Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
(OP)
In my shop and perhaps also in the field, I need an easy way to distinguish chrome-moly and chrome-moly-nickel steels (like 4130, 4140, and 4340) from the various grades of plain carbon steel. The problem is that the superficial characteristics of those steel groups are identical. For example, those families all make the same type of grinding sparks, are magnetic, all have the same dark silver color when polished, they all can be hardened and tempered by identical heat treatment methods, and their specific gravities fall in the same range. Where their big differences lie are in their strengths after heat treatment, which I don't have any good way of measuring, or for that matter, measuring in the field. I know about the alloy test kits but even the "cheap" ones sell for over $200. What resources are there that can help me with this problem? Thanks,-------Richard Linstrum





RE: Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
Frank Moore, P.E.
Consulting Metallurgical Engineer
Kansas City Power and Light Co.
RE: Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
RE: Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
This is old info:
Alloy 410
System Scientific Laborotories
Dumont, Nj
RE: Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
RE: Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
RE: Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
When portable XRF analyzers became available to us in 1971, that became the primary method to separate "mixed" alloy steels - except for carbon content.
RE: Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
I dont know the name of the instrument, but it involved striking an arg between the part and an electrode and looking at the spart through a set of lenses and prism. The spark had the characteristic wavelengths of light for the alloying elements. The eye piece also had a standard wavelength guide for the common alloying elements. All you did was match up the line spectrum with the standard.
It was very fast, easy, reliable and requierd no maintenance.
RE: Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
Nick
I love materials science!
RE: Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
RE: Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
RE: Easy Test Needed To Tell 4140 From Carbon Steel
THE INSTRUMENT IS CALLED A 'METASCOP' AND THE SPECTRUM IS VIEWED THROUGH AN EYEPIECE AND COMPARED WITH STANDARDS.