Dual FrequencyInduction Gear- -

HardeningJohn M. Storm & Michael R. Chaplin

Contour IHardening, Inc..•Indianapolis, IN

IntroductionIn the typical gear production facility, ma-

chining of gear teeth is followed by heat treat-ment to harden them. The hardening processoften distorts the gear teeth, resultingin reducedand generally variable quality. Heat treatinggears can involve many different types of opera-tions, which all have the common purpose ofproducing a microstructure with certain optimumproperties. Dual frequency induction hardeninggrew from the need to reduce cost while improv-ing the accuracy (minimizing the distortion) oftwo selective hardening processes: single toothinduction and selective carburizing,

Single tooth induction hardening is performedwith a shaped intensifier that oscillates backandforth in the gear tooth space. [t is usually donewith the gear submerged in quench. The processis relatively slow because only one gear toothspace is processed at a time.

Fig ..1 - Contour gear hardening pattern ..

,22 GEAR TECHNOLOGY

Selective carburizing is anindustrial stan-dard most widely used to selectively hardengears. The process involves covering the sur-faces to be protected against carburizing with amaterial that prevents the passage of active car-bon during the furnace operation. The most widelyused method to stop carbon activity is copperplating. A gear is copper plated on all surfacesexcept the teeth. then carburized. The part is thencopper stripped, finish machined, re-copperplatedall over, furnace hardened" and quenched ..

Dual frequency heating is the fastest knownway of heating a gear. Heating times range from..14 to 2.0 seconds ..Because it is so fast, surfacesremain dean and free from carbon-depletingand scale, and the core material retains its origi-nal prepense .

The focus 011 manufacnmng today is to makeconsistently hlgh quality products at lower costs.This article describes the dual frequency processalong with comparisons of other heat treatingprocesses and actual heat cycle data.

Dual Frequency ProcessThe principle of dual frequency heating ern-

ploys both high and low frequency heat sources.The gear is first heated with a relatively lowfrequency source, providing the energy requiredto pre-heat the mass of the gear teeth. This step isfollowed immediately by heating with a. highfrequency source. When applied, the high fre-quency source will rapidly finaJi heat the entiretooth contour surface to a hardening temperature.

The gear is then quenched to a desired hardness.Fig . 1 and 2 how a typical "dual frequency"contour hardened pauem,

The total time cycle i dependent upon thesurface area to be hardened. See Table I.

Material RequirementsThere have been vast amounts written about

material requirements in terms of wear, machin-ability, mechanical properties, andthe ease withwhich complicated shapes may be produced bycasting methods. In general, a wide variety ofmaterials can be used for the production of gears.For technical and economic reasons, steels haveattained a major importance,

The transformation which the structure ofsteel undergoe during heating and subsequentcooling, particularly the formation of marten-site on quenching, is essential. for the hardeningand tempering of steel. The carbon content ofsteel establishes the maximum hardness thatthe steel can reach. Commonly used inductionsteel require a carbon content of .40/.501.60%,

depending on the desired surface hardness.Parts which have to be hardened by quenching

after local heating must be made of a steel whichcontains the carbon necessary to achieve a desiredhardness, as shown in Table 11

Heat Cycle Testldealcontour induction processes rapidly heat

with only the required energy to transform adesired volume of material; i.e., the contour sur-face of a gear, and allow for extreme, rapidquenching to take place, This "mas quenching"effectively produces a maximum surface hard-ness from the material and the best condition ofmicrostructure available (fine grain martensite),

The real problems associated with the heattreating of gears are Literesult of the numerousprocesses added to the manufacturing sequence tocorrect for distortion caused by heat. Most gearproducers work from green specs and hard specs,before and afterlleating,in the hopes of accu-rately predicting the amount of change that willtake place because of heating. Thistypicallyinvolves machining over/between pins, lead, andinvolute dimensions to values different fromfinal print requirements .. hl. this mode of opera-tion, the manufacturer treats the symptoms andnot the true problem. In treating the symptoms,a sizeable increase in gear production cost isgenerated ..The major elements that produce theincreased costsinclude materials, time. energy,

OUTSIDEDIAMETER

-·(Section B-8)

- ROOTDIAMETER(Section A-A)

TOOTH MID HEIGHT(Section C-C)

Fig. 2 - TypicaWtip and root pattern.

