In-situ Metallography:

A Technique for Evaluation of Forged Roll Quality

S !ha"ra#orty$ ! % &hosh ' S Ray
Tayo Rolls Limited, Jamshedpur, India
(sukumar@tayo.co.in, 9204!!"!#$
A(STRA!T
In this paper, impact o% micro&structural 'ariation on the hardness o% induction hardened
%or(ed roll is descri)ed. *icro&structural e'aluation o% the roll is characteri+ed )y optical In&
situ microscopy ,hile hardness 'alue ,as measured )y re)ound type hardness tester. It is an
esta)lished %act that pearlitic microstructure is %a'oura)le o'er non&uni%orm spherodised
micro&structure %or induction hardenin(. It is also esta)lished that other than matri-, car)ide
morpholo(y and (rain si+e ha'e pronounced e%%ect on achie'ement o% %inal hardness. .ays
and means to control the car)ide morpholo(y is also discussed.
Key words: In&/itu *etallo(raphy, 0or(e Roll 1uality.
) I*TR+,-!TI+*
T234 Rolls, a ,ell reno,ned name as a cast roll manu%acturer 'entured into manu%acturin(
o% %or(ed rolls %or cold rollin( mills in the year 2050. 0acilities ,ere set&up %or makin( %or(ed
roll in the e-istin( premises at 6amharia, Jamshedpur. Tayo has the capacity to make "000
tons o% %or(ed roll per annum. To utili+e e-tra capacity in melt shop and %or(ed shop Tayo
also started makin( 7n(ineerin( 0or(in(s and In(ots %or sale. Tayo has the capacity o%
makin( !000 tons o% en(ineerin( %or(in( and 52000 tons o% salea)le in(ots per annum.
8resently Tayo9s ne, %or(ed shop comple- is in ramp up mode. Trials at 'arious rollin( mills
ha'e )een success%ul and repeat orders are comin( at accelerated rate.
:istorically manu%acturin( o% %or(ed steel cold mill rolls ,as started ,ith a nominal
chromium content o% 2; in India. To meet increasin( re<uirements %or critical sur%ace %inish
and te-ture o% %lat products, mill producti'ity, roll shop e%%iciency etc., later on all ne, cold
rollin( mills started usin( ";, 4; and !; chromium %or(ed rolls )ased on the speci%ication
%or a (i'en mill application. Tayo makes %or(ed roll ,ith chromium content o% " = ! ; to suit
the re<uirement o% all cold rollin( mills in India and a)road.
:ardness and microstructure are the t,o most important elements to determine the <uality o%
a %or(ed roll. 0or this, makin( o% clean steel is o% paramount importance. /u)se<uent %or(in(
and heat treatment operations are also important to (et desired properties. In process
inspection should )e so ro)ust that any noncon%ormity is arrested at early sta(e and restrict
%urther 'alue addition into the product. >nlike cast roll, hardness re<uirement is too hi(h %or
%or(ed rolls. >ni%ormity o% microstructure alon( ,ith narro, spread o% hardness is a demand
o% the day %rom the customers.
0or(ed rolls )ein( 'ery hard, samplin( is di%%icult at %inal sta(e %or in'esti(ation at
la)oratory. 4n site in&situ metallo(raphy is an important tool to e'aluate <uality o% a %or(ed
roll at %inal? near to %inal sta(e. It pre'ents product o% in%erior <uality to mo'e on to the ne-t
sta(e. 4ne can %oresee correcti'e measures )ased on the result o% in&situ metallo(raphy and
hence it is an important tool %or continual impro'ement o% %or(ed roll <uality.
