Structure investigations on the hot-working behaviour of steel

Structure changes occurring in hot-deformation of the austenite of steel, the - phase transformation of which takes place above room temperature, cannot directly be studied with quenched specimens. However, within certain limits a microstructure characterization is possible by means of investigation of carefully selected model alloys and/or by analysis of the microstructure inheritance associated with a martensitic - transition of the hot-worked austenite. Application of both procedures is demonstrated with results which were obtained in investigations of the hot-working behaviour of low-alloy spring steel and an Fe-Ni-C model alloy.