Metallurgy in The Automotive Industry

METALLURGY IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Author(s): Ralph H. Sherry

Source: SAE Transactions , 1917, Vol. 12, PART II (1917), pp. 323-350
Published by: SAE International
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/44716432

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METALLURGY IN THE AUTOMOTIVE
INDUSTRY
By Ralph H. Sherry
( Non-Member )
Abstract
The author states that the purpose of the paper is

to outline that phase of metallurgical work per-
taining to the connection between the laboratory and
production in the automotive industry. Reasons are
cited for selecting certain designs for parts to facil-
itate machining, complete or partial case-hardening,
finishing and assembling. The next step is the choice
of materials, a subject which is treated at some
length. The author then takes up in turn the field
for standardization in steel specifications, inspection
of materials, physical testing of steels, uniformity of
composition of metals, heat-treating operations,
methods of carburizing, depths of case-hardening,
treatment after carburization, errors in overspeed-
ing hardening operations and drawing heat-treat-
ment at low temperatures. Types of pyrometers,
operations on hardened work, inspection for hardness
and selection of hardening equipment are some of the
other topics discussed. In conclusion, the author re-
fers to the payment of bonuses or the application of
piece-work rates to the hardening room and sum-
marizes the subject-matter of his paper.
The work of the metallurgist in the automotive indus-

try is closely connected with the main branches of manu-
facturing - engineering, experimental, purchasing, and
factory management. His own peculiar field, of course,
comprises the specifying, inspecting and testing of ma-
terial, and scientific control of the treatment of the
materials. Of the chemist is required analytical control
of the materials entering into the output and also of
those upon which the factory is dependent for pro-
duction. These functions have been well covered by
articles in scientific and trade journals. The con-
nection of the laboratory with production has not been
so thoroughly covered and it will be the purpose of this
paper to outline the main points of this phase of metal-
lurgical work.
SELECTION OF DESIGNS
The first step in the manufacture of automobiles is the

selection of designs for the parts. Here the designer
323

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324 THE SOCIETY OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS
is limited by the selling price of the machine and by

the ability of the shop to manufacture the part under
circumscribed conditions. This frequently leads to selec-
tion of certain standard designs on account of their sim-
plicity in machining. One, design of this kind is the
square end milled at the end of a round shaft, a design
belonging to the earliest days of manufacture and still
used in certain parts. It should be obvious that through
this operation the part is weakened and that the material
over and above that of the size of square end is simply
wasted. Upsetting the end of the shaft before milling,
thereby gaining more stock for the operation but not at
the expense of the shaft itself, will give more satisfactory
results. This operation necessarily leaves sharp comers
at these points, and, especially when case-hardened, grad-
ual fracture may occur under alternating stress. Many
cases of this kind have been observed and have fre-
quently been thought due to the material until it was
found that even with change of material there was no
improvement. Some of the reasons for this will be dis-
cussed later. In some designs this square end will give
perfect satisfaction until the weight of the machine is
increased and then breakage occurs. The only remedy
is to make some change in the design, as, for instance,
the substitution of splines for the square ends.
Certain other designs are peculiar to the individual
machine, brought out perhaps under production-stress.
In time trouble with the part occurs either in manufac-
ture or in service. In many cases of this kind a radical
change in design is required and where trouble is per-
sistent it will always be well to consider this point.
One of the fundamental principles of design is the
avoidance of nicks and sharp corners in parts under
alternating stress, yet there are few who are guiltless
under this head. Cases in point may be readily found
even at this late day. If there be doubt on this point,
a test can be made with a bar about half an inch wide
and one-quarter of an inch thick, of any steel of about
0.20 per cent carbon. Bend it back and forth in a vise
and note the number of bends required for fracture.
Take a similar bar three-eighths of an inch thick, nick
with a V to one-quarter inch and bend. In nearly all
cases fracture will occur on slight bending. Even
scratches may have a marked effect. Heavy rear-axle
drive shafts of the semi-floating type have been known
to break on account of tool marks. Of course, if the axle
is full-floating and under no alternating stress, rough

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METALLURGY IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY 325
tool marks are usually harmless. Grinding the first type

of shafts has generally been found to stop the trouble
instantly.
Parts may be designed properly with no nicks or sharp
corners only to give way in service through some fault
in manufacturing. In one case the machining operations
on a pivot axle were changed to permit easier machining,
and an apparently simple and proper method selected.
After cutting the radius at the head, the spindle was
machined from the smaller end toward the larger. The
surfaces produced did not coincide, the result being that
a small nick was left. These parts broke after very
short service. Eradication of this nick stopped the
trouble.
The eifect of nicks has been determined in the alter-
nating-stress test and it has been found that shafts
which have been ground smooth will run under a con-
siderably greater load without fracture than will shafts
with tool marks. In the latter case the critical load
will be found decidedly low. If the rough shaft is
stressed below the critical load, its life will be indefinite.
A slight increase in the load to just beyond the critical
stress, will result in rapid deterioration.
Another bad form of design is the location of drilled
or punched holes near the edges of parts under alternat-
ing stress, as, for instance, in frames and braces.
These are some of the most prominent points of design
in its eifect upon wearing quality. Another phase of
design which deserves mention is the necessity for its
coordination with the shop methods, a necessity which
is greatest in the case of partą that require harden-
ing. Frequently parts requiring partial hardening in a
way that is practically impossible are handed to the
hardening room. At times this trouble results from the
use of a bad design and the remedy is put up to the
hardener instead of to the designer.
In some cases the design is made to lower the cost
of machining or assembly. An illustration of this was
once noted in the design of a bolt about a half inch in
diameter. One end was drilled leaving a wall a little over
a sixteenth of an inch thick. A thread was cut in the
outer wall of the drilled end and carburizing deep enough
to permit grinding was called for. This meant carburiz-
ing practically all the way through and the result can
be left to the imagination.
For case-hardened work especially, sharp ends and cor-
ners and other designs which permit the penetration

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from two sides to meet must be avoided. The piston-

pin is a simple part requiring careful design and treat-
ment. If it contains sharp corners, chipping off may
occur after hardening, and a small radius should be used
at such points. If drilled before carburizing the end
should be kept as flat as possible or the whole end may
spall off in a ring. If the pin hole is too near the end,
complete hardening may occur in the section between
the hole and the end of the pin. Drilling after the
carburizing operation and before hardening is the
simplest method of avoiding this trouble.
PARTIAL CASE-HARDENED SECTIONS
Partial hardening of many case-hardened sections will

permit the use of many designs which are otherwise out
of the question. Copper plating is a simple method and
will give good results if handled with care, the principal
factor of success being the removal of surface scale,
dirt and grease. Bevel ring-gears should in most cases
be copper plated before the finishing cut is made on
the teeth. In the soft condition of the metal obtained by
this method the gear may be subjected to a straighten-
ing process which would be impossible if it were surface-
hardened all over.
When machining operations are required after hard-
ening copper plating is largely used, but in some cases
better and more economical results will be obtained by
machining off the carburized layer before hardening.
Shop conditions will generally determine the method to
be selected.
Some of these considerations may appear ridiculous,
but they are all drawn from life. They may serve to
show that metallurgical considerations should enter into
design, particularly in peculiar construction or where
differential hardening is required.
SELECTION OF MATERIALS
After the choice of design the next step is the selection

of materials. The materials used in automobile con-
struction have been thoroughly examined and the re-
sults of testing them have been published so that this
phase will not be extensively covered here. Steel- is the
material of widest range and greatest use and so must
be considered here to the greatest degree.
The use of screw stock on account of its machining
qualities is well known, the uses of the various grades

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of carbon steel need not be explained to the manufacturer,

and it is well understood that the function of the alloy
steels is to furnish greater strength, thus permitting
lighter construction or greater hardness.
The selection of steel for purposes of construction
requires a knowledge of the physical properties and of
the various conditions inherent or resulting from treat-
ment which may leave the material in good or bad con-
dition. The factors which govern the choice of material
are suitability and cost. It is a waste of material to use
a high-priceď alloy steel when a cheaper steel would
serve, and it is equally a waste to try to economize on
parts for which the best material is required. The choice
of material may frequently be determined by test, but
very often testing cannot approximate all the conditions
of service, and the actual trial of the material in service
is necessary.
Scrêw stock is frequently brought into question on
account of the sulphur content, although it has given
excellent service in some respects for years. In the
earlier days it might be said that nearly all automobiles
were built of screw stock. Transmission gears of case-
hardened screw stock gave long and good service. The
earlier chemists were obliged to find something upon
which to hang faults and sulphur proved to be a con-
venient hook. These statements are not made to suggest
the use of screw stock in unlimited quantity nor do they
refer to all material thus designated. The effect of
sulphur is the point under consideration, and there are
many other conditions to be considered - before this
material is selected for use. Much of the commercial
variety, especially Bessemer stock, is seamy, full of
slag, or contains too much phosphorus, conditions which
hardly make for suitable material for automotive con-
struction. There are certain types of steel naturally seamy
requiring a low sulphur content. At present alloy steels
high in sulphur are entering the market because of a
demand for more easily machineable material. One would
not be far from wrong in stating that the mills cannot
roll steel high enough in sulphur to be seriously harmful
in most cases.
Many of the theories which were developed in past

years are of the result of lack of knowledge combined
with the very natural desire inherent in human nature
to offer an explanation for all phenomena. The theory
that metals crystallize under vibration is of this nature.
The occurrence of coarse grains in fractured untreated

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steels led to this belief which at one time was quite gen-
eral and which still persists in many places. Properly
treated steels of fine grain seldom failed while the coarse-
grained fracture of untreated steels was of quite common
occurrence. This idea has probably done more to dis-
courage investigation and improvement than would be
believed, althçugh at the present time the wide use of
properly treated materials has done much to eliminate it.
It is to be hoped that it will finally disappear and we will
no longer be asked to believe that all fractures in service
are due to crystallization of metals under vibration.
Another persistent idea is that trouble in service is
generally due to the material and that a change in ma-
terial will overcome the difficulty. In some cases this is
true, but it is well to make sure that the trouble is not
due to some other cause. Many cases of breakage, as
has been mentioned, may be due to faulty design and
no change in material will help. The modulus of elas-
ticity is practically the same for most steels, and in
cases where this is a factor it can be seen that a mere
change of steel- can be of no assistance. This point has
been noted time and time again in crankshaft construc-
tion, where alternating stress is a factor.
In making changes in material, the shop conditions
should be taken into account or trouble in production
may result. As an example, consider a shaft made from
steel of such a nature that after case-hardening the core
remains soft enough to allow the required straightening.
A stronger core seems desirable and other material is
selected, without reference to shop conditions, in òrder
to produce this result. As soon as the straightening
operation is reached it may be found impossible to carry
this out without breaking the shaft. Some shafts may
appear to straighten properly, only to break in service
on account of almost invisible cracks which have de-
veloped. In many cases the shaft will be found to break
under far lower loads than were used to bend the softer
material. Similar cases will occur to the mind of the
shop man, but these will serve to illustrate the point
that if a radical change in material becomes desirable,
manufacturing conditions should be taken into considera-
tion.
Tool steel is one of the materials of greatest importance
in manufacturing, and here, too, trouble is frequently
laid to the material, and the effort is made to find a
different or better steel. In some cases an improved ma-
terial may give better results, but this does not necessarily

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mean that improved material will permit wrong treat-

ment. This point will be discussed later in more detail.
In considering the choice of material in this way it is
assumed, of course, that the material is in the best possi-
ble condition; commercially, material that is actually de-
fective would hardly serve under the conditions expected.
In the greater number of cases such defective material
is quickly found by inspection, by testing, or by compari-
son with material known to be in good condition.
FIELD FOR STANDARDIZATION
With multiplicity in the types of steels owing fre-

quently to the selection by different mills of special types,
it sometimes becomes difficult to make a choice. Here
would seem to be a field for standardization even as the
carbon steels have been standardized. In many cases it
should be possible to determine the best steel for the
particular construction, taking into consideration both
cost and quality. If two steels give practically the same
results under the same conditions, the cheaper should be
brought forward. This does not always mean the cheaper
in first cost, for the cost of handling and treatment may
be high, a factor which is sometimes overlooked. The
necessity for standardization and simplification is par-
ticularly true for tool steels. The functions of the vari-
ous tools are well known and it should be possible to
develop a few types which are particularly adapted to
the work required. These conditions should not serve
to obstruct research on improved materials, but should
make the object of such research more pointed.
The choice of extra strong materials becomes neces-
sary when lightness and elimination of excess weight
are required, as in airplane construction, and it is worth
any expense. Even here, however, and also in more ordi-
nary construction, there is a limit to the reduction of
weight or size which can be made in many parts on
account of other factors. The whip of a propeller-shaft
in automobile construction may serve as an example. In
cases of this kind, the extra strength is of no value and
there is no object in paying the extra price for the extra
strength. Many designers play safe by selecting alloy
steels for construction in practically all main parts, even
though cheaper steels have served well in similar designs
for years. Wherever this condition exists, we have a
waste of material. Standardization of steels for various
constructions would seem to be well worth while, and

