The invention relates to a surface-hardened, rotationally symmetrical workpiece, to a hardening method and to a hardening apparatus. The proposed hardening apparatus comprises a machine frame on which two coaxially arranged rotary bearings designed to support a rotationally symmetrical workpiece are arranged, at least one rotary bearing being operatively connected to a drive device to generate rotation of the workpiece; and at lease one laser apparatus for generating focused, high-energy radiation is arranged on said rotary bearing, said laser apparatus being movable in the axial direction, and the radiation being directed toward the workpiece.

The invention relates to a surface-hardened, rotationally symmetrical workpiece, to a hardening method and to a hardening apparatus. The proposed hardening apparatus comprises a machine frame on which two coaxially arranged rotary bearings designed to support a rotationally symmetrical workpiece are arranged, at least one rotary bearing being operatively connected to a drive device to generate rotation of the workpiece; and at lease one laser apparatus for generating focused, high-energy radiation is arranged on said rotary bearing, said laser apparatus being movable in the axial direction, and the radiation being directed toward the workpiece.

A bearing part includes a quench-hardened layer in a surface of the bearing part. The quench-hardened layer includes a plurality of martensite crystal grains. A ratio of a total area of the plurality of martensite crystal grains in the quench-hardened layer is more than or equal to 70%. The plurality of martensite crystal grains are classified into a first group and a second group. A minimum value of crystal grain sizes of the martensite crystal grains belonging to the first group is larger than a maximum value of crystal grain sizes of the martensite crystal grains belonging to the second group. A value obtained by dividing a total area of the martensite crystal grains belonging to the first group by the total area of the plurality of martensite crystal grains is more than or equal to 0.5.

Provided is an alloy having a high strength and a low thermal expansion coefficient. The alloy according to the present disclosure includes a chemical composition containing, in mass %: C: 0.10% or less, Si: 0.50% or less, Mn: 0.15 to 0.60%, P: 0.015% or less, 5: 0.0030% or less, Ni: 30.0 to 40.0%, Cr: 0.50% or less, Mo: 0.50% or less, Co: 0.250% or less, Al: 0.0150% or less, Ca: 0.0050% or less, Mg: 0.0300% or less, N: 0.0100% or less, O: 0.0300% or less, Pb: 0.0040% or less, and Zn: 0.020% or less, one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Nb: 0 to less than 0.145%, Ti: 0 to less than 0.145%, and. V: 0 to less than 0.145%: 0.015 to less than 0.145% in total, with the balance being Fe and impurities, and satisfying Formula (1).

(Nb+3×Ti+V)/(C+N)≤6.00   (1)

in a heat treatment method for a tubular shaft for a drive shaft having a ball spline structure for a plunging and an undercut region with a reduced diameter, a carburizing-austempering is performed such that a deep portion hardness of the undercut region is a value between HRC 35 to HRC 50.

in a heat treatment method for a tubular shaft for a drive shaft having a ball spline structure for a plunging and an undercut region with a reduced diameter, a carburizing-austempering is performed such that a deep portion hardness of the undercut region is a value between HRC 35 to HRC 50.

The present disclosure relates to a steel and a method for manufacturing the steel. Specifically, the present disclosure is characterized by providing a method for providing optimal alloy components that can reduce carburizing thermal deformation by reducing contents of Cr and Mo elements compared to the existing ones, and improving the physical property with fatigue resistance of a carburized steel by adjusting a rolling thermal treatment temperature, a carburizing thermal treatment condition, and the like to increase a fraction of a fine MX precipitate and improve a precipitation strengthening effect.

There is provided an alloy that has sufficient creep strength in a high temperature environment, and that is capable of achieving both excellent stress relaxation cracking resistance and excellent weld hot cracking resistance. An alloy according to the present disclosure consists of, in mass %, C: 0.050 to 0.100%, Si: 1.00% or less, Mn: 1.50% or less, P: 0.035% or less, S: 0.0015% or less, Cr: 19.00 to 23.00%, Ni: 30.00 to 35.00%, N: 0.100% or less, Al: 0.15 to 0.70%, Ti: 0.15 to 0.70%, and B: 0.0010 to 0.0050%, with the balance being Fe and impurities, and satisfies Formula (1) and Formula (2).

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}0.6<A1+\mathrm{Ti}<1.2& \left(1\right)\end{array}$$\begin{array}{cc}1.12\mathrm{Ti}/A1& \left(2\right)\end{array}$

A rolled round steel material for a steering rack bar, having a chemical composition consisting of C: 0.38 to 0.55%, Si: not more than 1.0%, Mn: 0.20 to 2.0%, S: 0.005 to 0.10%, Cr: 0.01 to 2.0%, Al: 0.003 to 0.10%, and N: 0.003 to 0.03%, with the balance being Fe and impurities, and P being not more than 0.030% in the impurities, and a microstructure consisting of ferrite (F), lamellar pearlite (LP), and cementite (C). The average grain diameter of (F), an area fraction of (LP), and the number of particles of spheroidal cementite (SC) among C are controlled in a region from the surface to a position at ½ radius and in a central part of the material. An average aspect ratio of F is controlled in a region from a surface to a position at ½ radius.

A rolled round steel material for a steering rack bar, having a chemical composition consisting of C: 0.38 to 0.55%, Si: not more than 1.0%, Mn: 0.20 to 2.0%, S: 0.005 to 0.10%, Cr: 0.01 to 2.0%, Al: 0.003 to 0.10%, and N: 0.003 to 0.03%, with the balance being Fe and impurities, and P being not more than 0.030% in the impurities, and a microstructure consisting of ferrite (F), lamellar pearlite (LP), and cementite (C). The average grain diameter of (F), an area fraction of (LP), and the number of particles of spheroidal cementite (SC) among C are controlled in a region from the surface to a position at ½ radius and in a central part of the material. An average aspect ratio of F is controlled in a region from a surface to a position at ½ radius.