HEAT-TREATMENT PROCESS FOR A STEEL

摘要

A process for inducing a compressive residual stress in a surface region of a steel component, the process comprising a heat treatment having the following steps: (i) providing a component comprising a steel composition; (ii) induction heating at least a part of the component followed by quenching said at least part, wherein the hardness in a surface region of the component is increased; and (iii) subsequently performing a martensite and/or bainite through hardening step to obtain a microstructure comprising martensite and/or bainite.