Abstract:
The work is devoted to the development of technological modes of strengthening of the band steel of locomotive wheels by the method of thermal treatment with concentrated energy flow. Thermal treatment of the banding steel was carried out on a solar furnace at flow densities $320$, $450$ and $500$ W/sm$^{2}$. Quenching was carried out in air and water. Heating and cooling rates are important for quenching. If speed of cooling is less than critical speed ($V_{cr} \approx 50$ deg/s), quenching is not observed. The hardness of the tempered steel samples after thermal treatment at a temperature of $800$–$1200^\circ$ and treated in water reaches $\approx 726$ HB, that is not optimum for bandage steel.
The optimum temperature for quenching the band steel is $730$–$780^{\circ}$ at a flow density of $450$ W/sm$^{2}$. At the heating temperature of the steel samples $730$–$780^{\circ}$ and cooling by quenching into water, the hardness of the band steel is the required value of $350$–$400$ HB.
By changing the heating temperature and cooling rate of the steel, a predetermined hardness can be controlled and obtained.
Keywords:surface hardening, locomotive wheel banding steel, concentrated energy flow, thermal treatment process modes, quenching, solar furnace, hardness.
