Flakes - Tool steels - Heat treatment defects


Figure 1: The fracture of this 6-in.-square die made of carbon tool steel occurred in hardening because of internal cooling cracks (flakes) present in the steel. This condition is due to improper cooling of the steel after the last rolling or forging operation.


Figure 2: Top: The appearance of flakes is evident on this acid-etched section of the die shown on the Fig. 1. Bottom: Enlarged view (3 1/2 x) of a portion of the fracture shown on Fig. 1. Coarse crystalline grains indicate the flakes. Note that the flakee shows coarse, unrefined crystallinc grains as compared to the fine grains of the adjacent areas.

Defect name: Flakes
Record No.: 2870
Type of defect (Internal/Surface): Internal
Defect classification: Heat treatment defects, fractography
Steel name: Tool steel
Steel composition in weight %: No data.
Note:  No data.
Reference: Not shown in this demonstration version.

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