DOI: 10.52150/2522-9117-2024-38-566-587

Gubenko Svitlana Ivanivna, D. Sc. (Tech.), Professor, Senior Researcher, Iron and Steel Institute of Z. I. Nekrasov National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Academican Starodubova Square, 1, Dnipro, 49107, Ukraine.
Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies, SEI Prydniprovska State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Arkhitektora Oleha Petrova Str., 24a, Dnipro, Ukraine, 49005.
ORCID: 0000-0001-6626-3979. E-mail: sigubenko@gmail.com

Parusov Eduard Volodymyrovych, D. Sc. (Tech.), Senior Researcher, Iron and Steel Institute of Z. I. Nekrasov National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Academican Starodubova Square, 1, Dnipro, 49107, Ukraine. ORCID: 0000-0002-4560-2043. E-mail: tometal@ukr.net

Chuiko Ihor Mykolaiovych, Ph. D. (Tech.), Senior Researcher, Iron and Steel Institute of Z. I. Nekrasov National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Academican Starodubova Square, 1, Dnipro, 49107, Ukraine. ORCID: 0000-0002-4753-614X. Email: ferrosplav@ukr.net

Parusov Oleh Volodymyrovych, Ph. D. (Tech.), Senior Researcher, Iron and Steel Institute of Z. I. Nekrasov National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Academican Starodubova Square, 1, Dnipro, 49107, Ukraine. ORCID: 0000-0002-9879-6179. Email: termet@ukr.net

THE EFFECT OF LASER PROCESSING ON THE STRUCTURE AND WEAR RESISTANCE OF WHEEL STEEL

Abstract. According to the analysis of literary sources, the expediency of local strengthening of the covezone of the tread by means of laser treatment has been proven. Based on the study of railway wheels worn during operation, which have a different profile of the tread, it is shown that the flow of intense plastic shear under conditions of sufficiently high contact stresses under operating conditions leads to intensive wear in the zone of the cove, which can lead to undercutting of the crests. It has been established that laser treatment of wheel steel in the pulsed radiation mode creates a laser-strengthened zone with a dispersed martensite structure, which is identical to the “white layer” that forms under operating conditions on the tread. Studies have shown that such a structure is unfavorable from the point of view of exploitation. It is shown that during laser processing in the mode of continuous radiation, it is possible to obtain a microcomposite bainite structure of a laser-strengthened layer, which is favorable for operating conditions. At the same time, the parameters of the strengthened layer, fine steel structure, as well as microhardness and hardness can be varied within certain limits depending on the initial state of the wheel steel, as well as the mode of continuous laser exposure. On the basis of a comparative analysis, it is shown that the modes of laser processing, as well as the degree of dispersion of the initial microstructure, determine the effect of laser strengthening of wheel steel. A promising mode with a laser beam power of 600 W and a speed of its movement of 5–15 mm/s is proposed, which is recommended to be used especially in combination with traditional heat treatment. It is also recommended to carry out local laser strengthening of the cove zone in the conditions of the production of railway wheels after quenching before tempering to reduce thermal stresses. It is shown that the increase in the wear resistance of wheel steel after laser treatment indicates the effectiveness of the application of strengthening laser technology through the purposeful use of internal reserves of the structural adaptability of the surface layers of steel in operational conditions. The prospects of local laser processing of the circle with obtaining a microcomposite bainite structure in the mode of continuous laser radiation are discussed, which will not only increase the wear resistance of the tread of railway wheels, but also reduce the risk of undercutting of the crests during operation. This treatment can be applied both to new railway wheels after traditional heat treatment, and to use it in railway depots during the restoration of worn profiles of the tread by regrinding.

Key words: railway wheel, wheel steel, tread, bainite, microcomposite structure, laser processing, strengthening, wear resistance

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52150/2522-9117-2024-38-566-587

For citation: Gubenko, S. I., Parusov, E. V., Chuiko, I. M., & Parusov, O. V. (2024). The effect of laser processing on the structure and wear resistance of wheel steel. Fundamental and applied problems of ferrous metallurgy, 38, 566-587. https://doi.org/10.52150/2522-9117-2024-38-566-587

References

1. Sladkovsky, A., Yessaulov, V., Shmurygin, N., Taran, Y., & Gubenko, S. (1997). An analysis of stress and strain in freigth car wheels. Transactions on Modelling and Simulation, 16, 15-24

2. Vorob’ev, A. A., Gubenko, S. I., & Ivanov, I. A. (2011). Resurs i remontoprihodnost kolesnykh par podvizhnoho sostava zheleznykh doroh [Resource and maintainability of wheel pairs of rolling stock of railways]. INFRA-M. [In Russian]

3. Gubenko, S. I., & Bespalko, V. N. (2021, 10-12 February). K voprosu o kachestve lazernoho uprochneniia stalei [On the question of the quality of laser hardening of steels]. The World of Science and Innovation, London, UK, 444-452. [In Russian]

