Download - Black Sleeves Metallurgical Investigation

Metallurgical Investigation Conducted for Baydar and Associates (B&A) of Black Import Flemish Eye

Sleeves

December 29, 2011

Completed by:

George Jarjoura, Ph.D., P.Eng. Momotaj Aghdasi, P.Eng.

Faculty of Engineering Dalhousie University

P.O. Box 1000 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2X

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Introduction Baydar & Associates Inc. (B&A), a company based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has been in

the rigging industry since 1999. Despite an impeccable safety record, the company has been

having problems with some Flemish eye sleeves that cracked (failed) during swaging in the past.

Previously, Dalhousie University had done a comparative product analysis between black (non-

galvanized) B&A domestic Flemish eye sleeves and the black Crosby Flemish eye sleeve.

Recently, Dr. George Jarjoura of the Materials Engineering Program at Dalhousie University has

been approached to examine a new set of black Import sleeve samples to ensure quality of the

batch and to see how they compare with the B&A domestic sleeves and the Crosby sleeves.

One set of black Import Flemish eye sleeve samples were provided by Baydar &

Associates Inc. as materials for examination. Three un-swaged black Import samples (sleeve sizes

5/8ʺ″, 1/2ʺ″ and 3/8ʺ″), one swaged black Crosby sample (sleeve size 5/8ʺ″) and one swaged black

Import (sleeve size 5/8ʺ″) were provided for analysis.

Comparative Product Analysis

The black Import Sleeves were tested to see how they compared to Domestic sleeves and

Crosby sleeves. The following comparative analysis was based on three areas of criteria:

1. Alloy Composition

2. Microstructure

3. Material Hardness

Alloy Composition

A chemical analysis was conducted on the three black Import samples, the swaged black

Import sample and the swaged black Crosby sample and the results were compared to standard

composition of Steel 1010 as defined by ASI-SAE, B&A Domestic sleeves and Crosby sleeves.

The results are presented below in Table 1. Data used in Table 1 for Crosby and B&A Domestic

sleeves were taken from previous reports[1],[2]. Due to equipment issues at the laboratory, the

amount of carbon in one of the black Import samples was unable to be determined. The

compositional results in Table 1 has shown that both the B&A Domestic and the Crosby samples

fall within standard specifications for 1010 Steel, however the black Import samples do not.

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Table 1: Comparative analysis of alloy composition

Element wt% Fe C P S Cu Mn Al Cr Si ASI-ASE Steel

1010 Balance 0.08-

0.13 0.040 0.050 0.20 0.30-

0.60 0.1 Max

Black Crosby Balance 0.128 0.002 0.022 0.027 0.414 0.045 0.028 0.066 Black B&A Domestic

Balance 0.094 0.007 0.007 0.045 0.383 0.038 0.044 0.099

Black Import 1 (Size 5/8")

Balance 0.029 0.012 0.015 0.024 0.084 0.044 0.013 0.013


Balance N/A 0.012 0.018 0.018 0.108 0.033 0.016 0.022


Balance 0.030

0.014 0.018 0.016 0.087 0.052 0.053 0.014

Swaged Black Crosby

(Size 5/8")

Balance 0.098

0.013 0.001 0.042 0.363 0.041 0.092 0.115

Swaged Black Import

(Size 5/8")

Balance 0.024

0.011 0.004 0.026 0.074 0.025 0.022 0.033

The black Import sleeves were then compared with several other low-carbon steels[3] and

the results are presented in Table 2. The compositional results in Table 2 have shown that the

black Import samples fall close to within standard specification for 1005 steel rather than 1010

steel. Although the amount of carbon is undetermined in one of the black Import sleeve (size

1/2"), based on the weight percent (wt%) of some other elements present in that sample, it has

similar composition as the other two un-swaged black Import samples and the swaged black

Import sample.

Table 2: Comparative analysis of alloy composition between black Import sample and few low-carbon steels.

Element wt% C Mn P S ASI-ASE Steel

1005 0.06 max 0.35 max 0.040 0.050

ASI-ASE Steel 1006

0.08 max 0.25-0.40 0.040 0.050

ASI-ASE Steel 1008

0.10 max 0.30-0.50 0.040 0.050


0.029 0.084 0.012 0.015


N/A 0.108 0.012 0.018


0.030

0.087 0.014 0.018

Swaged Black Import

(Size 5/8")

0.024

0.074 0.011 0.004

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Microstructure

The three black Import samples, the swaged black Crosby sample and the swaged black

Import sample were cross sectioned, ground, polished and etched using Nital acid solution. The

microstructures of these samples were viewed under an optical microscope at different

magnifications. The micrographs in Figure 1 compared the microstructures of an un-swaged

black Import sample with a swaged black Import sample and a swaged black Crosby sample. The

micrographs showing the microstructure of the other two un-swaged black Import samples are

presented in Appendix A. The micrographs in Figure 1 and Appendix A have shown that all

three black Import samples have a spheroidite structure as well as uniform and equiaxed grains,

which allows for a high degree of deformability and swaging. Both swaged samples do show

smaller and elongated uniform grains, which is a result of cold working operation as expected.

