hot formed and the fourth
specimen was cold worked. Each specimen was labeled with a
stamp according to its forming process. The first specimen was
heated by the torch until it was an orange color, indicating it was
approximately 2000 F. With the use of pliers, it was moved to
the anvil where it was repeatedly struck with a hammer, on both
sides, to begin forming a flat, blade-like end. Once the orange
color had faded from the steel, it was quenched in the tank of
water. It was reheated to its orange color and the process was
repeated until a 3/32 blade edge-width was achieved. Once the
blade edge-width was achieved, it was once more heated and
Figure 1 Specimen being struck
quenched. The second and third specimen were heated and
with hammer at approx. 2000 F.
formed in the same manner, only exempting the quenching
process. Figure 1 shows the forming process of the first three specimens. Once theyre
desired 3/32 blade-width was achieved, they were set aside on a brick to slow cool to
room temperature. The forth specimen was held with pliers on the anvil and was
repeatedly struck by the hammer on each side until it had reached its desired 3/32 bladewidth.

Once the hot worked specimen had all cooled to room temperature, all specimen were
moved over to a bench vice for further experimentation. A non-quenched specimen was
placed in the vice with the blade-like end facing up. The quenched specimen, being held
with pliers, was placed with the blade-like end down, at 90 to the non-quenched
specimen as shown in Figure 2. The quenched specimen was struck with a hammer
against the non-quenched specimen in the vice approximately four
times. Both specimen were removed and examined.

The other non-quenched specimen was placed in the vice in the same
fashion as the previous one. The cold worked specimen, being held
with pliers, was placed with the blade-like end down, at 90 to the nonquenched specimen. The cold worked specimen was struck with a
hammer against the non-quenched specimen in the vice approximately four times. Both
of these specimens were also removed and examined.
Figure 2
Placement of
specimen before
impact is shown.

RESULTS

Chart 1

S
p
Cold worked
e Non-quenched #2
c
Quenched
i
m Non-quenched #1
e
0
0.1
n
In inches

0.2

0.3

The quenched specimen was found to

be harder than the non-quenched specimen. When the quenched specimen was struck
with the hammer, it acted like a wedge and drove itself 1/4 into the non-quenched
specimen. The blade-like edge of the quenched specimen was left with minor deformity.

The cold worked specimen was also found to be harder than the non-quenched specimen.
When the cold worked specimen was struck with the hammer, it also acted like a wedge
and drove itself 3/16 into the non-quenched specimen. It also had minor deformity along
its blade-like edge, but more so than the quenched specimen. See Figure 3-4 and Chart
1.

Figure 3 Quenched and non-quenched specimens are

shown.

Figure 4 Non-quenched and cold worked specimens

are shown.

INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS

As predicted in the objective, the cold worked specimen acted as though its grain
structure was forced together during the process of cold working, resulting in being
harder than the non-quenched specimen. The hot formed specimen that was quenched
was hardened too because the heat separated the crystals and the quenching process
rapidly cooled the specimen. This forced the crystals to quickly form a grain structure in
a short amount of time resulting in a small grain structure, therefore being harder than the
non-quenched specimen. The quenched specimen must have forced the crystals to form
smaller grain structure than the cold worked piece had.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, it was observed that these two different forming techniques changed the
mechanical properties of ASTM A36 steel. Cold working the steel resulted in
compression of the grain structure, which increased its hardness. Likewise, hot forming
and quenching the steel also increased its hardness by separating the crystals with heat
and forcing them to quickly reassemble into small grain structures when it was quenched.
These theories should be observed when selecting steel for different applications that
require harder or more ductile materials. Also, it should be noted that rapid cooling rates
increase the hardness of steel. This information can be useful in many welding
applications where the material is required to stay somewhat ductile.