Development of new material and heat treatment for tools ensuring high performance in hot seamless tube rolling

Abstract

A new technology has been developed to improve the life of tools used for high temperature steel rolling in seamless tube manufacturing. It is a joint technology combining a new chemical composition and a special heat treatment. The new steel tool material has high Cr, C, and Ni contents compared with those of the conventional tools in order to increase the volume fraction of carbide which increases wear resistance. Through the new heat treatment, the macroscopic distribution pattern of eutectic carbide changes from meshlike to granular form increasing resistance against crack propagation. The validity of the results in the laboratory has been verified on the production line.