. (A!%&R+-*,
2s a part o% )ack,ard inte(ration plan, Tayo has put up one mini )last %urnace o% @4m
"
capacity to make hot metal as an input to cast and %or(ed roll process line. Li<uid metal %or
%or(in( )usiness is made in an electric arc %urnace o% 2! ton capacity. The metal is %urther
processed in ladle %urnace o% 2! ton capacity and therea%ter 'acuum de(assin( operation is
done to take out harm%ul (asses. Aastin( o% in(ot is done throu(h )ottom pourin( ladle and
in(ots are hot trans%erred to %or(e shop %or char(in( in reheatin( %urnace. 0or(in( is done
,ith the help o% one 2!00 ton oil hydraulic open die %or(in( press under strict dimensional
control ,ith desired %or(in( ratio. 8ost %or(e heat treatment is mandatory to release stresses
and to re%ine the microstructure to make it suita)le %or hardenin( operation. :eat treatment
%urnaces o% 'arious capacities (!0 = 500 ton$ are a'aila)le ,ith automatic /A2B2 control
system to comply heat treatment 1uality Aontrol parameters. /kin cut o% %or(in( is done %or
ultrasonic test. 0or(ed roll Cournals are hardened in a hori+ontal induction heatin( machine
,ith air <uench system. 0or(ed roll )arrels are hardened throu(h a 'ertical dou)le coil
induction heatin( machine ,ith ,ater <uench system. Aryo(enic treatment is done to reduce
retained austenite and %inal temperin( is done to release stress and adCust the hardness as per
customer9s re<uirement.
2 %or(ed roll should ha'e speci%ied hardness on the )arrel as ,ell on the Cournal. In addition,
%or impro'ed tou(hness o% the roll, as desired )y the customer )ased on the end application,
ela)orate 'olume hardenin( %acility (4il? .ater <uenchin($ %ollo,ed )y temperin( at 0or(e
/hop can )e used to increase the core stren(th prior to induction hardenin(. There is a direct
relationship )et,een tensile stren(th? hardness and %ati(ue stren(th. The microstructure o% the
)arrel sur%ace should )e ,ell tempered martensite ,ith uni%ormly distri)uted %ine (lo)ular
car)ides in the matri-. *icro inclusion should )e ,ithin the speci%ied limit.
7'ery sta(e o% the manu%acturin( process has potential source o% non&con%ormity. Burin(
in(ot castin( process ade<uate care need to )e taken to make steel o% re<uired chemistry, %ree
%rom e-o(enous inclusions and ,ith reasona)le limit o% indi(enous inclusions. /ulphur and
8hosphorous are harm%ul elements and should )e )elo, the control limit. 0or e-ample, hi(h
sulphur content ,ill result in hi(her le'els o% micro inclusions. /ulphur is also associated
,ith increased se(re(ation le'els ,hich may lead to pro)lem ,ith central looseness and
macro&structural 'ariations. 6as content in the li<uid metal is another important aspect to )e
looked into durin( in(ot castin( sta(e.
Inade<uate %or(in( ratio ,ill result in central looseness o% the %or(in(s. 0or(in( speed,
manipulator practice, lappin( and corner e%%ects can com)ine to (i'e areas ,here some
sur%ace re(ions %all )elo, minimum %or(in( temperature and shallo, crackin( can )e
initiated. 8resence o% coarse car)ide durin( %or(in( and a%ter post %or(in( heat treatment sta(e
indicates that thermo=mechanical processin( is ine%%ecti'e in (eneratin( %ine car)ides capa)le
o% (oin( into the solution to (enerate the hardness durin( su)se<uent induction hardenin(
process. It is e-pected that poor structure ,ill result in ultrasonic attenuation issues. I% %or(in(
temperature is lo, the thermo=mechanical treatment ,ill )e inade<uate to re%ine the as cast
car)ide structure. It is important to trans%orm the structure o% the roll prior to normali+in(,
ensurin( the normali+in( temperature is achie'ed and a (ood and consistent air coolin( has
)een carried out.
