Improvement of Adhesive Wear Behavior by Variable Heat Treatment of a Tool Steel for Sheet Metal Forming

Vanadis 10 steel is a powder metallurgy (PM) processed tool steel. It is a ledeburitic steel with 8% Cr and 10% V. By deliberately varying the process parameters related to the quenching, tempering, and nitriding of these steels, the aim of this study is to determine which of these parameters have a significant influence on its adhesive wear resistance. The research methodology employed was a Design of Experiments (DoE) with six factors and two levels for each factor. The tempering temperature, number of temperings, and carrying out of a thermochemical nitriding treatment were found to have a significant effect. To increase adhesive wear resistance, austenitization at 1100 °C with air cooling is recommended, followed by three temperings at 500 °C and a subsequent nitriding treatment. It should be noted that the quench cooling medium does not have a significant influence on wear resistance. Furthermore, (Fe,Cr)(7)C(3) (M(7)C(3) carbides) are transformed into carbonitrides during nitriding. However, (Fe,V)C (MC carbides) are not affected by this nitriding process.