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with the cooperation of the mills should not be hard to

obtain.
The various grades (each grade having its peculiar

properties) or so-called tempers of carbon steels enter-
ing largely into automotive construction, require some
mention, although this is covered in detail in most text-
books.
Carbon steels are usually graded according to their
carbon content and may be divided roughly into three
classes : Low carbon from 0.10 to 0.25 per cent, medium
from 0.30 to 0.55 per cent, and high carbon from 0.60
to 1.50 per cent. Low carbon steel is most frequently
used in forgings for case-hardening and for automatic
screw machine work in the form of cold-drawn bar stock,
the cold-drawing giving better machining quality. Screw
stock, containing about 0.12 per cent sulphur, is used
when low carbon is required together with rapid machin-
ing qualities, as it is often difficult to obtain any great
speed in machining low-carbon steels. Forging stock in
the lower carbons is heat-treated in different ways to
improve the machinability.
The grade between 0.30 and 0.55 per cent carbon is
generally used in forgings for structural parts. The high
carbon steels are used where great hardness and strength
are required, as in tools.
INSPECTION OF MATERIALS
Variations in the carbon content and treatment of

steels produce widely varying results. When the material
is received, inspection and testing are usually necessary
to insure proper condition and composition. Special
knowledge and experience are required for this work,
which requires the elimination of all troublesome material
before production is begun. Especially at the present
time when the mills are overcrowded it is necessary to
inspect and test steels received. Materials which were
suitable under only the most ordinary conditions and
which had almost disappeared from the market are re-
appearing. One material of this nature is busheled
scrap, made by piling scrap in bundles, heating, squeez-
ing, and rolling. This will stand little or no cold bend-
ing, and even under hot bending or twisting will break
into sections along the original lines of contact. Such
material may be satisfactory for some purposes but is
certain to make trouble if introduced into production in
the place of high-grade steel. Under the microscope this

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material has the appearance of poorly made wrought

iron, full of slag and oxide.
Bar stock for forgings should be carefully inspected for
pipes and seams; better still, if possible, in the billet,
where they will be more apparent.
In certain alloy-steel forgings of rather high-carbon
content surface cracks may occasionally be found along
the flash line. In many cases they are so shallow that
machining will readily remove them, but at times they
may be too deep or be the cause of hardening cracks on
quenching from high temperature. When trouble occurs,
a careful inspection of the forgings should be made to
insure the absence of such seams.
Cold-drawn bar stock sometimes contains slivers due
to the formation of surface seams in the hot rolling. If
case-hardened without machining slivery sections may
chip off, spoiling the part. These can usually be detected
by inspection of the bars. At times other troubles, usu-
ally owing to the condition of the surface, may develop,
necessitating careful inspection.
The inspection of sheet metal is an art in itself on
account of the many uses to which the metal is applied
and the many varieties which are made, so that no attempt
will be made to cover this in great detail. The manu-
facture of sheet metal has improved to a decided extent
in the past few years and a large proportion of the product
will be found suitable for the work desired. With cold-
rolled sheet metal for deep drawing the principal trouble
has been lack of ductility owing to improper rolling or
annealing, or to the presence in the metal of a coarse-
grained structure developed by the rolling and annealing
treatment. No trouble should occur with sheet metal
that is fine-grained and which has been properly an-
nealed, provided the metal is not overstrained in the
operation. The amount of draw is, of course, limited by
the ductility of the metal, of which the reduction of area
is a measure.
If fracture occurs in a deep-drawing operation a meas-
urement of the reduction of area at the point of fracture
will usually enable the cause to be traced. If a high
reduction is found, then the metal must be in good
condition and the cause may be the application of
stresses beyond the power of endurance of the metal,
or, in other words, to too great a draw in the operation.
At times, with high reduction, fracture may occur in
some definite position. This may be caused by the use
of too sharp corners or edges on the tool, throwing all

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the strain at such points. Where local fracture occurs

frequently with high reduction of the steel, in drawing
or rolling sheet metal, examination of the tool should be
made to locate any possible faulty design. As large radii
as possible should be used.
When composition and condition are of special im-
portance and materials must be up to certain specifica-
tions, inspection becomes more complicated and chemical
analysis, physical tests, and metallurgical examinations
may be necessary. Composition is usually determined
by chemical analysis and on account of certain factors
affecting the uniformity of the material special care is
required in sampling. Particularly in the case of forg-
ings, care should be taken to get below any decarburized
layer which may exist on the surface and also to avoid
any segregated areas which may occur, particularly at
the center of the piece. Where millings are taken it is
safest to remove the surface metal to a depth of about
one-eighth inch. Careless sampling may be the cause of
considerable uncertainty or of actual trouble. Alloys,
particularly bearing metals, are frequently segregated
and it is sometimes necessary to take samples at various
points, mix, melt, and cast, taking the final sample from
this casting.
Gray-iron castings require special care in sampling
for analysis on account of wide variation in section and
in casting conditions. At times it is possible to cast
test bars from the melt or attached to the casting
which will be satisfactory for sampling. When the cast-
ing is made in large quantity or is valuable and would
be destroyed by sampling, this method is decidedly use-
ful. Gray-iron castings should be inspected for hard
spots, sand holes, pitting and off-centered coring. Varia-
tions in the wall thickness of certain castings may cause
difficulty in machining the thinner side where the com-
bined carbon will be higher.
PHYSICAL TESTING OF STEELS
To determine the condition of the metal some form

of physical test or possibly microscopical examination, is
usually required. There are various forms of physical
tests, all of. which are well known; transverse, tensile,
torsion, compression, alternating stress, shock, Brinell,
scleroscope, and others of special nature. For speed and
simplicity the Brinell test is one of the most satisfactory,
specially when checked by occasional tensile or torsion
tests. Certain steels may contain segregated areas of

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free ferrite or pure iron. Tensile test pieces containing

such areas may give lower results than should be expected
from the steel. Such segregated areas, although possibly
showing up prominently in the test piece, usually have
little or no effect upon the actual service of the steel. In
cases of this kind, especially in shafting, the Brinell test
will usually give more accurate results than can be ob-
tained by the tensile or torsion test. After the proper
comparisons have been made between Brinell hardness
and tensile or torsional properties, the Brinell test may
be used for quick and accurate results.
The scleroscope test, although widely used, has a rather
limited field, giving its best 'results with hardened or
heat-treated alloy steels. A smooth level surface is re-
quired for any degree of accuracy. On heat-treated car-
bon steels of forging grade the scleroscope test does not
usually give satisfactory results, possibly on account of
the small space tested or because of inability to meet all
the necessary conditions. In many cases decidedly wide
variations in results may be obtained, even from tests
made at points in close proximity.
At present all important forgings are or should be
heat-treated after the forging operation. In many cases
this treatment is necessarily carried out before the ma-
terial is received, so that determination of the condition
of the metal to check this operation may be required.
In the case of alloy or higher carbon steels, Brinell or
other physical tests will usually give information suffi-
cient to determine the condition of the metal. The heat-
treatment of the lower carbon steels, especially when a
wide range in carbon content is permitted, cannot al-
ways be determined so easily. A microscopical examina-
tion may be necessary by which it may be readily deter-
mined whether the material has been properly heat-
treated. Such examination can easily be made part of
the routine testing, and in all cases will be found to
serve as a valuable check.
Another form of test, often of great value in giving
information not found in other ways, is the shock test.
This may be made in several ways, by the fall of a pendu-
lum of known weight through a graduated arc, or by the
drop test, in which a known weight falls through a
known distance. This latter method is of value in test-
ing many forms of steel, rails, bars, and structural steel
for example. A measure of the ductility may be ob-
tained by measuring the deflection or elongation obtained.
A row of prick punches separated by a standard distance