2
Bepth o% hardenin( depends on the usa)le diameter o% the roll. I% it is more than usual, roll
may %ail trans'ersely into multiple pieces. :ardenin( parameter should )e okay %or the si+e o%
the roll and the pyrometers should )e ,ell cali)rated to a'oid this kind o% %ailure. To 'eri%y
depth o% hardness Tayo occasionally does step )y step machinin( on a test roll to esta)lish a
hardness pro%ile and the hardenin( parameters. 7d(e crackin(? spallin( o% a %or(ed roll durin(
hardenin( process is also a common phenomenon i% steel is not clean or there is machinin(
marks at )arrel ed(es not remo'ed.
.hen a %or(ed roll is hardened and tempered ,ithout any pro)lem (i.e. no crack? spall?
)urstin($, there may )e issues ,ith the le'el o% hardness achie'ed. 2 hardenin( mana(er
al,ays puts his e%%ort to achie'e ma-imum hardness durin( induction hardenin( process
irrespecti'e o% hardness speci%ication o% the customer. *inimum temperin( temperature
ensures release o% stress ,ithout sacri%icin( the hardness. Temperin( temperature can )e
increased to adCust the hardness as per the customer9s re<uirement. 2 roll ha'in( as <uench
hardness lo,er than ma-imum hardness )ut still ,ithin customer9s speci%ication is not a (ood
roll. /ometimes hardness can )e so lo, that reCection is ine'ita)le.
Induction hardened %or(ed rolls re<uire 'ery close tolerance o% hardness on )arrel. Austomers
normally (i'e hardness re<uirement o% %or(ed ,ork rolls in !&points ran(e like 90&9! /hore
A. I% hardness is )elo, 90 /hA, roll is reCected and has to )e reprocessed. It is ,ell kno,n
that, hardness is a %unction o% chemical composition, hardenin( parameter
5
D temperin(
temperature, <uenchin( se'erity and microstructure
2
. 2%ter hardenin( there is no scope o%
samplin( to check microstructure. To handle the situation In&/itu metallo(raphy techni<ue
can )e used as an e%%ecti'e tool %or non&destructi'e test.
2pplication o% in&situ metallo(raphy on (ood and )ad roll ,ill clearly re'eal the
microstructural
2, "
di%%erences )et,een the t,o. I% car)ide is %ound to )e coarse, su%%icient
car)ide did not (o into the solution durin( the hardenin( process resultin( is poor matri-
hardness. :ardenin( at relati'ely hi(her temperature or at lo,er speed ,ould )e a measure to
achie'e (ood hardness. I% coarse martensite is %ound then it could )e the result o% austenitic
(rain (ro,th due to hi(her hardenin( temperature. In this case, cali)ration o% pyrometers has
to )e rechecked or hardenin( temperature to )e lo,ered alon( ,ith increased speed. I%
retained austenite is %ound to )e hi(her, lo,erin( o% temperature durin( cryo(enic treatment
alon( ,ith increased holdin( time at su)+ero temperature ,ill (i'e result. There%ore it is 'ery
important to per%orm in&situ metallo(raphy on hardened %or(ed roll to assess the <uality o%
the roll.
/ E01ERIME*TA2
".5 *aterial
The material used in this study ,as processed at T234 throu(h *E0 720 L0 D FB
In(ot Aastin( 0or(in( 8rimary :eat Treatment Induction :ardenin( Aryo(enic
TreatmentTemperin( route.
Typical composition o% the roll is (i'en in Ta)le&5.
"
Ta)le&5
A *n / 8 /i 2l Ar Gi :2H 42H
/87A 0.0
0.9!
0.20
0.!0
0.050
*a-
0.020
*a-
0.20
0.!0
0.05
ma-
2.9!
".!0
0.#0
ma-
2
ma-
20
ma-
Test
Roll
0.#@ 0.2! 0.009 0.050 0."# 0.009 "."0 0.55 5.@ 5
H In ppm
".2 In&/itu metallo(raphy Test
In&/itu metallo(raphy is carried out on roll )arrel a%ter localised (rindin( ,ith di%%erent (rit
papers, %ollo,ed )y diamond paste (0.!micron$ polishin( %or mirror %inish as re<uired %or
metallo(raphy. The polished area is etched ,ith 2;Gital. 7tched area is seen under the
porta)le microscope at 500- and 400- ma(ni%ication. 8hoto(raph o% the micro&structure is
taken ,ith a di(ital camera mounted on the eyepiece o% the microscope (8hoto(raph o% the
In&situ microscope is (i'en )elo,$.
