An improved steel composition for bearings and method of producing the same

摘要

Bearing steel materials that are superior in cold workability, machinability, hardenability and rolling contact fatigue life are provided. During the processing of steel materials, the generation of large carbides, that detrimentally affect the rolling contact fatigue life of the steel, is inhibited, thereby obviating the necessity of a heat treatment for dissolving the carbides. The present steel material contains the following alloy elements in percentage by mass: 0.55 to 0.75% of carbon; 0.20% or less of silicon; 0.50% or less of manganese; 0.90% to 1.30% of chromium; 0.05% to 0.30% of molybdenum; and the remaining percentage substantially of iron. After the spheroidizing annealing of the steel material, the total area rate of carbide is 25% or less.