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and located on the under side will serve as points of ref-

erence to determine the elongation.
The shock test is of value in distinguishing between
different steels possibly having the same tensile proper-
ties, and between different treatments. It can be made
of value in testing case-hardened work, but care must
be taken not to harden more than 25 per cent of the
cross-sectional area, and for comparative purposes, the
depth of case must be the same.
Alternating stress is a prominent factor in many con-
structions, and endurance tests covering this should be
made when necessary. The endurance of steels and the
action of certain designs under stresses of this kind
should be known before the parts go into service. This
test can be carried out in various ways according to the
existing conditions. Perhaps the most convenient method,
one which is suitable for many classes of work, is to
rotate the test piece holding one end firmly and loading
the free end with weights to give any fiber stress de-
sired. The number of revolutions before fracture can
readily be determined by the use of a counter which is
automatically disconnected when rupture occurs.
Standardization and uniformity of composition and
condition are necessary for rapidity of production in
the shop as well as to insure proper structural conditions.
Steels that are too hard will cause excessive wear on the
tools and the speed of machining will be lowered. Steels
that are too soft may also be the cause of similar condi-
tions. The metal tears, the cutting edge becomes dull,
and the tool commences to slip, hardening the surface
under its pressure, an effect similar to that caused by
cold rolling or drawing, until further work becomes im-
possible. When this occurs, annealing of the part to
soften the surface thus hardened will usually permit com-
pletion of the operation.
Drilling operations in particular require a compara-
tively narrow range of hardness for the best results.
The operator is often misled by this surface-hardening
effect and considers the steel to be too hard. It is neces-
sary to distinguish between these two conditions in order
to apply the proper remedy. Annealing or heat-treat-
ment may be required. If the trouble is caused by too
high-carbon content in the steel, it may be necessary to
discontinue its use. One of the valuable features of
chemical analysis and inspection lies in its ability to
detect material in unsuitable condition before it reaches
the shop.

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Uniformity of Composition
Some troubles in machining may be caused by tools
faulty in composition, treatment or design. Cutting
angles must be adjusted to the requirements and set-ups
properly arranged. At times under stress of heavy pro-
duction greater speeds and feeds can be used than advis-
able with the material to be machined. Tools which are
too soft are occasionally the cause of considerable trouble.
Before blaming the material it is sometimes well to look
into these other factors. Comparison with material
known to be in satisfactory condition or with other tools
which are giving good service will frequently detect faulty
conditions.
Little trouble on account of the material may be ex-
pected in machining alloys such as the ordinary brasses
and bronzes. Aluminum may cause some trouble owing
to its softness, but is not frequently used, the eight per
cent copper alloy, which machines easily, being substi-
tuted.
Machining troubles on account of obscure causes may
appear from time to time in the shop, and it is one of the
duties of the metallurgist to trace such difficulties to the
source for the purpose of elimination. In many cases the
cause is more easily found than stopped, and when the
use of the material is necessary, the cooperation of the
shop may be required. When some soft material has acci-
dentally found its way into the shop and must be used,
it is sometimes hard to convince a force working on a
bonus basis that the only remedy is in slower speeds and
feeds.
Before or after machining, certain parts require heat-

treatment or hardening and the metallurgist should be
directly responsible for the proper carrying out of these
operations.
Heat-treatment operations before machining are usu-
ally carried out to remove the worst effects of the forg-
ing heat or to prepare the material for subsequent opera-
tions. The treatment may be simple annealing, but gen-
erally consists of a quenching operation, followed by a
drawing or annealing operation. Parts for structural
purposes, crankshafts, for example, usually receive no
further treatment after machining. Other parts require
further treatment, either a simple quench and draw, or
carburizing and hardening. When parts are treated be-
fore and after machining the first quench is usually high
in order to effect a partial breaking down of the forging

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structure. The procedure used in tempering gears may

serve as an example of such treatment.
The operations are usually: Quench from a tempera-
ture well above the hardening point; anneal; machine;
quench at the hardening point ; and draw
When quenching from the higher temperature care
should be taken to remove the parts from the quenching
medium while hot in order to avoid hardening cracks.
These should not occur on quenching at the hardening
temperature.
METHODS OF CARBURIZING
Parts designed with bearing surfaces are surface hard-

ened in some cases by quenching from a cyanide bath,
but usually by carburizing, reheating, and quenching.
For this operation the lower carbon steels are used in
order to obtain a soft, ductile core in combination with
a hard surface. Carburizing is now carried out with
various combinations of chemicals and carbonaceous ma-
terial such as charcoal. The commonest forms contain
a mixture of barium carbonate, limestone, and soda ash
in varying proportions. At the temperatures employed
the carbonates liberate carbon dioxide, this immediately
reacting with the hot carbonaceous material to form car-
bon monoxide, which acts as the carburizing agent. To
these reactions these chemical carburizers are supposed
to owe their .properties. After cooling carbon dioxide is
reabsorbed on exposure to the air, making possible con-
tinuous use of the material.
The principal requirements of a carburizing mixture
are lightness, the lighter the cheaper when bought by
weight; porosity to permit rapid heating; mechanical
strength; and good lasting power. Shrinkage is another
factor requiring consideration, but this is usually taken
care of by the continual reuse of the material through
which the shrinkage finally becomes constant. The usual
loss is about 20 per cent after each run, which should be
replaced before reusing.
With the introduction of chemical carburizers the use
of bone and charred leather is decreasing. Practically
all the chemical carburizers on the market, which are
made according to the requirements mentioned, will give
good service. Troubles caused by improper handling in
hardening are often thought due to the carburizer, and
much time and energy are wasted in trying different ma-
terials. Sometimes difficulty in carburizing will be caused
by improper handling of the carburizer. For example, it

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is often forgotten that time is required between heats for

the carbonates to regenerate, and the immediate reuse of
the material is frequently the cause of a slowing up
of the carburizing operation. When proper precautions
are taken, seldom if ever will the carburizer be found at
fault when trouble develops in the hardening operation.
Kinds of Case Required

