A SYSTEMATIC METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING THE ELECTRON-BEAM HARDENING PROCESS

The objective of this study was to identify the significant conditions to provide electron beam surface hardening of heat treatable carbon s teel. Computer modelling to determine the dependence of surface hardne ss and hardened layer thickness on the electron beam energy density is presented. Using swept line electron beam hardening in an installatio n developed for carrying out experiments on surface hardening, the exp erimental results were in good agreement with those from calculations and confirm that it is impossible to assess the hardened layer thickne ss and uniformity or to find the most suitable processing conditions b y measuring the mean value of surface hardness only. The detailed inve stigation of cross-sections is indispensable. The experimental design applied in this paper has proved to be a useful statistical tool for o ptimizing electron beam surface hardening. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd