234 / Heat Treater’s Guide

1524,1524H
Chemical Composition. 1524. AISI and UNS: 0.19 to 0.25 C. I.35 Recommended Heat Treating Practice
to 1.65 Mn, 0.040 P max. 0.050 S max. 15248. UNS H15240 and
SAE/AISI 1524H: 0.18 to 0.26 C, I .2S to I .7S Mn. 0. I5 to 0.35 Si: 152-I
Normalizing. Heat to 925 “C ( I695 “FL Cool in air
was formerly designated as IOXX grade Annealing. Heat to 900 “C ( I650 “FL Furnace cool to 675 “C ( I245 “F)
at a rate not to exceed 28 “C (SO “F) per h
Similar Steels (U.S. and/or Foreign). 1524: UNS G15240: Direct Hardening. Austenitize at 885 “C (1625 “F). Quench in oil or
ASTM A510, AS13 (1023). A519. AS-45: SAEJ403.J312,J414:(W. Ger.) brine. Quenchant depends on section thickness
DfN I. I 160. 1524H. UNS H 15210: SAE J 1268; (Ger.) DfN I. I I60
Tempering. As-quenched hardness of 43 HRC or higher can be reduced
by tempering. as required
Characteristics. Essentially a higher manganese version of 1023. Has
higher hardenability. Grade lS24H is now available with a guaranteed Case Hardening. Can be case hardened by any one of several proc-
hardenability band. Considered a borderline grade because it can be case esses. from light case hardening by carbonitriding and salt bath nitriding
hardened by carburizing or carbonitriding. Popular for this purpose because described for grade 1008 to deeper case carburizing in gas. solid, or liquid
of relatively high core hardness. This permits use of thinner cases, which media. Plasma (ion) carburizing is an alternative process. (See carburizing
conserve thermal energy and decrease processing cost. I524H also used in process described for grade 1020). For 1524H. use carburizing temperature
the hardened and tempered condition where moderate strength is needed. of 900 to 925 “C ( I650 to I695 “F). Use oil for cooling medium
As-quenched hardness of43 HRC or slightly higher can be expected. Even
though the carbon content is only 0.26 max. welding must be done with Recommended Processing Sequence
care. because the high manganese may raise the carbon equivalent to a l Normalize
dangerous degree unless preheating and postheating practices are used. l Anneal
Forgeability is excellent. Grade lS21H may be obtained in various product l Rough machine
forms l Austenitize
l Quench
Forging. Heat to 1215 ‘C (2275 “F). Do not forge below 900 “C ( 1650 l Temper
“F). For lS24H. drop forge between 900 to I250 “C ( I650 to 2280 “F) l Finish machine
 High Manganese Carbon Steels (1500 Series) / 235

1524: Continuous Cooling Transformation Diagram. A British steel with a chemical composition roughly equivalent to 1524: 0.19 C, 1.50
Mn, 0.020 P, 0.020 S, 0.20 Si. Hot rolled and austenitized at 870 “C (1600 “F)

1524H: End-Quench Hardenability

Distance from Distance ti-om
quenched El~dlleSS. quenched Elardness.
s&ace ERC surface ERC
916 in. mm max min ‘/,6 in. mm max

I I.58 51 42 6 918 32
1.5 2.37 49 42 6.5 10.27 30
2 3.16 18 38 7 II.06 29
2.5 3.95 41 3-l 7.5 I I.58 28
3 1.74 15 29 8 12.6-I 27
3.5 5.53 43 35 9 14.71 26
4 6.32 39 ‘2 IO IS.80 25
4.5 7.1 I 38 20 I? 18.96 23
5 1.90 35 I-l 22. I? 22
5.5 8.69 34 I6 25.28 20
236 / Heat Treater’s Guide

1524, 1524H: Hardness vs Tempering Temperature. Repre-

sents an average based on a fully quenched structure

1524: Microstructure. Picral and mtal, 500x. Sheet, 3.175 mm

(0.125 in.) thick. Austenitized at 1095 “C (2005 “F). Cooled in air.
Dark areas are fine pearlite with some bainite. Light areas are en-
velopes of ferrite at prior austenite grain boundaries and Widman-
statten platelets of ferrite within grains

1524: Plasma (Ion) Carburizing. Carbon concentration profiles

in AISI 1524 steel after ion carburizing for 15 min at 1050 “C (1920
“F) in atmospheres and with flow conditions indicated
 High Manganese Carbon Steels (1500 Series) / 237

1524H: Hardenability Curves. Heat-treating temperatures recommended by SAE. Normalize (for forged or rolled specimens only): 900 “C
(1650 “F). Austenitize: 870 “C (1600 “F)
iardness limits for specification
wrposes
I distance, Eardness, HRC
urn Maximum Minimum

.5 51 42
/ 19 39
1 4-l 26
, 38 21
I 3-l
I 30
3 ‘7
5 2s
10 13
15

iardness limits for specification

w-poses
distance. Eardness. HRC
‘16io. Maximum hlinimum

51 42
.s 49 42
48 38
.s 47 34
45 29
._5 43 25
39 22
.5 38 20
3s
._5 34
32
5 30
29
28
27
26
25
23
22
20