In automotive construction two kinds of case are re-
quired, light and heavy, the latter usually when grinding
is to follow. The proper depth of case for these for
most requirements is from 0.020 to 0.030 in. for the light
and from 0.040 to 0.050 in. for the heavy case. In rare
circumstances will it be necessary to exceed these limits.
When deeper cases are demanded it will frequently be
found that a rearrangement of the design or a more
careful regulation of the straightening process will per-
mit a lighter case. Often it will be found that far lower
depths of case are being used in practice than called for
by the blueprint, with no development of trouble. Case-
hardened screw-stock transmission gears with a depth of
case of about 0.008 in. have given good service on cars
of ancient vintage for years, with practically no signs
of wear.
The cost of unnecessary depths of case may run into
high figures, and the rule should be to carburize to the
least amount necessary. The depth of penetration should
be carefully controlled by time and temperature. The
use of check pieces to determine at intervals the depth
obtained will save many dollars. Such pieces should be
packed near the center of the box or in some position
where average results will be obtained. They should be
made comparatively small in order to permit easy
fracture. Sizes between one-quarter and one-half inch
thick are the most convenient. If properly placed in the
box, the difference between the size of the test piece and
the size of the work will not cause any difference in the
depths of penetration obtained although there is a popu-
lar idea to the contrary.
The depth of penetration in the carburizing process is
a function of time and temperature, the effect of the
latter being more important. The rate of heating, de-
pendent on such factors as the size of the pot, kind of
carburizer, and the calorific value of the fuel employed
to heat the furnace, has of course an effect upon this,
but when the conditions are uniform, time and tempera-
ture are the factors to be considered. The higher the

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temperature and the longer the time, the deeper will be

the case. For economy temperatures as high as possible
must be used. The possible depth is limited, however,
by the temperature effect upon the grain size of the core
and case. With high temperatures the carbon content
of the case may become excessively high, causing chip-
ping off in hardening or in grinding. The Pest results
are obtained when the carbon content at the surface is
kept as near 0.90 per cent as possible. When the deeper
penetrations are sought the carbon content will gener-
ally be higher, but it can easily be kept below the danger
point.
Treatment After Carburization
After the carburizing operation, the treatment is gen-

erally the same as employed with high-carbon steels, un-
less a double treatment is required to refine the core;
this double treatment distinguishes the handling of case-
carburized work from that of high-carbon steels. The
refining point of the low-carbon steel core is higher than
that of the case and the first step in the treatment is to
quench from this higher temperature. In addition to
refining the core, the case is brought into better condition
for further treatment. Another method of treating car-
burized work is to quench directly from the pot, a means
of obtaining good results applicable to certain classes of
work. Attempts have been made to discredit this method,
but nevertheless satisfactory results have been obtained
for many years by its use. For the best results and in
most cases it is necessary of course to reheat and quench
to refine the case, although there may be exceptional con-
ditions which require its omission.
Certain thin parts, bicycle-head shells, for example,
which are forced into position in assembling, become too
brittle on rehardening. On a thin part of this sort, the
surfaces take on a high degree of hardness, although
quenched from a high temperature, and will be found to
be extremely tough. In many cases when reheating to a
high temperature would not be permissible owing to
the formation of scale, quenching direct at the proper
temperature followed by rehardening when necessary will
give good results. Tests have shown that the material
is usually tougher after such treatment than when cooled
in the pot and rehardened. Ball cups, ball races and
similar parts may be treated in this way. The work
will be clean and free from scale and at the same time
the grain growth which usually occurs in both case and

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core on slow cooling will be checked by the quenching

operation. Care must be taken to hold the carburizing
operation at the proper point, which is dependent upon
the nature of the steel.
The treatment for refining the core is frequently
omitted, especially on large parts, and the hardening
treatment is given directly after carburizing. The treat-
ment, which is the same in both cases, is also used for
hardening high-carbon steels. This operation requires
careful watching on account of the many factors which
enter into the success of the treatment. The alloy steels,
which are usually quenched in oil, should harden prop-
erly, the quenching medium permitting quite uniform
results. With the carbon steels and when glass hardness
is required, water is used as the quenching medium.
This requires greater care on account of certain proper-
ties to be indicated. The temperature should be prop-
erly controlled as only a small range is permitted. If
the temperature is too low, the work will not harden; if
too high, glass hardness cannot be obtained if the section
is of any size. The rate of cooling is one of the main
factors in obtaining glass hardness, and it is obvious
that the higher the temperature of the work the lower
this rate will be.
Water vaporizes at a comparatively moderate tempera-
ture so that it is necessary in hardening hollow or ir-
regular sections to take great care to avoid the formation
of steam pockets which may keep the water from reach-
ing the surface of the steel, thus preventing any quench-
ing effect, and in such cases spots or even quite large
areas may be found to be dead soft. These areas may
sometimes be detected by their color. When these steam
pockets are of common occurrence, as for instance in
hardening camshafts, it will be necessary to harden the
piece in a special manner. The circulation and flow of
the water should be increased, and the part should be
moved vigorously or given a spinning effect on quench-
ing. Fixtures for quenching are frequently required
for the best results. Small parts quenched in quantities
may require the same treatment. The amount of water
required may often be reduced by proper equipment, re-
sulting in a considerable saving.
Errors in Overspeeding
In all hardening operations time is required after
bringing the work to the proper temperature to allow
thorough soaking of the steel, or incomplete hardening

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may result. Overspeeding the operation may cause seri-

ous trouble from this and from other factors. The hard-
ening furnace should be carefully controlled and no over-
running of the hardening temperature should be per-
mitted or else the scale produced may be troublesome and
the work left in poor condition.
It is very difficult to produce a neutral atmosphere
under certain gas furnace conditions, and soft spots may
develop when gas is used as fuel owing to the excessive
scale produced. In such cases preheating and holding
the work in the furnace as short a time as possible often
permit successful carrying out of the operation.
The factors mentioned apply to tool steel, possibly even
to a greater degree, as a clean, glass-hard, surface is an
essential in most tools. Punches and dies which are not
hard will wear out rapidly, and considerable loss may
result from improper handling either through the exces-
sive repairs required or the complete loss of the tool.
Many tools require considerable preparation with a cost
far higher than the original value of the steel, all of
which is wasted with the loss of the tool. Careful han-
dling and avoidance of hurry in the operation are re-
quired. Time saved by raising the furnace temperature
may be more than counterbalanced by the time lost in
operating with the tool. Carbon steels of the higher
ranges, say from 1.20 to 1.50 per cent, may develop soft
surfaces from the use of high furnace temperatures even
at the start when the work is comparatively cold, owing
to the formation of graphite in the surface layers in
contact with the hot gases, or because of the decarburiz-
ing effect of the furnace gases upon the steel. Tools
may be handled rapidly and properly by preheating be-
fore introducing into the furnace, holding this at the
proper temperature.
When tools are of complicated shape, special apparatus
is often required for the quenching operation. Partial
hardening to avoid cracking or warping is often required,
and lack of proper equipment frequently taxes the in-
genuity of even the most experienced workman. Streams
for interior hardening and sprays for surface hardening
should be available. When much of the work is of the
same kind, fixtures for quenching will be found of value.
It is almost impossible to harden interior surfaces or
hollows in the regular manner. Steam pockets are almost
sure to form and in some cases the hardening effect will
be so irregular that fracture may occur through the ex-
cessive internal strains produced. A heavy stream of

