A heat treatment process for through hardening results in high surface compressive stresses. The method includes heating a steel component to a first temperature, quenching the steel component to a second temperature, maintaining the steel component at the second temperature for a first duration of time, heating the steel component to a third temperature, maintaining the steel component at the third temperature for a second duration of time, and quenching the steel component to a fourth temperature when austenite to martensite+bainite or bainite transformation is at least 10% but less than 85% complete.

Provided is a heat treatment apparatus (1), including: a conveying device (10), which is configured to convey a rod-shaped workpiece (W) at a predetermined velocity along an axial direction of the workpiece (W); and a heating device (2) including a heating coil (3) configured to inductively heat the workpiece (W) being conveyed to a quenching temperature, wherein the heating coil (3) includes a first heating section (3A) and a second heating section (3B), which are coupled to each other in series along the axial direction of the workpiece (W), and is electrically connected to a single high-frequency power supply (4), and wherein a coil pitch (D2) of the second heating section (3B) arranged relatively on a front side in a conveying direction for the workpiece (W) is larger than a coil pitch (D1) of the first heating section (3A) arranged relatively on a rear side in the conveying direction.

Provided is a heat treatment apparatus (1), including: a conveying device (10), which is configured to convey a rod-shaped workpiece (W) at a predetermined velocity along an axial direction of the workpiece (W); and a heating device (2) including a heating coil (3) configured to inductively heat the workpiece (W) being conveyed to a quenching temperature, wherein the heating coil (3) includes a first heating section (3A) and a second heating section (3B), which are coupled to each other in series along the axial direction of the workpiece (W), and is electrically connected to a single high-frequency power supply (4), and wherein a coil pitch (D2) of the second heating section (3B) arranged relatively on a front side in a conveying direction for the workpiece (W) is larger than a coil pitch (D1) of the first heating section (3A) arranged relatively on a rear side in the conveying direction.

A bearing part is composed of a chromium molybdenum steel, and includes a raceway surface or a rolling contact surface. A precipitated compound composed of at least one of a carbide, a nitride, and a carbonitride exist in the raceway surface or the rolling contact surface. An area ratio of the precipitated compound in the raceway surface or the rolling contact surface is more than or equal to 3%. An average grain size of the precipitated compound in the raceway surface or the rolling contact surface is less than or equal to 0.3 μm.

The present invention relates to a steel composition carburizable and/or nitritable, comprising, in percentages by weight of the total composition: Carbon: 0.05-0.40, preferably 0.10-0.30; Chromium: 2.50-5.00, preferably 3.00-4.50; Molybdenum: 4.00-6.00; Tungsten: 0.01-1.80, preferably 0.02-1.50; Vanadium: 1.00-3.00, preferably 1.50-2.50; Nickel: 2.00-4.00; Cobalt: 2.00-8.00, preferably 3.00-7.00; Iron: balance as well as the inevitable impurities, optionally further comprising one or more of the following elements: Niobium: 2.00; Nitrogen: 0.50, preferably 0.20; Silicon: 0.70, preferably 0.05-0.50; Manganese: 0.70, preferably 0.05-0.50; Aluminum: 0.15, preferably 0.10; the combined niobium+vanadium content being in the range 1.00-3.50; and the carbon+nitrogen content being in the range 0.05-0.50. It further relates to the method of production thereof, the steel blank obtained and a mechanical device comprising the latter.

A bearing part according to one embodiment of the present invention is a bearing part composed of a chromium molybdenum steel, the bearing part including a diffusion layer in a surface of the bearing part. The diffusion layer includes a plurality of compound grains and a plurality of martensite blocks. An average grain size of the compound grains is less than or equal to 0.3 m. An area ratio of the compound grains in the diffusion layer is more than or equal to 3%. A maximum grain size of the plurality of martensite blocks is less than or equal to 3.8 m.

A bearing part according to one embodiment of the present invention is a bearing part composed of a chromium molybdenum steel, the bearing part including a diffusion layer in a surface of the bearing part. The diffusion layer includes a plurality of compound grains and a plurality of martensite blocks. An average grain size of the compound grains is less than or equal to 0.3 m. An area ratio of the compound grains in the diffusion layer is more than or equal to 3%. A maximum grain size of the plurality of martensite blocks is less than or equal to 3.8 m.

When a rod-shaped workpiece (W) having an outer peripheral surface with a circular cross section is inductively heated to a quenching temperature while being conveyed at a predetermined velocity along an axial direction of the rod-shaped workpiece (W), the rod-shaped workpiece (W) being currently conveyed is heated to a predetermined temperature equal to or lower than the quenching temperature by a first heating coil (2A), which is electrically connected to a first high-frequency power supply (3) and has a constant output. Then, the rod-shaped workpiece (W) being currently conveyed is heated so as to be maintained at the quenching temperature by a second heating coil (2B), which is electrically connected to a second high-frequency power supply (4) and has a constant output.

When a rod-shaped workpiece (W) having an outer peripheral surface with a circular cross section is inductively heated to a quenching temperature while being conveyed at a predetermined velocity along an axial direction of the rod-shaped workpiece (W), the rod-shaped workpiece (W) being currently conveyed is heated to a predetermined temperature equal to or lower than the quenching temperature by a first heating coil (2A), which is electrically connected to a first high-frequency power supply (3) and has a constant output. Then, the rod-shaped workpiece (W) being currently conveyed is heated so as to be maintained at the quenching temperature by a second heating coil (2B), which is electrically connected to a second high-frequency power supply (4) and has a constant output.

The invention relates to a method for producing a rolling bearing ring featuring an improved robustness against the formation of white etching cracks (WEC), wherein the rolling bearing component, which is made of a hypo-eutectoid heat-treated steel containing C in an amount of 0.4-0.55% and Cr in an amount of 0.5-2.0% in order to form a hardened boundary layer, is inductively heated, then quenched and subsequently tempered.