Gary Cola, Flash Steelworks, Washington, Mich., presented a discussion of flash processing of steel at the ASM International MS&T19 conference in Portland, Oregon. Flash Processing employs rapid thermal cycling to strengthen COTS steel sheet, plate, and tubing into leading grades of 1800-2000MPa armor for blast/bullets and 1500-1800MPa AHSS.
Flash Processing is a continuous process in which induction technology heats a narrow segment of the cross section in just seconds to atypically high temperatures (1000-1300°C). Quenching substantially immediately follows. Less than ten seconds of thermal processing optimizes inherent heterogeneity of steelmaking to create an intra-granular, multi-chemistry, complex mixture of bainite, martensite, and other morphologies.
Carbon migration and carbide dissolution are controlled by limiting time in the austenitic range. Unlike conventional heat treating, homogeneity is intentionally avoided. Flashed AISI1020 (1500MPa UTS) has shown excellent room temperature stamp-ability in dozens of automotive components, while 13-Chrome achieves 1800MPa at 11.5% elongation. Flash Processed AISI4130/40 at 1800 to 2000MPa is now U.S. Army certified as leading armor, with unparalleled weldability, blast/bullet resistance, and uses as structure and abrasion resistant plate
Stronger than Titanium, Lighter than Aluminum, Stops Blast/Bullets: Readily Weldable 1500-2000MPa Armor Technology for Lightweight Structure and Stampings
Gary Cola, Flash Steelworks, Washington, Michigan