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water forced against the surface will usually give excel-

lent results. Special methods of quenching will often
allow proper hardening. Deep drawing dies, swaging
dies, and rivet sets are examples of tools requiring special
handling.
The treatment of high-speed steel is an art in itself.
On account of the high temperature required, 2100 deg.
fahr, or more, and the necessity for judging this by eye
in continuous working, considerable attention must be
paid to all the essential details. For pieces of any size
preheating is essential to avoid scaling or cracking be-
cause of exposure for any length of time to the high
temperature. Various quenching mediums are used, oil
most commonly. When the tool is of complicated design,
susceptible to cracking, molten lead at a temperature
of about 800 deg. fahr, will give excellent results. The
final heating should be carried out rapidly and all the
fuel which can be properly burned supplied to the furnace
to insure this. For special tools, as for instance twist
drills, special furnaces must be provided.
After the hardening operation, tools, especially of
carbon steel, are given a drawing treatment at a low tem-
perature in order to remove strains. This operation is of
value with tool steel, and in some cases with carburized
work of complicated design or with sharp corners liable
to chip after hardening. It will by no means correct
the results of improper handling in previous operations,
and for carburized low-carbon steel will usually have
little or no value, although it is frequently mentionéd
as a cure-all.
TYPES OF PYROMETERS
In touching upon the principal requirements for hard-

ening, stress was laid upon the necessity for proper
temperature control. It is not necessary to go deeply
into the subject of pyrometry, full details being available
in many publications, but, as exact temperature control
is so vital in practically all hardening, mention must be
made of certain features of pyrometric control necessary
for its proper functioning, but often neglected. There
are many kinds of pyrometers ranging from the wet
finger to the highly developed potentiometer recorder.
The principal requirements for hardening work are ac-
curacy, endurance, and suitability for the operation to be
carried out. The principal types are the water pyrome-
ter, the resistance pyrometer, the optical pyrometer, the
thermocouple pyrometer, and mixtures of chemicals with
known melting points.

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Each type has its special uses, but the one most com-
monly used is the thermocouple. The apparatus has two
parts, the thermocouple which is affected by temperature
changes, and an instrument to measure the effect ob-
tained. The thermocouple consists of two dissimilar
metals, usually in wire form, welded together at one
end, called the hot junction, open at the other end, called
the cold junction. On completion of a circuit through
the measuring instrument the pyrometer is ready for
use. When the hot junction is heated a current of small
magnitude, dependent upon the difference in temperature
of the two junctions, will flow through the circuit. For
exact readings the temperature of the cold junction must
be known and properly controlled. For uniform results
this point is frequently located in the ground far enough
from the furnace to avoid its heating effect. In many
installations the cold junction is neglected and exact con-
trol in such cases is impossible. The use of compensat-
ing devices will often eliminate this troublesome factor.
The couples themselves must be uniform in composi-
tion and condition. Any variation from such uniformity
may be the cause of the formation of a point at which
metals of a different nature are in contact, the result
being a secondary thermocouple effect with any variation
in temperature along the couple. Secondary currents
of this nature are called parasites. Thermocouples
should be carefully checked before use, heating the same
length as used in-service. The indicating or recording
instruments used must be carefully cared for. All con-
tacts must be kept clean in all types of installation where
the resistance of the circuit affects the reading. Dirty
switches may be a cause of large errors. An inaccurate
pyrometer is worse than none on account of the mis-
leading results. Workmen who are supplied with in-
accurate equipment soon come to consider the pyrometer
as valueless and will not use it. The couple should be
properly installed so that the actual condition of the work
will be covered.
Operations on Hardened Work

After the hardening operation much of the work is
ground. Care is required in this operation to avoid soft-
ening of the work and grinding cracks, such troubles
usually following too strenuous grinding operations. It
the wheel is too hard or the speed too high or the cut too
heavy, cracks and soft spots readily develop. Dry grind-
ing is a fruitful source of such troubles, and wet grinding

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is usually to be preferred. When dry grinding cannot

be avoided, care should be taken to make light cuts, using
a soft wheel at a reasonable speed. Grinding cracks are
often thought to be due to improper hardening, but this
is seldom the case. It is true that an excessively high-
carbon content in case-hardened work will cause grinding
cracks to form and care should be taken to avoid this
condition. With this exception, usually no condition that
can occur in a well-regulated hardening room will be re-
sponsible for cracking in grinding. Under proper condi-
tions of design and treatment hardening cracks will sel-
dom occur. When found only after grinding it is usu-
ally certain that the fault lies in improper handling in
this operation, which is not one that can be hurried. In
certain parts, such as camshafts, where some areas un-
avoidably receive rather heavy cuts, grinding cracks and
softened surfaces are of common occurrence. In such
cases the operations must be regulated to the work. Fine
surface cracks may generally be removed satisfactorily
by a light cut at slow speed.
Inspection for hardness is carried out by scleroscope
or file test. The latter gives excellent results if used with
judgment, and is useful for inspection of work before
and after grinding. Distortion and shrinkage occasion-
ally occur, and careful inspection should be made to de-
termine the fault. At times apparent shrinkage or ex-
pansion may be due to errors in the machining opera-
tion, as in the case of a valve-lifter roller in which a
%-in. hole was said to expand at one time, and to shrink
at another, on account of the effect of the hardening
operation. Inspection showed that the cause was a vari-
ation in the size of the tools.
The treatment of tools is a subject in itself. Mention
has been made of some of the conditions required for the
treatment of tools, noting the similarity in treatment of
hardened steels in general. The requirements for grind-
ing are the same as given for case-hardened work. Faulty
conditions frequently in the steel being blamed, much
more expensive steels, even including high-speed steel,
are tried out at considerable cost with no success, as the
only remedy is proper treatment. Improper hardening
or grinding may readily spoil a tool and when trouble
occurs it is always well to examine the conditions of
handling and treatment. If no fault can be found in the
treatment, then the remedy may lie in a change of steel.
File testing for hardness will often locate the cause of
trouble and should be a part of the routine of tool manu-

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facture. Many tool designers neglect the factor of de-

sign. A desire for convenience in setting up frequently
leads to the insertion of tapped holes near the surface
or worse still near corners, and the resulting fractures
and spoilage are blamed directly on the hardener, whose
only defense against such conditions is to fill the holes
with clay. The amount of clay which can be inserted in
a small hole is limited, and of little or no help when such
holes are near the surface. Immediate change of design
is a good rule to make when such fractures are found.
Selection of Equipment
The equipment of a hardening room, furnaces, lead

pots, quenching tanks, and mechanical apparatus must
be carefully selected. The furnaces should be propor-
tioned to the work required as far as possible and should
be uniform. In larger furnaces, pyrometer equipment to
cover different portions will insure uniformity. The
value of mechanical furnaces, except for special condi-
tions, is dubious. Many a mechanical furnace which
gives satisfaction in one plant, or for one operation, is
found to be a failure in another, although for large
pieces, or for pieces requiring special hardening in quan-
tity, such furnaces may be essential. Mechanical fur-
naces of the type in which the work of any size moves
from one end to the other must usually be quite large,
and regulation of the final temperature becomes difficult.
The mechanical apparatus requires power, and may get
out of order, and so it becomes necessary, if production
is to be constant, to have auxiliary furnaces, or else to
be able to remove the mechanical equipment, permitting
the use of the furnace in the ordinary way. In consider-
ing any type of mechanical furnaces for ordinary work,
it will be well to know that it is giving satisfaction under
similar conditions. Again, furnaces satisfactory from
the mechanical standpoint may be a constant source of
annoyance or of excessive cost on account of the irregular
results obtained.
One form of furnace which will give good results on
certain classes of work is the lead pot. For handling
fair-sized pieces in quantity, with speed and accuracy,
it is satisfactory. In hardening case-hardened work,
however, great care is required. The pot should always
be covered with charcoal or molten salts, as the fumes
given off under oxidizing conditions are poisonous, and
also because under such conditions the lead may become
contaminated with lead oxide, which readily removes the