3 RES-2TS ' ,IS!-SSI+*
4ne such case o% a relati'ely lo, hardness is sho,n in 0i(.5. The microstructure contains lot
o% coarse car)ides. /ame e-ercise ,as also done on rolls ha'in( hi(her hardness and it has
)een %ound that amount o% coarse car)ides are si(ni%icantly less.
4
0i(. 5 *icro&photo (-500 D -400$ o% In&/itu metallo(raphy done on the )arrel sur%ace
,ith lo, hardness roll
In&/itu ,as done on adCacent Cournal area (outside hardenin( area$ o% the same roll to
in'esti(ate the pre&induction hardened micro&structure. The comparati'e o% pre&hardenin(
micro&structure o% lo, hardness roll and that o% hi(h hardness roll is sho,n in 0i(&2.
0i(. 2 *icro&photo (-400$ o% In&/itu metallo(raphy done on )arrel step (7tchantI 2; Gital$
o% hi(h hardness and lo, hardness roll.
2nother lo, hardness roll ,as in'esti(ated ,ith In&/itu metallo(raphy ,here the micro&
structure sho,in( coarse (rain and coarse martensite. *icro&photo(raph o% the same is
sho,n in 0i(.".
4igh hardness roll 2o5 4ardness roll
.
!
0ine car)ides
(0."@&5.!micron$
uni%ormly distri)uted
Fery coarse car)ide
(J2 micron$ non&
uni%ormly distri)uted

0i(. " *icro&photo (K400$ o% In&/itu metallo(raphy done on )arrel (7tchantI 2; Gital$ o%
lo, hardness roll.
0or the a)o'e case, retained austenite also ,as relati'ely on hi(her side. The retained
austenite ,as measured )y Ri(aku */0&"* K&ray /tress 2naly+er and the 'alue ,as !.9!;.
!ase-):
0or identi%ication o% ne-t le'el route cause o% coarse martensite cases, the +one ,ise Time&
Temperature matri- (Ta)le&2$ o% pre&induction normalisin( treatment cycle ,as studied and
%ound a maCor de'iation. Eoth +one ,ise and contact thermocouple temperature are "0&!0
o
A
hi(her (hi(hli(hted in Ta)le 2$ o'er the speci%ied ran(e.
Ta)le&2I Lone ,ise Time&Temperature *atri- o% Gormalisin( soakin( temperature.
Time
L5 L2 L" L4 AT5 AT2
5
st
! hrs #@&##0 #0&950 67.-8)9 669-8/9 ##0&90 6.9-639
2
nd
!hrs #!0&#@0 #90&950 #90&90! 8.9-8/9 ##9&900 639-63:
Ge-t !hrs #@0&900 900&92@ 900&90! 8)/-8.8 689-8/9 #0&#90
Last !hrs 8).-8.. 8.7-8/: 904&90! 8.6-8/9 8/:-83) #@9&#4
/peci%ied temperature #@0&900
0
A
L5 to L4I Lone temperature, AT5 D AT2I Aontact Thermocouple Temperature
!ase-.:
In most o% the cases o% lo, hardness roll, coarser car)ides on matri- ,ere seen.
0or lo, hardness rolls, hardenin( parameter checked ,ith actual temperature pro%ile recorded
)y the hardenin( machine 8LA system. Fariation o% temperature ,as around !&50
o
A (0i(.4$
,hich is normal and also seen %or (ood hardness roll. Aali)ration o% temperature sensors ,ere
done ,ith respect to )lack )ody %urnace and no anomaly o)ser'ed.
