What are bearing quality steels used for?
Bearing quality steel is used extensively for the production of ball bearings, bearing rollers, and bearing rings. The special bar quality composition offers the impressive tensile strength and fatigue resistance required for components experiencing prolonged and continuous use.
What are the characteristics of bearing quality steel or aircraft quality steel?
Bearing quality steel requires numerous characteristics to be suitable for use in bearings and various other high-stress applications. Some key characteristics of this SBQ steel include impressive hardness, tensile strength, and fatigue resistance. Many of the end components fabricated from this steel experience consistent use in high-stress environments. Furthermore, bearing quality steel and aircraft quality steel feature excellent machinability and can be machined to precise dimensions and rigid tolerances.
What is aircraft quality steel?
Aircraft quality steel, or aerospace-grade steel, requires an even higher level of stringent steel-making to become suitable for use in aerospace components. This specification must meet stringent benchmarks in strength, durability, reliability, and steel cleanliness to withstand the demanding nature of aerospace applications. ECONSTEEL aircraft quality steel meets AMS 2301 and AMS 2304 specifications that outline the necessary quality requirements. AMS 2301 outlines the standards and procedures to adequately assess the cleanliness of steel designated for aerospace components through magnetic particle inspection (MPI) whereas AMS 2304 focuses on ultrasonic inspection methods.
What is steel cleanliness and how does it apply to bearing quality steel and aircraft quality steel?
The overall cleanliness of bearing quality steel or aircraft quality steel is determined by the absence of non-metallic inclusions or other impurities within the steel structure. The presence of non-metallic inclusions and impurities can drastically alter the machinability and performance of steel in demanding conditions. These inclusions can impact the mechanical properties of the steel, reduce the machinability, significantly impair the weldability, and may appear as surface defects that compromise the visual finish or corrosion resistance of the machined components.
What is vacuum-degassed steel and why is it important to bearing quality steel and aircraft quality steel?
The vacuum degassing process is essential to remove any gaseous impurities present in steel and creates the uniform chemical composition desired for bearing quality steel and aircraft quality steel. The vacuum degassing process is implemented for these specific SBQ steels to remove excess levels of hydrogen and nitrogen that can be detrimental to the overall quality of the finished products.
