Effect of the induction hardening on microstructures of the selected steels

The induction hardening is a well-developed technology in many industrial applications, e.g. automotive, tool manufacturing, casting technology, sheet metal forming etc. The induction hardening is generally employed for a surface hardening because the current induced during this process is concentrated directly under the surface of the workpiece due to the "skin effect". Recently, more and more companies are opting for induction-based hardening solutions because it is ideal for integrating into production lines. This technology is extremely energy-efficient, particularly when compared to wasteful methods such as furnace carburizing. Additionally, transportation times and costs are reduced in this method. The most popular application of induction heat treatment is hardening of steels and cast irons. Hardening of components made from steels may be done for the purpose of obtaining certain properties including - but not limited to - strength, fatigue and wear resistance. The microstructure of steel prior to heat treatment (also referred to as the initial structure or structure of the parent material) also has a significant effect on results of the heat treatment and required process parameters. This paper presents a methodology of revealing of a microstructure after the induction hardening and results of a microstructure observation of two selected steels treated with the induction hardening using microscopy techniques. These microstructures examinations provide information about a prediction of required properties.