Effect of Spheroidizing Annealing Time on Microstructure and Hardness of GCr15 Bearing Steel

In order to shorten the spheroidizing annealing time, the effects of annealing time on microstructure and hardness of GCr15 have been researched by using OM, SEM and Vickers hardness tester. The original microstructural constituent of bearing steel is pearlite and cementite. Prolonged time at 805°Cwill decrease the number and increase size of cementite particles. After incomplete austenization at 805°C, prolonged time at 720°C induces increase of particle size, and uniform distribution of divorced pearlite. The hardness of specimens treated with different spheroidization process fluctuates around 200HV, and is equivalent to that with conventional spheroidization process. It is realizable to shorten the annealing time on the premise of good quality of bearing steel.