An essentially lead free steel having improved machinability while reducing or eliminating lead (except for trace impurities) and without detriment of the material properties of the steel. The properties of the lead free steel are dependent on both the composition and method of manufacture. The improved lead free steel has, in percent by weight (wt-%): Carbon: 0.39-0.43%; Manganese: 0.75-1.00%; Silicon: 0.15-0.35%; Chromium: 0.80-1.05%; Molybdenum: 0.15-0.25%; at least one of Tellurium: 0.003-0.090 wt-%, Selenium: 0.080-0.2 wt-%, Sulfur: 0.065-0.09% wt-%, and Bismuth: 0.03-0.1 wt-%; and the balance being Fe and normally occurring scrap steel impurities. The hot-rolled lead-free steel product is subjected to a heat treatment at a first temperature for a first duration, at a second temperature for a second duration that is less than the first temperature, at a third temperature for a third time period that is greater than the second temperature, and subsequently cooling the steel product.

The present invention discloses a method for manufacturing a manual tool, comprising: performing dual-frequency induction quenching on a first surface of a moment output part or a moment transmission part of the manual tool such that a quench-hardened layer is formed within a first depth range from the first surface of the moment output part to the interior of the moment output part or within a first depth range from the first surface of the moment transmission part to the interior of the moment transmission part, the hardness of the quench-hardened layer being higher than that of the body of the moment output part or the moment transmission part; the dual-frequency induction quenching being configured to simultaneously feed or introduce a high-frequency current and an intermediate-frequency current to the same induction coil to simultaneously heat the first surface of the moment output part or the first surface of the moment transmission part by the high-frequency current and the intermediate-frequency current, and then the moment output part or the moment transmission part being cooled and quenched. The present invention also discloses a manual tool manufactured by the above method. The manual tool subjected to double-frequency induction quenching according to the present invention has good abrasion resistance.

A method of making a forged, martensitic, stainless steel alloy is provided. The alloy is a forged preform of martensitic, pitting corrosion resistant stainless steel alloy comprising, by weight: 12.0 to 16.0 percent chromium; greater than 16.0 to 20.0 percent cobalt, 6.0 to 8.0 percent molybdenum, 1.0 to 3.0 percent nickel, 0.02 to 0.04 percent carbon; and the balance iron and incidental impurities. The alloy has a microstructure that comprises a retained austenite phase less than or equal to 2 percent by volume of the microstructure. The method heats the preform to a solutionizing temperature to form a solutionized microstructure. The preform is cooled with a liquid to room temperature. The preform is immersed in a cryo-liquid to transform the retained austenite phase in the microstructure to martensite. The preform is heated to a temperature of less than 600° F. for a time sufficient to form a tempered forged preform.

Systems and methods are described for roll-forming metal substrates. The metal substrates are subjected to induction heating during the roll-forming process by exposure to time-varying magnetic fields, such as by exposure to a rotating permanent magnet, or exposure to laser radiation from a laser source. Heating of the metal substrates allows improved formability or plasticity of the substrate in order to reduce or eliminate damage to the substrate during roll-forming to low bending radius to thickness ratios. Heating of the high-strength metal substrates can also function to temper the substrates and/or improve surface corrosion resistance and form high-strength end products with desirable properties.

A method and apparatus for treating a workpiece such as a mold grid includes moving the workpiece laterally along a conveyor assembly into a furnace for heating in a carbon-rich atmosphere to form a heated workpiece. The heated workpiece is then received from the furnace onto the conveyor assembly in an enclosed vestibule whereupon it is clamped under pressure between an overhead mechanical press and the conveyor assembly to form a clamped assembly. The clamped assembly, including a portion of the conveyor, is then lowered into a quenching bath via an elevator assembly until the heated workpiece is quenched, whereupon the clamped assembly is raised out of the bath and the clamping force released. This clamping during quenching acts to maintain the workpiece in a planar orientation while reducing warpage during the quenching process.

A flat steel product for hot forming may be produced from a steel substrate that includes a steel comprising 0.1-3% by weight Mn and up to 0.01% by weight B, along with a protective coating that is applied to the steel substrate. The protective coating may be based on Al and may contain up to 20% by weight of other alloy elements. Also disclosed are methods for producing such flat steel products, steel components, and methods for producing steel components. Absorption of hydrogen is minimized during heating necessary for hot forming. This is achieved at least in part through an alloy constituent of 0.1-0.5% by weight of at least one alkaline earth or transition metal in the protective coating, wherein an oxide of the alkaline earth or transition metal is formed on an outer surface of the protective coating during hot forming of the flat steel product.

A hot stamp tool including an annealing die and a hot forming die. A blank is placed in the hot forming die with a first transfer arm where it is formed and quenched into a shaped part. The shaped part is then moved from the hot forming die to the annealing die with a second transfer arm. In the annealing die, the shaped part continues to be cooled. The annealing die includes a heating element that heats a portion of the shaped part to the point of annealing to form an annealed part. The annealed part includes a non-annealed portion and an annealed portion with a transition zone between the annealed portion and the non-annealed portion. The annealed portion can then be deformed.

A low-carbon iron-chromium-molybdenum alloy comprises, in weight percent: carbon from about 0.1 to about 0.8 percent; manganese from about 0.1 to about 4 percent; silicon from about 0.1 to about 0.5 percent; chromium from 14 to about 16 percent; nickel up to about 8 percent; vanadium up to about 0.1 percent; molybdenum from 14 to about 16 percent; tungsten up to about 6 percent; niobium from about 0.1 to about 0.8 percent; cobalt up to about 0.2 percent; boron up to 0.1 percent; nitrogen up to about 0.1 percent; copper up to about 1.5 percent; sulfur up to about 0.05 percent; phosphorus up to about 0.05 percent; balance iron from about 50 to about 65 percent; and incidental impurities wherein the alloy contains a ratio of Cr/Mo of about 0.9 to about 1.1. The alloy can be used as a valve seat insert for combustion engines.

A method for producing aluminum alloy materials suitable for use in the food industry includes processing of a liquid metal mixture having strontium in addition to aluminum by a twin roll continuous casting technique.

A preparation method of a uniform low stress cone shaped charge liner includes the steps of multi-pass extrusion forming, vibration aging treatment, and cryogenic treatment. The step of multi-pass extrusion forming refers to 4 to 8 passes of extrusion deformation under the actions of a three-dimensional compressive stress and a deformation rate of 5 to 10 mm/s, having a deformation amount of 5 to 50% for each pass. The shaped charge liner prepared by the present invention has high dimensional accuracy, good geometric symmetry, low stress value, and excellent stability in the precise machining process and in use, which may significantly improve the penetration capability and stability of the shaped charge liner of high-explosive anti-tank warheads.