@
Coarse Grain
ASTM 5-6
Coarse
Martensite
0i(.4I Temperature pro%ile alon( )arrel durin( induction hardenin(
6ood hardness area sho,s %ine car)ides ,ith %ine martensitic matri-. 6rains si+e is %ound 9
or 50 as per 2/T* 7552. In&/itu test ,as done on many rolls ()oth ha'in( hi(h and lo,
hardness$ and it ,as o)ser'ed that the pre&induction microstructure ,as not consistent. 2s
there is no di%%erence in chemistry or hardenin( parameter, di%%erence in pre&hardenin( micro&
structure ,as identi%ied as a pro)a)le cause o% the 'ariation in hardness.
*icro&structure sho,s non&uni%orm an(ular coarse car)ides indicatin( poor homo(eni+ation
and dissolution o% as cast primary car)ides. It happens due to improper thermo&mechanical
treatment durin( %or(in( and primary heat treatment operation. Impro'ement o% pre&induction
microstructure is o% prime importance to (et a desired result durin( induction hardenin(.
,esign of e;peri<ent
2s a correcti'e measure the induction hardenin( %eed rate decreased to 0.4mm?sec %rom
0.!mm?sec to allo, more time %or car)ides to (et dissol'ed into the solution. The result
,as %ound encoura(in(.
2s a pre'enti'e measure a trial ,as taken ,ith modi%ied primary heat treatment cycle to
(et impro'ement in car)ide morpholo(y. The result %ound encoura(in( %or the rolls
under(one this trial cycle (0i(. !$. The microstructure o% )e%ore and a%ter the modi%ied
cycle sho,s an impro'ement in car)ide si+e and distri)ution. 2%ter hardenin( all the roll
e-hi)ited desired hardness.

1osition of #arrel
E704R7 20T7R

0i(.! *icro&photo (-400$ o% )e%ore and a%ter modi%ied Aycle (7tchantI 2; Gital$
2s a process control micro structural study o% samples in as %or(ed heat treated condition
has )een incorporated to take necessary correcti'e measures in hardenin( parameters
)e%ore induction hardenin(.
Roll stackin( pattern durin( normalisin( treatment ,as also modi%ied %or )etter
temperature uni%ormity and contact thermocouples at top layer and )ottom layer is made
compulsory. (0i(.@$



0i(.@ Roll stackin( arran(ement and thermocouple position o% )e%ore and a%ter.
Test BataI Roll reprocess cases due to lo, hardness )ecame ne(li(i)le and the trend analysis
depicted in 0i(..
0i(. month ,ise lo, hardness issue trend analysis
: !+*!2-SI+*S
#
5. M8re&induction hardened microstructure9 ,as the main 'aria)le causin( this lo, hardness
issue a%ter induction hardenin( operation. Eesides the matri- car)ide si+e, shape and
distri)ution also play maCor role in the %inal hardness.
2. 0or route cause analysis o% hardness 'ariation pro)lem a%ter induction hardenin(, in&situ
metallo(raphy techni<ue has )een %ound to )e the most e%%ecti'e, implementa)le and lo,
cost option.
A!%*+=2E,&EME*T
2uthors are (rate%ul to the mana(ement o% TAYO Rolls %or the permission to pu)lish this
paper. Aontri)ution %rom collea(ues %or necessary help in preparin( the paper is
ackno,led(ed ,ith thanks.
References
1. 6 4akes, : T 6is)orne and * J .alsh, Effect of hardening method on properties and
stress distribution within monoblock forged steel rolls.
2. A.R.0. 2+e'edo H, J. Eelotti Geto, ailure analysis of forged and induction hardened
steel cold work rolls, Engineering ailure Analysis 11 !2""#$ %&1'%(()
www.else*ier.com+locate+engfailanal.
,. I. 2. Eoriso'5, A study of heat resistant steels for cold rolling rolls) Translated from
-etallo*edenie i Termicheskaya Obrabotka -etallo*) .o. 1) pp. 1% ' 22) /anuary)
2""2) -etal 0cience and 1eat Treatment 2ol. ##) .os. 1 ' 2) 2""2
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