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Tempering Temperature Effect on Microstructure and Mechanical Response of Isobloc W302 (H13) Steel

Abstract:

The present investigation studied the effect of tempering temperature on the mechanical properties of Isobloc W302 (H13) steel used for mold production and hot working applications. Because the material is tempered to offer higher wear resistance, it considerably reduces its ductility, affecting its durability. For this reason, an experimental design is employed to find suitable temperature levels for tempering to relieve stresses and lower the hardness of the mold in such a way as to increase the material ductility. Two main heat treatments were employed: quenching and austempering, and five levels of tempering temperatures between 300 and 650 °C were evaluated. The resulting microstructure was examined by optical microscopy, and the hardness and tensile strength of the material were also evaluated for each experimental level of tempering temperature. The results show that quenching and tempering at 400 °C improves the mechanical response while maintaining the hardness to a level suitable for operation.