COMPARISON OF ALUMINIUM GRAIN REFINED AND VANADIUM GRAIN REFINED SPRING STEELS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HIGHLY STRESSED AUTOMOTIVE COIL SPRINGS
Date
2006-10-31T06:44:06Z
Authors
Limalia, Firoz
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Abstract
The selection of a particular steel grade for an application is extremely
important to ensure that the final components have a long serviceable life. The
chemical compositions of the steels are critical, and minor changes in
chemistry can make substantial differences. Aluminium and vanadium are
used in heat treatable steels as grain refining agents. These elements affect the
properties of the steels.
Two steels with identical chemical composition except for the aluminium and
vanadium additions were comparatively tested to determine the better steel for
a particular automotive coil spring. The tests included mechanical testing and
on site fatigue testing. Fatigue resistance is extremely important especially for
automotive coil springs. The mechanical properties revealed superior tensile
strength in the vanadium grain refined spring steel while the aluminium grain
refined spring steel had superior ductility and fatigue resistance.
Description
Student Number: 9400670E
School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment
Keywords
grain refinement, vanadium, aluminium, coil springs, spring steel