Table I .,Dual. Frequency Process

Gear Data

Numbe.rofteeth 58O-utside diameter ,.................. 7.500Root diameter , 6.930Face width........... .490Material '" SAE5150Approximate surface area;;;; 27 square inches

Dual Frequency Cyde Process

'" Pre-heat* Dwell'" Final heat'"Quench'" Temper

(spindle rpm)[0 seconds 3003 seconds

.455 seconds 40015 seconds 53 seconds 300

Dual Freguency System

'" Pre-heat low frequency generator (3-1Ok)...Final heat high frequency generator (100-230kc)* Work station with quench system'" Computer control station

Table U

RC CARBON

505560

.40%

.45%

.51%

J'ohn M. S10lrmis Vice President of Re-search and Developmentat Contour Hardening,Inc. He has worked fornearly twenty years inheat treating process re-search and. along withMidl'Qe/ Chaplin. hasbeen granted (I patent forthe Micropulse conto(lfhardening system. He isa member of SME. ASM.andAGMA.

IM"-h- -II R: ·Ch- -11"-Icae. _.I_Op. Inis Vice President of £11-

gineering al ContourHardening, Inc. He has28 years' experience ingearbox design-and geardevelopment ill aero-spat'e and transmissionapplications. He is cur-rently Chairman of tileAGMA Vehicle GearingComminee and U.S. del-egati! to ,rhe ISO Com-mlttee TC/32.

MA'ACHIAPRIL 1&·93 23

TablellIComparison of Dual. Frequency Induction Gear Hardening and Selective Caiburi3:i,ng

DIE QUENCH OPERATIONI. Rough Machine2. Degrease3. Ma k4. Copper PIa te5 ..Unmask6, Inspect Plate7. Load Carburize Furnace8, Slow Cool.9, Cloai![0, Copper Strip~L Finish Machine Geat Teeth1.2.Load Hardening Furnace13. Die Quench14. DegreaseIS. Draw (temper)16. Shot Blast (clean)[7. Inspect1.8.Required Finishing Operations

FREE QUENCH OPERATION1. Rough Machine2. Semi-finish Gear Teeth3. Copper Plate4, Unmask5. In peel Plate6.. Load Carburize Furnace7. Quench8. Draw (temper)9. Degrease10. Shot Blast1] . Copper Strip12. Shot Blast1.3. Inspect14. Required Finishing Operatlons

DUAL fBEOVENCY QPERATION

1. Rough Machine2. 'ore Treat3. Degrea e4. Draw5. Finish Machine (final size)6. Load Induction Machine7. Unloadg. Inspect

r:-- II.s DO~ 120

§IIO

2 3 4 5 6 7ROOT Depth of Penetration (0.00 lin)

Fig. 3 - Residual .:compressive stresses.and added processing.

The dual frequency gear hardening processtreats the problem by reducing or eliminatingthe distortion of gear teeth through heating tolevels acceptable in most gear final print toler-ances. Table III shows the operations requiredto manufacture gears utilizing three differenthardening methods.

To selectively harden gear teeth utilizing !heselective carburiaing process, they must behandled (load/unload) a minimum of .1.6times.hI addition to handling the part, numerous in-spection and support per oanel are needed tomaintain plating solution and equipment.

The following physical. characteristics wereevaluated OD six diametral pitch production gears

TECHNOLOGY

for the auromorive industry:• Residual stress level• Microhardnes gradient• Pattern depth of penetration-Before and after dimensional characteristics

The residual stress evaluation was made on acomparative basis to determine relative root re-sidu al stress levels in gears hardened via differentmethods. Residual compressive stress is favor-able becau e it tends to subtract from an iaten 1tyof the tensile stresses during operation of the gear.Residual tress levels were measured by the"Fastress" method to determine root compres ivestress. The dUElI. frequency method was found tohave 120,.000 p i compressive at 1.003 inches.Fig. 3 shows the comparison between the carbur-ize and harden method, single tooth induction,and dual frequency hardening.

Fig. 4 .how the rnicrohardne s gradient atthree positions across the teeth. Figs Sa and baregear inspection charts taken from a CNC univer-sa] gear checker. They show the "before" and"after" lead, involute, and runout checks.

