Possibilities for Improvement of Mechanical Properties of High-Strength Medium-Carbon SiCr Steels

The 54SiCr6 high-strength low-alloyed steel with medium carbon content is studied in this work. Its excellent mechanical properties allow a wide range of applications as springs and vibration dampers. The high strength is usually achieved during heat treatment consisting of quenching and tempering. This manuscript represents several methods to further increase in mechanical properties. Firstly, the influence of microstructure before quenching and tempering was studied and enhanced plastic prop-erties were measured. Secondly, a thermomechanical treatment before quenching increased the strength. Finally, the use of strain assisted tempering caused a further strengthening effect compared to conventional tempering. All these methods improve mechanical properties, some increase strength and others ductility.