The goal of this project is to improve the performance, increase service life, and reduce the cost of cold work and hot work tool steel products (punches and dies) by applying an intensive quenching technology. Studies conducted by Dr. Kobasko on the Russian die steel similar to 52100 steel show that the IntensiQuenchSM process significantly improves the product service life due to the improved die toughness and resistance to softening. There is also a potential to decrease alloy content in H-13 steel, with no loss of physical properties, by utilizing the IntensiQuenchSM process. The proposed IntensiQuenchSM process significantly improves the current heat-treating operations relative to the quality of the cold work and hot work steel products by eliminating quench cracking, minimizing distortion resulting in decreasing of post machining operations, increasing service life of parts due to higher fatigue resistance and may allow for lower cost alloy steels to be used for certain products. The new quenching process also permits the use of lower cost environmentally friendly quenchant (water or polymer solution instead of oil).

All of the above benefits will result in improved competitiveness of Ohio's many tool and die makers, product manufacturers and heat-treating companies, as well as promote job retention and economic growth, while preventing the pollution associated with oil quenching.

Task Leader: Dr. Michael Aronov, IQ Technologies, 216-381-8159

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