ConclusionEven in an age ofhigb technology. heattreat-

ing of gears leaves much to bedesired. Invariably.the imperfections ofthe process create dimen-sional distortions, which. in addition to otherdifficulties, can yield a production "fallout" of10% to 20% or can lead to rework operations in aneffort to salvage the gears.

Until now, industry just had to live with the

Microhardness Gradient

,/~

1'4./ . \/ \. ..---r--'/ PROAL.EI \)....~(Center)

.. l ROOT'\ ( . -i~ (.center)U ·...,..-,r ROOT---

.000 60.4 .000 60.5 .000 61.5

.010 58.2 .010 60.0 .0110 61.2

.Q20 56.7 .020 60.4 .020 60.4

.040 58.2 .040 57.4 .040 55.9

.060 56.7 .060 56.2 .060 52.1

.080 33.7 .080 34.2 .080 33.7

.HIO 33.7 .100 34.2 .100 33.7

.120 33.7 .210 34.2 .120 34.2

PROFILE (Center)DEPTH (ins.) xc

ROOT (Face)DEPTH (ins.) RC

ROOT (Center)DEPTH (ins.) RC

(Face)

SERIAL PRE-HEAT FlNALHEAT AVG.CASEDEPTH AVa. CASE DEPTHROOf (ins.) TIP' (ins.)NUMBER TIME (sec.) TIME (sec.)

Depth of penetration - parts wereI 45 .75 .046 .120sectioned, and the following depths2 40 .75 .046 .lO8were measured:3 32 .75 .042 .0804 35 .45 .02& .0905 35 .70 .035 .0926 40. .85 .048 .0927 40 .70 .045 .1089 42 .70 .045 .11312 38 .65 .032 .09413 40. .55 .030 .10615 44 .60 .032 .1]720 38 .80 .044 .10326 38 .75 .042 .10527 36 .75 .040 .09029 32 .75 .040 .080

Fig..4 - Microhardness gradient.

CUltiULA.T1VESPA(;'jIffi DE'!f1,11ONICPF\.AMJI.UBOrJOIWf'l.AMK: II! 24IIIhO.U!l SP40ItG DE'I1.'I'lONTtJIF'I.NI!I. CIIOrn:IIFlAft( .,Z

~':t.~~~E82AiJNl

CIJUuu.T1IiE: SPACINO DEYAnON-TOP fLAM .. 25- UI0011i1118OnOMFLi.Ni': .. III

~spACJr+OP£VIAnoHTOPFl.AtiI·!!'9OTTQMlfLJ.N1I • S

DEVlAnoHOil TAUE fIlJN~ADI"L Flu.. -our 11159

IJlQ011Hl'~~1

SET-UP oJHOB ,liHAVE IJHNIElH U

I~"'" ~SHAvt IrIFINISH 0

. " I . BEFORE~.~l~;~~~'-~------~~~~-------,~ i'i1! ~ AFTERI-.~~--lzf-."II~""r'-'''''''-.--''''''--IIFE--IlEVIA':''::''';11DH:'':::;;.:'''UP-'''-''''''------'II<GII£'',"

.110:.....---,

'1."l.

...n~-'L,

~ --I"·

I",

Rlla DEvlAllON ....

nrr i,IF

"IP

"" II,.I".""I A'JO YARlAT!QH

T....

1iIAJI. DEYATIDN 3

LEAD DEViJ,T1OH, UP"liEfI FlAHI':

AVG CROWN

Itr;1oWI' VM1ATlON ,

" LEAOC£IIIAT10N· LOWER F'I.ANiiI

I..... AVO, 'CROWN 10A~ CROWH 3 J

Izz. ...AVG VARIATION ~

UAX YIiFflA"fiQH 3

" . ,,' , ...•<> '~ ,

71 A~Gz

AVO. Y."~TION" " TAPER ,

Fig. Sa - Gear inspection chart •."before."problem. Now a new heat treating system basovercome those traditional. limitations, not withuntried technology, but with an innovation onestab-lished technology. The system provides advancedinduction heating withthe total, repeatable accuracyof programmable rnicroproces or control. I.

Fig. Sb ..Gear inspection ehart • "after."Acknowledgement: Printed with permission ofthe copyright holder, the .American Gear Manu-facturers Association, Alexandria. VA. The opin-ions. statements, and conclusion presentedarethose of the Authors and in no way represent theposition or opinion of tile Association.

25