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carbon from the surface of the steel, thus preventing

surface hardening. Steel, in a dirty lead pot, has been
known to have been decarburizect 0.005 in. in a few min:
utes. Soft spots may result from lead sticking to the
work, especially when, double treatment is used, the
heavy scale holding the lead and preventing action by the
quenching medium.
Preheating is required before inserting work in lead
pots, in order to prevent freezing of the lead to the cold
surface, and also to keep the temperature more uniform.
A good form of equipment is a small preheating furnace
heated by the waste gases from the pot furnaces, with a
lead pot on each side, one at a temperature slightly below
the hardening point, and the other at the exact tempera-
ture required. The work is moved at regular intervals
from the preheating furnace to the first pot, and from
this to the second pot. The most unfavorable feature of
using lead is the short life of the ordinary pot.
For drawing operations around 1000 deg. fahr, requir-
ing great uniformity, the lead pot is useful. For the
sake of uniformity in drawing, different forms of baths
are used, the oil bath for temperatures up to 550 deg.
fahr., the nitrate bath, consisting of a mixture of potas-
sium and sodium nitrates, for temperatures up to 900
deg. fahr., and the lead bath both for temperatures up
to 1250 deg. fahr.
Application of Bonus System

Another matter outside the realm of actual manufac-
turing requires careful handling because it touches the
pocketbook, and that is the payment of a bonus or the
application of a piecework rate in the hardening room.
Unless properly restricted, the introduction of a bonus
system may cause serious trouble. There is a definite
limit to the amount of work that can be properly handled
in a furnace, and any attempt to hurry the operation may
lead to defective parts. The higher the temperature the
more rapidly the work will be turned out and frequently
the furnace operator will run at as high a temperature
as he dares. To some it may seem that the installation
of recording pyrometers will check this tendency, but a
piece of mechanism may easily be fooled at times. In
one case an operator was turning out a quantity of work
seemingly impossible. His records were good, the pyrom-
eter was correct, everything seemed all right. A watch
was placed upon the furnace and it was found that he
had acquired the trick *£ pulling the thermocouple out

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of the furnace to lower the readings. In such cases the

payment of a bonus is only an encouragement to lower
the quality of the product, and much trouble can be traced
to this source.
It is sometimes stated that all this can be avoided by
limiting the output, but is not this, on final analysis,
equivalent to the use of an hourly rate? When regula-
tion is exact, as, for instance, with central control, or
with lead-pot work, it may be possible to set a standard
to avoid loafing, but this is far from a real bonus rate.
This discussion may seem outside the realm of the metal-
lurgist, but the connection becomes more apparent when
it is remembered that he is usually responsible for the
elimination of difficulties. It is obvious that anything
which encourages faulty production only adds to his task
unnecessarily, not to mention the damage that may be
done.
The production of hardened work is a highly technical
operation which should be directly under the care of the
hardening-room foreman and the metallurgist who are
usually responsible for the methods of treatment and
handling. Is it not better, then, to encourage the devis-
ing of time and labor-saving devices or the presentation
of suggestions for improvements ? Production may often
be increased by enlargement of the furnace or by some
change in the methods of handling. Rarely can it be
done successfully by speeding up the furnace operator.
In every factory is a place, usually kept in the back-
ground, which should be familiar to the metallurgist, and
that is the scrap pile. Large savings are frequently made
by locating and stopping intermittent troubles, the re-
sults of which may not appear until the scrap pile is
reached. Parts returned from service should be care-
fully examined to find any indication of faulty handling.
In many factories the adoption of this inspection has
been found to be well worth while.
AUTHOR'S CONCLUSION
In this paper an attempt has been made to show the

connection between metallurgical and factory work. All
the special methods of the laboratory, as well as the
scientific knowledge of conditions which make uniform
results possible, may be needed at times to assist produc-
tion. Through its special field of research great prog-
ress is often made. New processes, materials, and meth-
ods are constantly required and what is scrap today may
be of use tomorrow. The work itself should bring close

165.225.241.62 on Thu, 16 Mar 2023 08:14:27 UTC
DISCUSSION OF METALLURGY 347
touch with outside conditions under which new

ments are constantly occurring. New materials
ment, and methods from outside sources constant
to the attention of the laboratory for testing. S
adopted, others show defects and are rejected. In
cases preliminary tests will save expensive experi
tion in the factory.
Much of the metallurgical work* in a factory do
show on the surface, although the elimination of
may bring it out prominently. Under smopth ru
conditions its results may not be noticed, or may
sionally seem a waste of time and energy. The
nevertheless, remains that the best indication of its
proper functioning is the comparative absence of trouble
in manufacturing operations which come under its scope.
DISCUSSION
Chairman C. C. Hinkley: - The object of this class

of paper has been to bring before us the tremendous
technique involved in the detail of manufacturing. It is
to bring home to the manufacturer and the man at the
head the amount of knowledge necessary to keep produc-
tion running smoothly, and why it is that when produc-
tion is running most smoothly a manufacturer can be
sure that his laboratory is most efficient.
Is there any way of picking out mixed stock? For
instance, if a large shipment of mixed steel in all the
sizes and shapes is thrown down on the ground, how can
the analysis be identified?
R. H. Sherry: - One method for similar bars is to
take a standard bar of known carbon content and place
it between contacts 10 ft. apart. The unknown bar is
also placed between contacts, the resistance controlled
through a galvanometer, and the deflection indicating
the carbon content is noted on the scale. If the unknown
bar is of lower carbon content than the standard, the
deflection will be on one side of the zero; if it is higher,
it will be on the other side. This is a rapid method. In
a day's work 20,000 lb. of steel can be picked out which
might require a month or so to analyze. There are alloy
and carbon steels of course that require either hardening
or analysis.
A Member: - In the last issue of The Journal a paper
by an instructor in Purdue described a grinding-
wheel test in which the nature of the steel was shown by

