Generation of compressive residual stresses by high speed water quenching

AbstractAccording to the literature, rapid water quenching can create compressive residual stresses (RSs) near the surface and thereby produce a significant increase in the fatigue limit. This technique is called 'intensive quenching'. In the present paper, some results from a research project will be presented. The project was initiated by the technical committee 'quenching' of the German Heat Treatment Association to deal critically with this issue.The focus of this paper is on the influence of the martensite transformation on RS generation. A process window was determined, within which one needs to quench fast enough, to get the surface temperature below the MS temperature, before the maximum temperature gradient in a cylinder is reached, in order to get compressive RSs on the surface.