First, austenitization temperature plays an important role in heat treatment. When the austenitizing temperature is increased, the alloying elements in stainless steel can be more fully dissolved to form a uniform austenite structure. This helps to refine the grains and make the spring's structure more dense. For example, after appropriate high-temperature austenitizing treatment, the elastic modulus of the spring will increase, because the grain refinement enhances the bonding force between atoms, making it more difficult for the material to elastically deform when stressed, thereby improving the elastic modulus.
Secondly, the holding time cannot be ignored. Sufficient holding time can ensure that the austenitization process is fully carried out. If the holding time is too short, the alloy elements will not be completely dissolved, which may lead to uneven structure and affect the elastic modulus. Properly extending the holding time can make the internal organization of the spring material reach a more stable state, which is beneficial to improving the stability of the elastic modulus and reducing elastic performance fluctuations caused by organizational differences.
Furthermore, the quenching cooling rate has a greater impact on the elastic modulus. Rapid quenching can quickly transform austenite into martensite structure. Martensite has higher strength and hardness, which will increase the elastic modulus of stainless steel compression springs. However, if the quenching cooling rate is too fast, large internal stress may be generated, which may even cause the spring to deform or crack, indirectly affecting its actual elastic modulus performance. Therefore, it is necessary to select appropriate quenching media and cooling methods to control the cooling rate to optimize the elastic modulus.
In addition, the tempering process is an important means to adjust the elastic modulus. Tempering can eliminate the internal stress generated by quenching and cause the martensite structure to decompose and transform. Within a certain range, as the tempering temperature increases, the hardness and strength of the spring will decrease, and the elastic modulus may also decrease slightly, but at the same time its toughness will be improved. Reasonable tempering temperature and time selection can improve the overall performance of the spring on the basis of ensuring a certain elastic modulus, and avoid an increase in spring brittleness caused by excessive pursuit of high elastic modulus.
Then, multiple tempering treatments are beneficial to the stability of the elastic modulus. After multiple temperings, the internal structure of the spring is further homogenized and the residual stress is further reduced, making the elastic modulus less likely to change during long-term use and ensuring the performance reliability of the spring under different working conditions.
Finally, in actual production, it is necessary to accurately design the heat treatment process parameters according to the specific uses and performance requirements of stainless steel compression springs, comprehensively considering austenitizing temperature, holding time, quenching cooling rate, tempering process and other factors, in order to Achieve precise control of elastic modulus and produce stainless steel compression springs that meet quality standards and usage requirements.