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the kind of spark that was thrown off when it was applied
on the grinding wheel. Is that practical?
R. H. Sherry: - Yes, that is practical in some ways.
Of course it would take an expert man to handle that
grinding-wheel test. Chrome, tungsten and carbon steels
are easily distinguished, but much more complicated
methods than a simple grinding test are required in a
case such as Mr. Hinkley mentioned.
Chairman Hinkley : - What is the method of keeping
stock in bar or strip separated as it comes into the plant,
is stored, goes to the machine-room floor and is actually
made into the part for which it is intended?
R. H. Sherry: - The usual method is to have a stand-
ard set of colors. The stock is usually classified in bins
far enough apart so that there is no danger of mixing
them.
H. M. Rice : - Has there ever been any distortion noted
on account of the method of handling parts in the heat-
treatment department?
Distortion Due to Heat-Treatment
R. H. Sherry: - Every steel has a normal amount of

shrinking and distortion in the heat-treating operation,
dependent upon the conditions. For instance, suppose
we desire to harden or heat-treat forged pieces that have
been purchased not already treated. After the forgings
are heat-treated, there will be a certain amount of distor-
tion not experienced before. This may be troublesome,
but almost every case may be worked out for each par-
ticular part. Often it is only some change of treatment
that causes trouble. We had a standard shrinkage for
case-hardened gear steels, which was almost always the
same. Mechanical conditions and variation in section
may also have a marked effect.
D. H. Reeves: - Why is it that the softness or hard-
ness in the grinding wheel will develop cracks in the
hardened surface?
R. H. Sherry: - A soft grinding wheel can be said to
be, a hard grinding wheel at high speeds. The hard
grinding wheel develops much more heat than a soft
grinding wheel and the soft wheel develops more heat
at a higher speed. The heating effect on the surface
with the cold background produces the crack. A high
carbon steel exterior cracks easily, because the crack sim-
ply follows along the lines of the carbide of iron around
each grain, and it can break through much more easily

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DISCUSSION OF METALLURGY 349
than through ordinary hardened steel. Softening may

also be caused by the heat developed, and cracks may
occur in normally carburized surface by overcrowding
the work.
Pitting
G. L. Allen : - What causes the pitting of transmis-
sion gears ? I have noticed this in high-carbon or nickel-
steel gears that were hardened to about 75 deg. sclero-
scope, these gears having been subjected to the same
loads. The chemical analysis was about the same and
there was no way of determining one gear from the
other except that one was pitted and the other was not.
I have also noticed this pitting on a set of integral coun-
tershaft gears. Sometimes the second-speed gears and
other times the first-speed gears would be pitted. Of
course we know that the gears used on the first speed
are subjected to greater loads than those on the second.
R. H. Sherry: - Primarily pitting of gears is due to
too low carbon content, or to the use of too high drawing
temperatures, which will result in too soft a surface.
H. M. Jerome: - What is the cause and remedy for
variation in the elongation of a heat-treated part, such-
as a connecting-rod?
R. H. Sherry: - A connecting-rod in a cross-grained
condition will probably shrink on refinement of the grain,
but I cannot understand why it should expand under
proper conditions. If a piece is irregular or hollow,
more or less distortion and scaling might lead to the
assumption that there was shrinkage, but personally I
have had no such difficulty with properly treated connect-
ing-rods.
A Member : - I have had some of the same trouble that
Mr. Jerome mentions. The metallurgist, after having
the material analyzed, of course said it was all the same.
We had to take his word for it, but I have found in the
majority of times that connecting-rods grow or shrink
because the man either pulled the thermo-couple of the
pyrometer out of the furnace or failed to put it in at all.
We found that if we watched the pyrometer and kept the
heats the same, the connecting-rods did not vary so much.
It has been my experience in the majority of heat-treat-
ing jobs that the workmen do not know what a pyromèter
means. They have one hanging on the wall and generally
the couple is on the wall also.
R. H. Sherry: - In answering Mr. Jerome's question,

165.225.241.62 on Thu, 16 Mar 2023 08:14:27 UTC
I assumed that his pyrometers were connected, properly

installed and used.
Alloy Steels
A Member: - Has there been any great success in
working out an alloy to take the place of tungsten steel
for valve heads?
R. H. Sherry: - The main result has been that the
amount of tungsten used in the head has been decreased.
The high-tungsten valve is still held to by some engi-
neers either because they know they cannot lose out on
it or they are afraid to experiment, but the present
tendency is as I have said, with some development in
the use of other steels.
A Member: - How is nickel-steel working out?
R. H. Sherry: - They have been experimenting on
nickel-steel and have put some on the market with good
results.
Chairman Hinkley: - I found by experiment that
plain sy2 per cent nickel-steel is better than the low
tungsten, but not as good as high tungsten.
Mr. Lincoln: - Do some steels absorb carbon more
rapidly than others?
R. H. Sherry: - A great deal has been published on
the subject of absorption. From an inspection of the
fracture one man will state that nickel-steels do absorb
more carbon and another vice versa. In the early days
of carburizing compounds, I examined about one hundred
pieces a day of all kinds of steels, and as far as micro-
scopical depth went, I never coukļ find any difference,
except in certain chrome-nickel steels. They will ap-
parently harden more deeply. The carbon penetration
under the microscope did not seem to be any deeper.
But the appearance of the fracture seemed to indicate a
deeper case, possibly owing to the fact that steels of this
nature will harden more deeply than carbon steels.

165.225.241.62 on Thu, 16 Mar 2023 08:14:27 UTC

Metallurgy in The Automotive Industry

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Metallurgy in The Automotive Industry

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METALLURGY IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Author(s): Ralph H. Sherry

Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/44716432

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The author states that the purpose of the paper is

The work of the metallurgist in the automotive indus-

The first step in the manufacture of automobiles is the

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is limited by the selling price of the machine and by

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tool marks are usually harmless. Grinding the first type

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from two sides to meet must be avoided. The piston-

PARTIAL CASE-HARDENED SECTIONS

Partial hardening of many case-hardened sections will

After the choice of design the next step is the selection

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of carbon steel need not be explained to the manufacturer,

Many of the theories which were developed in past

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mean that improved material will permit wrong treat-

FIELD FOR STANDARDIZATION

With multiplicity in the types of steels owing fre-

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with the cooperation of the mills should not be hard to

The various grades (each grade having its peculiar

Variations in the carbon content and treatment of

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material has the appearance of poorly made wrought

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the strain at such points. Where local fracture occurs

PHYSICAL TESTING OF STEELS

To determine the condition of the metal some form

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free ferrite or pure iron. Tensile test pieces containing

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and located on the under side will serve as points of ref-

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Before or after machining, certain parts require heat-

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structure. The procedure used in tempering gears may

Parts designed with bearing surfaces are surface hard-

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is often forgotten that time is required between heats for

Kinds of Case Required

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temperature and the longer the time, the deeper will be

Treatment After Carburization

After the carburizing operation, the treatment is gen-

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core on slow cooling will be checked by the quenching

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may result. Overspeeding the operation may cause seri-

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water forced against the surface will usually give excel-

In touching upon the principal requirements for hard-

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Operations on Hardened Work