Introduction
4140 chromium-molybdenum alloy steel is a versatile medium carbon low alloy steel that offers an excellent combination of toughness, strength, and wear resistance. Its good formability in the hot worked or forged condition makes 4140 an ideal choice for a wide range of hot forming applications across the manufacturing sector. This guide will provide an overview of 4140 alloy steel properties, examine various hot working and forming methods suitable for 4140, and offer best practice recommendations for processing parameters and techniques to achieve high quality outcomes when hot forming components from 4140 steel.
Overview of 4140 Alloy Steel
4140 alloy steel, also designated as chromium-molybdenum steel and SAE-AISI 4140, contains nominally 0.4% carbon along with 1% chromium and 0.2% molybdenum as strengthening alloy additions. The chromium imparts good hardness penetration and abrasion resistance, while the molybdenum enhances hardenability and high temperature strength.
Some key properties of 4140 alloy steel include:
- Good machinability in annealed state
- Excellent ductility for forming and hot working
- High hardenability for heat treating to high strength
- Good impact toughness after quenching and tempering
- Moderate weldability using low hydrogen processes
4140 is commonly supplied in the annealed or normalized condition with a hardness of around 217 Brinell. In this condition it can be readily machined or cold formed. After hot working or forging, 4140 components are often heat treated to develop full strength and hardness.
Heat treating involves austenitizing, quenching, and tempering to achieve properties upwards of 1000 MPa tensile strength and hardness in the 32-38 HRC range. For maximum toughness, tempering temperatures of 700-750°F are commonly used.
The combination of good hot formability, hardenability, and post-hardening toughness makes 4140 alloy steel an exceptional choice for hot forged components across a diverse range of applications.
Hot Working Characteristics of 4140 Steel
Hot working involves plastically deforming the steel above its recrystallization temperature to shape components without fracturing. 4140 has good hot formability and hot workability due to:
- Lower carbon content reduces risk of overheating and burning
- Alloying elements delay softening at high temperatures
- Excellent ductility up to 1300°F forming temperature
- Does not exhibit a sharp ductility trough
- Low risk of strain-age cracking during hot forming
The hot working temperature range for 4140 is between 1600-2250°F when the structure is fully austenitized. Lower temperatures around 1600-1700°F are preferred for forging to minimize grain growth. Forming is typically done at temperatures above 1000°F.
Due to its low alloy content, 4140 does not require overly high hot working temperatures. It also has a wide temperature range for hot working which provides flexibility for industrial processes.
Prior to hot working, 4140 components should be uniformly heated to forging/forming temperatures to avoid local overheating and burning. Protective atmosphere furnaces or molten salt baths help prevent scaling and oxidation.
Hot Forming Processes
4140 alloy steel has good hot ductility that allows it to be formed using a variety of hot forming techniques:
Hot Rolling
Heated steel passes through successive rolling stands to reduce cross section and elongate the workpiece into plate, sheet or strips.
Benefits:
- Excellent for breakdown rolling ingots into plate or sheet
- Higher production rates than cold rolling
- Improves strength through work hardening
Processing Tips:
- Typical temperature range is 1800-2300°F
- Descaling between passes prevents roll fouling
- Finish rolling just above 1050°F recrystallization limit
Hot Forging
Compressing hot steel between die cavities to produce parts with customized shapes. Commonly used for automotive, aerospace, and machinery components.
Benefits:
- Shapes complex geometries not possible by machining
- Refines grain structure for good strength
- Allows greater material reductions versus cold forging
Processing Tips:
- Forging temperature range 1600-2250°F
- Use low friction dies and high ram speeds
- Fillet radii to avoid cracking at corners
- Post forging heat treatment often required
Hot Extrusion
Forces heated billet through die opening to create long uniform shapes with reduced cross section. Used for bars, tubing, and engineered profiles.
Benefits:
- Excellent dimensional accuracy and surface finish
- Dense uniform structure improves properties
- Versatile process capable of complex profiles
Processing Tips:
- Temperature range 1500-2300°F
- Use lubricants and container liners to reduce friction
- Maintain back pressure at end to prevent defects
Hot Stamping
Pressing heated blanks between cooled dies to form complex shaped high strength components. Widely used in automotive industry.
Benefits:
- Forms ultra-high strength 1500+ MPa parts
- Excellent dimensional accuracy
- Consolidates forming and quenching in one step
Processing Tips:
- Austenitizing temperature around 1700°F
- Transfer blanks rapidly from furnace to press
- Use timed cooling patterns for optimal properties
Hot Spinning
Rotating workpiece pressed against a form block while hot. Used for producing axially symmetric components like missile nose cones, satellite dishes, and bellows.
Benefits:
- Excellent control of wall thickness and contour
- Fine-grained uniform structure
- Low forming stresses
Processing Tips:
- Preferred temperature range 1600-2000°F
- Lubricate form blocks and pressure rollers
- Use gradual pressure build-up during forming
- Avoid overheating edges and corners
Recommended Processing Parameters
Here are some key processing guidelines and parameters that are recommended when hot working and forming 4140 steel:
Preheating Temperature
- For forging: 1600-1700°F for optimal grain structure
- For forming: 1000-1300°F for good ductility
Workpiece Temperature
- Hot rolling: 1800-2300°F for plentiful malleable deformation
- Hot forging: 1650-2250°F enables full penetration of impressions
- Hot extrusion: 1900-2200°F ensures uniform flow
Reduction Ratio
- Hot rolling: Up to 50% reduction per pass
- Hot forging: 60% or higher reductions are possible
- Hot extrusion: 10:1 is typical but higher reductions also feasible
Pressures and Loads
- Hot stamping: 100-150 tons typical blanking pressure
- Hot forging: Loads 5-100 tons depending on hammer/press size
- Hot extrusion: Ram pressure 10,000 – 75,000 psi
Heating Method
- Batch furnaces: Slow heating, risk of oxidation
- Induction heating: Fast, precise, no oxidation
- Resistance heating: Used for hot stamping blanks
- Protective atmosphere: Preferred for critical components
Cooling/Quenching
- Air cooling from hot working temperature unless specified
- Hot stamping: Timed die quenching critical to properties
- Oil quenching from 1700°F for full hardening potential
Careful control of these parameters allows 4140 alloy steel to be hot worked into a wide range of applications with excellent quality and material properties.
Hot Working Defects
Some potential defects when hot working 4140 steel include:
Decarburization – Loss of carbon from surface due to oxidation. Causes soft localized areas.
Overheating – Excess temperature causes grain coarsening, loss of strength and burning.
Underfilling – Incomplete die filling due to low temperature, fast cooling or high friction.
Cracks – Forming cracks caused by temperature imbalance, contamination or improper design.
Folds – Uneven flow results in internal folds and laps. Indicates non-uniform structure.
Surface Defects – Scaling, roll marks, pits, scabs and excessive flash due to improper lubrication, wear or temperatures.
Many defects can be prevented through careful process control, proper die design, clean steel, sufficient lubrication and by avoiding over/under heating of the workpiece.
Post-Forming Heat Treatment
To achieve optimal properties, 4140 alloy steel often requires post-forming heat treatment consisting of:
Quenching – Rapid cooling after austenitizing to form martensite. Usually in oil or forced air.
Tempering – Reheating quenched steel to 400-700°F to improve ductility and toughness. One or double tempering cycles used.
Typical hardness levels after heat treating:
- Quenched only: Up to 57 HRC, very brittle
- Quenched and single tempered: 50-55 HRC range
- Quenched and double tempered: 35-45 HRC, optimal toughness
For maximum toughness in hot worked parts, double tempering at 600-650°F is recommended. This produces the best combination of strength, hardness and impact resistance.
Stress Relieving – Heating to 1100-1200°F to relieve residual stresses from prior cold working. Important before hardening to prevent warping and distortion during heat treating.
Proper post-forming heat treatment allows 4140’s full properties to be realized after hot working into its final shape.
Quality Control
To ensure optimal quality of hot formed 4140 parts, the following inspection procedures are important:
- Verify chemistry, especially C, Cr and Mo levels
- Incoming material certification to validate properties
- Non-destructive testing such as UT and X-ray to detect flaws
- Surface finish, dimensional tolerance and flow line checks
- Mechanical testing per ASTM specs for tensile, hardness and impact properties
- Metallography to verify grain size, inclusions, defects
- Post-heat treatment hardness testing confirms proper response
Careful documentation and change control procedures for entire fabrication process are crucial. Statistical process control methods should be implemented for critical quality characteristics and key parameters.
Applications and Examples
Here are some example applications where 4140 alloy steel is commonly hot worked into final shape:
- Hot forged crankshafts and connecting rods for engines and powertrain
- Hot extruded seamless tubing for hydraulic cylinders and oil country tubular goods
- Hot spun rocket motor casings, nose cones, and other aerospace components
- Hot stamped automotive suspension, chassis, and driveline components
- Hot rolled seamless rolled rings for antifriction bearings
- Closed die hot forged gears, shafts, links, and hardware for industrial machinery
- Hot upset and shaped forging for flanges, fittings, valves, and fasteners
The combination of strength, toughness, and wear resistance imparted by properly hot working and heat treating 4140 alloy steel makes it an exceptional material for these and countless other demanding applications across industry.
Best Practices for Hot Forming 4140 Steel
To consistently achieve top quality results when hot forming 4140 alloy steel, here are some proven best practices:
- Use clean steel with controlled chemistry and properties
- Pre-heat uniformly and slowly prior to hot working
- Maintain tight control over working temperatures
- Use sufficient press capacity and die fillet radii
- Employ proper lubrication and friction reduction methods
- Validate dies and process parameters through testing and trials
- Inspect all parts post-forming and prior to heat treatment
- Verify proper heat treating response with hardness tests and metallography
- Implement statistical process control for critical parameters
- Follow ASTM andforge shop standards for material and processes
Adhering to these best practices will enable manufacturers to produce high quality hot worked 4140 components with optimal structural integrity.
Conclusion
With its excellent combination of strength, toughness, hardenability and hot formability, 4140 chromium-molybdenum alloy steel is highly valued for hot forging and forming a diverse range of parts across many industries. Hot working techniques like forging, extruding, stamping and spinning can be readily applied to 4140 steel when proper processing parameters and practices are followed. By developing expertise in hot forming processes for 4140, manufacturers can expand their capabilities and improve outcomes for critical components and applications requiring the performance benefits of this versatile low alloy steel.
FAQs
Q: What is the effect of hot working temperature on grain size and properties of 4140 steel?
A: Higher hot working temperatures promote grain coarsening which reduces strength and toughness. For optimal grain structure, the lowest suitable temperatures around 1600-1650°F are preferred.
Q: Does hot working refine or coarsen the grain structure compared to the starting annealed material?
A: Hot working refines and homogenizes the grain structure compared to the original state. However, excessive temperature can undo this benefit. The recrystallized grain size should be fine and uniform after hot working.
Q: How much post-forming machining allowance should be provided with hot forged 4140 parts?
A: Typically an extra 0.250-0.375 inches per surface is recommended to allow for material movement and provide sufficient material for final machining. Critical dimensions and tolerances are achieved after final machining.
Q: What causes underfilling defects in hot forged 4140 components?
A: Underfilling is usually caused by low die or workpiece temperature, high cooling rate, lack of lubrication increasing friction, or inadequate force / stroke to fully form the shape.
Q: How much draft angle should be provided on internal walls and surfaces when hot forming 4140 parts?
A: As a general rule, at least a 3-5 degree draft angle per side is recommended to account for shrinkage and aid part ejection after hot forming. More draft may be required for deep walls and impressions.
Q: What is the purpose of a stress relieving heat treatment before hardening hot worked 4140 steel?
A: Stress relieving prior to hardening reduces the risk of warpage and distortion during quenching by removing residual stresses induced during prior cold working and machining operations.
Q: What hardness range can be achieved in hot formed 4140 components after heat treatment?
A: 4140 can reach surface hardness levels as high as 57 HRC after quenching from a fully austenitized condition. Double tempering typically produces hardness between 35-45 HRC for the optimal combination of strength and toughness.
Q: Are there coating options that can be applied to hot formed 4140 parts to improve wear resistance or corrosion protection?
A: Yes, coatings such as nitriding or salt bath nitriding can significantly improve wear and scuffing resistance. Electroplating and painting are also used for corrosion protection.
