Charakterisierung von Randentkohlungsvorgängen bei der Austenitisierung des Wälzlagerstahls 100Cr6. Teil 2: Modellierung des Kohlenstoff‐Tiefenverlaufs mit Hilfe der Methode der Finiten Elemente

Characterization of Decarburisation Processes During Austenitising of the Rolling Bearing Steel 100Cr6. Part 2: Modelling of the Carbon Concentration Profile by Means of the Finite Element Method The quantitative measurement of carbon concentration‐distance curves serves as fundamental prerequisite for the evaluation of rim zone properties connected with decarburisation processes in material science. This was shown in part 1 of the present work with two samples from through‐hardenable rolling bearing steel 100Cr6 (SAE 52100) austenitised in different oxidising atmospheres by position dependent determination of hardness, residual stresses, and X‐ray line broadening ({211} α’‐Fe diffraction line). In practice, it is important to predict carbon concentration‐distance curves under prevailing heat treatment conditions or to conclude conversely from profile measurements. Based on a refined kinetics model of a diffusion‐controlled process, part 2 therefore presents a simulation tool developed by means of the finite element method (FEM). Apart from the concentration dependence of the diffusion coefficient, it also considers the decarburisation induced austenite‐ferrite phase transformation, the time dependent influence of scaling, and variable atmosphere conditions. The interpretation of the carbon concentration‐distance curves, measured very accurately in the rim zone of both 100Cr6 samples by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), confirms the possibilities of application of the new numerical tool.