Gears, shafts, high duty bolts, high duty spindles and other demanding maximum strength, toughness or wear resistance. This steel is shocked in the annealed condition, to render machining possible, and must be heat treated as follows: harden in air (or oil for larger sections over 2½” diameters) from a temperature of 810°C / 830°C. Temper, if desired, at a suitable temperature nor exceeding 250°C.

Heat the steel carefully to the forging temperature of 1000-1100°C, soak well. After forging, cool slowly in a furnace to 100°C maximum and anneal immediately.

To obtain the softest condition heat carefully to 630-650°C. Soak for a minimum of 2 hours, then cool in the furnace or in air. It is advisable to repeat this treatment to obtain the best machining characteristics.

Where the machining operations have been severe, we recommend stress relieving EN30B alloy steel before finish machining and hardening. Heat carefully to 630-650°C then cool in the furnace or in still air.

Heat uniformly to 810-830°C and when thoroughly soaked at this temperature cool in air or quench in oil according to mass. Hardening from neutral salt baths will help to prevent scaling or decarburization and is strongly recommended. Pre heat at 300-400°C, raise to the hardening temperature of 810-830°C, quench into salt standing at 300-320°C. Withdraw and cool in air. Alternatively, tools may be vacuum hardened. If desired, hardened and tempered tools can be cyanide hardened to give a shallow carburized case to die surfaces with increased hardness values up to Rockwell C56-60. Temper as soon as tools are hand-warm.