
Quenching is a fundamental process in the heat treatment of die steels, crucial for achieving the desired mechanical properties. However, improper quenching can lead to various types of cracks that compromise the integrity and performance of the molds. Below are five common quenching cracks in die steel, along with detailed analysis and preventive measures.
**1. Longitudinal Crack**
Longitudinal cracks run parallel to the axis of the mold. They typically occur when the core of the mold is fully hardened, leading to a significant increase in volume due to martensitic transformation. This generates high tangential tensile stress, especially in steels with high carbon content. If this stress exceeds the steel’s strength limit, longitudinal cracking occurs. Factors that worsen this issue include harmful impurities like sulfur, phosphorus, bismuth, lead, tin, and arsenic, which cause stress concentration. Additionally, if the mold size falls within the critical quenching crack range or the cooling medium is too aggressive, the risk increases significantly.
*Prevention:* Ensure raw materials are free from harmful elements, use vacuum or electroslag remelting, optimize heat treatment processes with controlled cooling, and avoid full quenching by using techniques like isothermal or graded quenching.
**2. Transverse Crack**
Transverse cracks appear perpendicular to the axial direction. They often form at the boundary between hardened and unhardened regions, especially during rapid cooling of large molds. These cracks can also result from lateral segregation of impurities or existing microcracks in the material.
*Prevention:* Proper forging techniques should be used to refine carbides and impurities, ensuring uniform distribution. Select an appropriate cooling rate and medium, such as CL-1 organic quenchants, to manage thermal and structural stresses effectively. Balancing the total stress to remain negative helps prevent transverse cracking.
**3. Arc Crack**
Arc cracks develop in corners, notches, or holes where stress concentrations are high. The stress at these points can be up to ten times higher than on smooth surfaces. High carbon and alloy content lower the Ms point, increasing the likelihood of cracking. Incomplete tempering or residual austenite can also contribute to arc cracks by causing stress redistribution during service.
*Prevention:* Improve design to reduce sharp edges and stress concentration areas. Use fillets and process holes to allow slower cooling. Timely tempering and multiple tempering cycles help eliminate residual stresses and improve toughness.
**4. Peel Crack**
Peel cracks occur when the hardened surface layer separates from the base material. This happens due to differences in expansion rates during quenching, especially after chemical treatments like carburizing or nitriding. Rapid cooling or incorrect tempering can exacerbate this problem.
*Prevention:* Control the depth and hardness gradient of the surface layer. Perform diffusion annealing before chemical treatments to ensure better bonding between the surface and base material. Avoid rapid tempering after quenching to minimize tensile stress buildup.
**5. Mesh Crack**
Mesh cracks are shallow, radial cracks that appear on the surface. They are often caused by decarburization, which reduces the carbon content and alters the structure of the surface layer. This leads to high tensile stress and cracking along grain boundaries. Coarse-grained steels or overheating during quenching can also contribute to this type of crack.
*Prevention:* Use fine-grained steels and inspect raw materials for decarburization. Ensure proper cold cutting to remove decarburized layers. Implement precise temperature control during heat treatment and use protective atmospheres to prevent oxidation and decarburization.
By understanding the causes and applying the right preventive strategies, manufacturers can significantly reduce the occurrence of quenching cracks, ensuring longer mold life and better performance.
Semi-flush Mount
A Semi-Flush Mount is a type of Lighting Fixture that is installed on the
ceiling and hangs down slightly, but not as far as a Pendant Light. It
is a popular choice for rooms with low ceilings, as it provides ample
Lighting Product without taking up too much vertical space. Semi-Flush Mount Lighting come
in a variety of styles and designs, from modern and sleek to more
traditional and ornate. Semi-Flush Light are typically easy to install and can be
used in a variety of settings, including bedrooms, living rooms, and
kitchens.
Compared with Flush Mount lamps, there are no special restrictions on the design of Semi-flush Mount due to a certain vertical space, so there will be more changes in the structure. Can be with a chain, can be used boom. In the Normal Temperature test, it is stipulated that the distance between the bulbs or lampshade area and the canopy or ceiling in Semi-flush Mount is within 4 inches, which needs to make the Normal Temperature test, and whether to post a temperature warning depends on the temperature. If the distance is greater than 4 inches, Normal Temperature test is not required.

Semi-Flush,Semi-Flush Mount,Semi-Flush Light,Semi Flush Mount,Semi-Flush Mount Lighting,Ceiling Mount Lighting,Ceiling Flush Mount Light Fixture,Led Ceiling Flush Mount Light
Zhengdong Lighting Co., Ltd. , https://www.sundint.com