The difference in grain structure for the swaged black Crosby sample and swaged black Import

sample would suggest that the heat treatments between the black Import and the Crosby are

somewhat different and indicate presence of different amount of alloying elements as seen in

Table 1. Also, the micrographs in Figure 1(e) and Figure 1(f) indicated the swaged Crosby

sample reacted differently to the etchant in comparison to the black Import samples.

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(a) Un-swaged Black Import Sample (Size 5/8")

Image#1 (b) Un-swaged Black Import Sample (Size 5/8")

Image#2

(c) Swaged Black Import Sample (Size 5/8")

Image#1 (d) Swaged Black Import Sample (Size 5/8")

Image#2

(e) Swaged Black Crosby Sample (Size 5/8")

Image#1 (f) Swaged Black Crosby Sample (Size 5/8")

Image#2 Figure 1: Micrographs at different magnifications showing microstructures of an un-swaged black Import

sleeve sample, a swaged black Import sleeve sample and a swaged black Crosby sleeve sample.

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Material Hardness

Several hardness measurements were taken from each of the sectioned samples. The

average hardness values calculated for the three un-swaged black Import samples, the swaged

black Import sample and the swaged black Crosby sample are shown in Table 3 and compared to

standard annealed 1010 Steel, un-swaged black Crosby sample, un-swaged black B&A Domestic

and swaged black B&A Domestic samples. Data used in Table 3 for un-swaged Crosby, un-

swaged B&A Domestic and swaged B&A Domestic samples were taken from previous

reports[1],[2].

Table 3: Comparative Hardness testing measurements

Sample Hardness (HRB)

Black Import Sleeve 1 (Size 5/8") 35.7 Black Import Sleeve 2 (Size 1/2") 36.6 Black Import Sleeve 3 (Size 3/8") 34.2

Black Crosby Sleeve 44.1 Black B&A Domestic Sleeve 50.8-51.6

ASI-ASE Steel 1010, Spheroidized 40-55 Swaged Black Domestic Sample 83.8

Swaged Black Crosby Sample (Sleeve Size 5/8”) 79.6 Swaged Black Import Sample (Sleeve Size 5/8”) 77.9

From the results of the hardness measurements in Table 3, it is clear that both B&A

Domestic and Crosby samples fall well within the limits for the spheroidized AISI 1010 steel.

However, the overall average hardness of all three un-swaged black Import samples were lower

and is outside the limits of the spheroidized 1010 steel. As per Table 3, the increased hardness

values of all three swaged samples were a result of work hardening of the sleeves during the

swaging process. The average hardness value of the swaged black Import sample was very close

to the average hardness of the swaged Crosby sample.

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Conclusion From the results and information gathered it appears that the black Import sleeves are not

made from the same steel type as the Crosby and B&A Domestic Sleeves. However, all the black

Import sleeve samples contained a host alloying elements of some amount, which improve their

resistance to atmospheric corrosion and further enhance their machinability, forgeability and

swageability.

The microstructures of the black Import sleeve samples showed a spheroidite structure as

well as uniform and equiaxed grains, which allows for a high degree of deformability and

swaging.

The lower hardness values of the black Import sleeve samples would indicate that the

black Import sleeves are more ductile than both the Crosby and the B&A Domestic sleeves. The

difference in hardness between the swaged black Import sample and both swaged B&A Domestic

and Crosby samples was small in comparison to the difference prior to the swaging process.

Both the swaged black Import samples and the swaged black Crosby sample did not show

any cracks on the surface or the interface between the wire bundle and the swaged sleeve under

visual inspection following the swaging operation. Under the optical microscope, there were not

any visible cracks between the grain boundaries.

The black Import sample sleeves exhibited a combination of good ductility, low hardness

and a uniform grain size structure. There were not any cracks on the swaged samples from visual

inspection and optical microscopy.

References [1] Trefry, W. Failure Analysis Conducted For Baydar & Associates (B&A) of Flemish Eye

Sleeve. June 28, 2011.

[2] Trefry, W. Comparative Analysis, Baydar & Associates (B&A) and Crosby, Flemish Eye

Sleeves. June 28, 2011.

[3] ASTM A29/A29M-05: Standard Specification for Steel Bars, Carbon and Alloy, Hot-

wrought, General Requirements for.

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Appendix A

Microstructures of Black Import Sleeves


Image#1

(b) Un-swaged Black Import Sample (Size

1/2") Image#2 Figure A1: Micrographs at different magnifications showing microstructures of black sleeve sample size

1/2".


Image#1

(b) Un-swaged Black Import Sample (Size 3/8") Image#2

Figure A2: Micrographs at different magnifications showing microstructures of black Import sleeve sample size 3/8ʺ″.