Title: Development of simulation tool for predicting distortion and residual stress in nitrided parts

Authors: Kyozo Arimoto, Fumiaki Ikuta, Shigeru Yamanaka, Kiyoshi Funatani

Addresses: Arimotech Ltd., 822-10, Asonka, Kaizuka, Osaka, 597-0081, Japan. ' NETUREN Co., Ltd., 7-4-10, Tamura, Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa, 254-0013, Japan. ' Maruemu Works Co., Ltd., 4-7-12, Nozaki, Daito, Osaka, 574-0015, Japan. ' IMST Inst., 3-3, Shogetsu-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-0004, Japan

Abstract: By the use of computational simulation techniques for nitriding processes, diffusion and nitride precipitation phenomena in compound layers and diffusion zones have been predicted in low alloy steels, Fe-Cr alloys, and so on. They have been also applied to examining formations of the expanded austenite in nitrided austenitic stainless steels. However, the application of the simulation approach was so far limited to the one-dimensional problems along the depth direction in simple shape specimens, since it is built on the finite difference method. In order to innovate the simulation, the software tool based on the finite element method has been expanded for studying on arbitrary-shaped parts by using the latest models for nitriding. The tool, having the function to analyse stress and strain, contributes not only to resolving various practical problems but also to explaining the unsettled mechanisms of distortion and residual stress generations caused by nitriding. Furthermore, the models are also expected to be enhanced by considering stress and strain effects precisely. In this paper, some verification examples on distortions and residual stresses relating to the expanded austenite formation in nitrided austenite stainless steels are described after clarifying the theory and implementation of the expanded simulation tool.

Keywords: distortion; residual stress; nitriding; expanded austenite; simulation; modelling; finite element method; FEM; strain; austenite stainless steels.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2010.037615

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2010 Vol.5 No.4/5, pp.386 - 398

Published online: 20 Dec 2010 *

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