Iron-based alloys and articles in strips, sheets, workpieces and the like are converted into high strength steel with a minimum of cost, time and effort, including producing dual phase materials. This is achievable by extremely rapid micro-treating of low, medium, and high carbon iron-based alloys and articles by rapid heating and rapid cooling at least a portion of the alloy/article. This heating step involves nearly immediately heating the iron-based alloy to a selected temperature above its austenite conversion temperature. Then, the alloy is immediately quenched, also at an extremely fast rate, on at least a portion of the iron-based alloy in a quenching unit adjacent the heating unit. This procedure forms high strength alloy in a desired area, depending upon where the treatment was performed.

A high hardness sleeve or surface treatment to a predetermined hardness is used in a packing bore for a fluid end of a pump assembly. The bore is either treated to provide the hardness or a sleeve is used which is fitted in an oversized bore for preventing washout failure. The sleeve is welded into the pump block and machined to the proper size bore. Thereafter the bore is protected from washout failure at this location. Alternatively, a surface of the sleeve is polished which further reduces the wear on the part. The sleeve can be a stainless steel material hardened by heat treating process or otherwise treated or carbon steel sleeves with the predetermined bore hardness which could be welded into a suitable bore in the pump. However, other processes for hardening the stainless steel can be used as long as desired predetermined surface hardness is maintainable.

A high hardness sleeve or surface treatment to a predetermined hardness is used in a packing bore for a fluid end of a pump assembly. The bore is either treated to provide the hardness or a sleeve is used which is fitted in an oversized bore for preventing washout failure. The sleeve is welded into the pump block and machined to the proper size bore. Thereafter the bore is protected from washout failure at this location. Alternatively, a surface of the sleeve is polished which further reduces the wear on the part. The sleeve can be a stainless steel material hardened by heat treating process or otherwise treated or carbon steel sleeves with the predetermined bore hardness which could be welded into a suitable bore in the pump. However, other processes for hardening the stainless steel can be used as long as desired predetermined surface hardness is maintainable.

Iron-based alloys and articles in strips, sheets, workpieces and the like are converted into high strength steel with a minimum of cost, time and effort, including producing dual phase materials. This is achievable by extremely rapid micro-treating of low, medium, and high carbon iron-based alloys and articles by rapid heating and rapid cooling at least a portion of the alloy/article. This heating step involves nearly immediately heating the iron-based alloy to a selected temperature above its austenite conversion temperature. Then, the alloy is immediately quenched, also at an extremely fast rate, on at least a portion of the iron-based alloy in a quenching unit adjacent the heating unit. This procedure forms high strength alloy in a desired area, depending upon where the treatment was performed.

Iron-based alloys and articles in strips, sheets, workpieces and the like are converted into high strength steel with a minimum of cost, time and effort, including producing dual phase materials. This is achievable by extremely rapid micro-treating of low, medium, and high carbon iron-based alloys and articles by rapid heating and rapid cooling at least a portion of the alloy/article. This heating step involves nearly immediately heating the iron-based alloy to a selected temperature above its austenite conversion temperature. Then, the alloy is immediately quenched, also at an extremely fast rate, on at least a portion of the iron-based alloy in a quenching unit adjacent the heating unit. This procedure forms high strength alloy in a desired area, depending upon where the treatment was performed.

An automotive shaft fillet treating method including laser hardening a green machined fillet surface to a uniform depth d to induce compressive stresses into the surface, the surface extending the entire length l between outer edges of two undercut regions of the fillet, and applying additional compressive stress to the laser hardened surface via fillet rolling such that the uniform depth d is maintained along the entire length l during a subsequent grinding operation.

An automotive shaft fillet treating method including laser hardening a green machined fillet surface to a uniform depth d to induce compressive stresses into the surface, the surface extending the entire length l between outer edges of two undercut regions of the fillet, and applying additional compressive stress to the laser hardened surface via fillet rolling such that the uniform depth d is maintained along the entire length l during a subsequent grinding operation.

Embodiments herein describe a tie strap with a hardened integrated rivet for a saw chain. The tie strap has a body with an integrated rivet extending therefrom and having a shoulder extending from the body and configured to engage a rivet hole of a connector link and a hub extending from the shoulder and configured to engage a rivet hole of an opposing tie strap. The shoulder has a high wear region and a low wear region disposed opposite from the high wear region, wherein the low wear region has a first hardness that is less than a second hardness of the high wear region. Generally, the high wear region extends circumferentially around the shoulder and is between about 90 degrees counter clockwise to about 90 degrees clockwise measured from a center point on the shoulder facing inward toward a center part of the body.

Embodiments herein describe a tie strap with a hardened integrated rivet for a saw chain. The tie strap has a body with an integrated rivet extending therefrom and having a shoulder extending from the body and configured to engage a rivet hole of a connector link and a hub extending from the shoulder and configured to engage a rivet hole of an opposing tie strap. The shoulder has a high wear region and a low wear region disposed opposite from the high wear region, wherein the low wear region has a first hardness that is less than a second hardness of the high wear region. Generally, the high wear region extends circumferentially around the shoulder and is between about 90 degrees counter clockwise to about 90 degrees clockwise measured from a center point on the shoulder facing inward toward a center part of the body.

Iron-based alloys and articles in strips, sheets, workpieces and the like are converted into high strength steel with a minimum of cost, time and effort, including producing dual phase materials. This is achievable by extremely rapid micro-treating of low, medium, and high carbon iron-based alloys and articles by rapid heating and rapid cooling at least a portion of the alloy/article. This heating step involves nearly immediately heating the iron-based alloy to a selected temperature above its austenite conversion temperature. Then, the alloy is immediately quenched, also at an extremely fast rate, on at least a portion of the iron-based alloy in a quenching unit adjacent the heating unit. This procedure forms high strength alloy in a desired area, depending upon where the treatment was performed.