Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Breakage of Spring Steel During Manufacturing: A Metallurgical Investigation

  • Case History---Peer-Reviewed
  • Published:
Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Spring steel is a name given to a wide range of steels used in the manufacture of springs, prominently in automotive and industrial suspension applications. High carbon of HC82BCr grade steel is drawn in the range of 4.0–3.0 mm as per customer’s requirement for production of spring mainly in automobile components. This spring steel grade is produced from continuous cast billet of size 150 mm × 150 mm and then hot rolled into the size of 5.5 mm diameter wire rod. Quality aspects of these spring are significant as any inherent abnormality in the material could lead to unwanted productivity losses or quality claims or sometimes serious safety issues. In this present study, spring samples broken during coiling stage were collected from plants for understanding their quality aspect and potential causes of breakage during production. Detailed microstructural investigation revealed that the root cause of breakage of the spring is related to the segregation of phosphorous and chromium in the billet which leads to the formation of martensite (brittle and less ductile) in wire rod during rolling process. This volume change due to formation of martensite increases the stress level at the interface of pearlite and martensite. During wire drawing, this increased stress level causes formation of internal crack in subsequent passes causing breakage during spring formation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S. Das, S. Talukdar, G. Mukhopadhyay, S. Bhattacharyya, Breakage of electrode grade steel wires during manufacturing: a metallurgical investigation. Eng. Fail. Anal. 95, 199–205 (2019)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Z. Huang, Y. Wang, Y. Xiong, Study of the microstructure and properties of ER70S-6 wire rods. J. Iron Steel Res. 17(S1), 929–932 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  3. S. Das, J. Mathur, T. Bhattacharyya, S. Bhattacharyya, Failure analysis of steel wire of grade LRPC during drawing process. Eng. Fail. Anal. 27, 333–339 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  4. S. Das, J. Mathur, T. Bhattacharyya, S. Bhattacharyya, Metallurgical investigation of different causes of center bursting led to wire breakage during production. Case Study Eng. Fail. Anal. 1, 32–36 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  5. S. Das, P. Koli, J. Mathur, A. Dey, T. Bhattacharyya et al., Failure analysis of motor tyre bead wires during torsion test. Eng. Fail. Anal. Prev. 13, 684–688 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  6. R.D. Barer, B.F. Peters, Wire Ropes, Why Metals Fail (Corden & Breach, New York, 1982), pp. 218–223

    Google Scholar 

  7. G.A. Sharp, Steel wire for ropes, in Steel Wire Handbook, vol. 3, ed. by A.B. Dove (The Wire Association Inc., Branford, 1972), pp. 77–94

    Google Scholar 

  8. J.R. Davis, Wear resistance of steels, in ASM Specialty Handbook: Carbon and Alloy Steels, ed. by J.R. Davis (ASM International, Phildelphia, 1996), pp. 170–200

    Google Scholar 

  9. F.L. Jamieson, Failures of lifting equipment, in Failure Analysis and Prevention, ASM handbook, Vol. 11, 9th edn., ed. by K. Mills, J.R. Davis, J.D. Destefani, D.A. Dietrich, G.M. Crankovic, H.J. Frissell (American Society for Metals, Philadelphia, 1986), pp. 514–521

    Google Scholar 

  10. S.K. Dhua, A. Ray, S. Jha, Metallurgical investigation of locked coil wire rope samples fractured during service. Steel India 23(2), 40–42 (2000)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. A. Ray, S.K. Dhua, K.B. Mishra, S. Jha, Microstructural manifestation of fractured Z-profile steel wires on the outer layer of a failed locked coil wire rope. J. Fail. Anal. Prev. 3(4), 33–37 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Z. Zimerman, H. Darlington, E.H. Kottcamp, Jr., Selection of operating parameters to prevent central bursting defects during cold extrusion. J. Met. Form. 50, 47–62 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  13. B.D. Clarke, I.B. Mclvor, Effect of phosphorus on microstructure and strength of high carbon steel rod. Iron Steel Mak. 16, 335–344 (1989)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. S.K. Choudhary, A. Ghosh, A study of morphology and macro segregation in continuously cast steel billets. Iron Steel Inst. Jpn. Int. 34, 338–345 (1994)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. J.K. Brimacombe, The challenge of quality in continuous casting processes. Metall. Mater. Trans. B 30B, 553 (1999)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. A. Ghosh, Segregation in cast products. Sadhana 26, 5–24 (2001)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. H. Combeau, M. Zaloznik, S. Hans, P. Richy, Prediction of macrosegregation in steel ingots: influence of the motion and the morphology of equiaxed grains. Metall. Mater. Trans. B 40B, 289–304 (2009)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. M.C. Flemings, Modeling of casting, in Welding and Advanced Solidification Processes-VIII, ed. by B.G. Thomas, C. Beckermann (TMS, Warrendale, 1998), p. 1

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. R&D and Scientific Services, Tata Steel Limited, Jamshedpur, 831 001, India

    Souvik Das, Vikas Solanki, Anup Kumar & Goutam Mukhopadhyay

  2. Product Technology Group, Tata Steel Limited, Jamshedpur, 831 001, India

    Sandip Talukdar

Authors
  1. Souvik Das
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sandip Talukdar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vikas Solanki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anup Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Goutam Mukhopadhyay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Souvik Das.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Das, S., Talukdar, S., Solanki, V. et al. Breakage of Spring Steel During Manufacturing: A Metallurgical Investigation. J Fail. Anal. and Preven. 20, 1462–1469 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-020-00993-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11668-020-00993-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation