ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products
ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products
Blount Civray contacted ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products when one of their customers expressed interest in creating a new product. The application, a cutting blade for a combine harvester, demanded higher hardness and durability than existing boron grades could offer. Developed by ArcelorMittal Sestao (Spain), 45MnB4 offered exactly the right properties.
“45MnB4 is a higher quality material with better hardness and durability than the 30MnB5 and 36MnB5 boron grades we use for applications such as lawnmower blades,” says Patrick Baré, general manager of Blount Civray. “Our customer has measured the performance of the grade and found that 45MnB4 extends the durability of the part significantly. We are undertaking more research into 45MnB4 as we believe it could be interesting for other applications in the future.”
After the steel is cut to the right shape, Blount Civray uses induction hardening to finish the steel. “We installed a new induction hardening line in July 2018 and created a completely new process to mass produce the part,” says Patrick Baré. “This offers our customer a more reliable product. We’ve doubled our consumption of 45MnB4 since the line became operational.”
While 45MnB4 is interesting for some applications, Patrick Baré notes that they will still utilise 30MnB5 or 36MnB5: “45MnB4 is a good answer for niche applications which require additional hardness. But the existing boron grades we utilise are a perfect compromise and have the mechanical properties most of our customers need.”
To read the full article,
click here