4. Petrov, S. V., & Saakov, A. G. (2000). Plasma produktov shoraniia v inzhenerii poverkhnosti [Plasma of burning products in surface engineering]. TOPS. [In Russian]

5. Sarsembaeva, T. E., Kanaev, A. T., & Topolianskii, P. A. (2019).  Issledovaniia izmeneniia vnutrennikh napriazhenii v tsel’nokanykh zheleznodorozhnykh kolesakh posle poverkhnostnoi plazmennoi zakalki [Investigation of internal stress changes in solid rolled railway wheels after surface plasma hardening]. Strategic Questions of World Science – 2019, Przemyśl, Poland, 65-73. Nauka i Studia. [In Russian]

6. Kushner, V. S., Kutko, A. A., Vorobiev, A. A., Gubenko, S. I., Ivanov, I. A., & Kerentsev, D. E. (2015). Vliianie struktury i mekhanicheskikh kharakteristik kolesnykh stalei na iznashivanie i rezhimy vosstanovleniia profilia kolesnykh par [The influence of the structure and mechanical characteristics of wheel steels on wear and repair modes of the profile of wheel pairs]. OmGTU. [In Russian]

7. Gubenko, S. I., & Nikulchenko, I. A. (2017). O probleme podreza hrebnei zheleznodorozhnykh koles pri ekspluatatsii [About the problem of undercutting of railway wheel flanges during operation]. Special metallurgy: yesterday, today, tomorrow, Collection of works of the XV All-Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Conference, Kyiv, 365-383. NTUU “KPI”. [In Russian]

8. Gubenko, S. (2021). About the possibility of local laser hardening of the treed of railway wheels. MTM Machines, Technologies, Materials, 3(5), 266-269

9. Kovalenko, V. S., Golovko, L. F., Merkulov, G. V., & Strizhak, A. I. (1981). Uprochnenie detalei luchom lazera [Hardening of parts by a laser beam]. Tekhnika. [In Russian]

10. Redi J. (1981). Promyshlennye primeneniia lazerov [Industrial applications of lasers]. Mir. [In Russian]

11. Stavrev, D., Schrbakov, V., & Dikova, Ts. (2015). Struktura i svoistva zheliazo-vhlerodni splavi sled vzdeistvie s kontsentrirani enerhiini pototsi [Structure and properties of iron-carbon alloys after treatment by concentrated energy flows]. STENO. [In Bulgarian]

12. Bogdanov, A. V., Grezev, N. V., Shmelyov, S. A., Murzakov, M. A., & Markushov, Yu. V. (2016). Wheel steel strengthening with fiber lasers. Science Intensive Technologies in Mechanical Engineering, (9), 30-37. https://doi.org/10.12737/21237

13. Kozubenko, I. D., Khaskin, V. Yu., & Chernienko, V. D. (2001). Tekhnolohiia lazernoi naplavki i termoobrabotki detalei kolesnykh par podvizhnoho sostava [Technology of laser surfacing and heat treatment of parts of rolling stock wheelsets]. Automatic Welding, 3(576), 35-37. [In Russian]

14. Khriptovich, E. V., Shiganov, I. N., Ponomarenko, D. V., Shmelev, S. A., & Ishkiniaev, E. D. (2022). Sravnitel’nyi analiz kharakteristik bandazhei kolesnykh par, zakalennykh s ispol’zovaniem lazernoho i plazmennoho istochnika tepla [Comparative analysis of the characteristics of wheel pairs hardened using laser and plasma heat sources]. World of Transport, 20(3), 6-12. [In Russian]. https://doi.org/10.30932/1992-3252-2022-20-3-1

15. Uzlov, I. G., Gasik, M. I., Esaulov, A. T., Miroshnichenko, N. G., & Proidak, Yu. S. (1985). Kolesnaia stal [Wheel steel]. Tekhnika. [In Russian]

16. Esaulov, V. P., Kozlovskii, A. I., Esaulov, A. T., & Staroseledetskii, M. I. (1997). Konstruktsii zheleznodorozhnykh koles mira [Railway wheel designs of the world]. Sich. [In Russian]

17. Krauze, G., & Sholgen Yu. (1978). Faktory, vliiayuschie na trenie i iznos v sisteme “koleso-rels” [Factors affecting friction and wear in the wheel-rail system]. Zheleznye Dorohi Mira, (1), 62-64. [In Russian]

18. Larin, T. V. (1977). Issledovanie mekhanisma iznosa, ustalostnoho vykrashivaniia, obrazovaniia vyscherbin i navolakivaniia na poverkhnosti kataniia tselnokatannykh koles [Study of the mechanism of wear, fatigue spalling, chipping and dragging on the rolling surface of solid-rolled wheels]. Povyshenie Nadezhnosti i Dolhovechnosti Detalei Podvizhnoho Sostava i Puti : Trudy VNIIZhT, 51-68. [In Russian]

19. Taran, Yu. N., Esaulov, V. P., & Gubenko, S. I. (2000). Povyshenie iznosostoikosti zheleznodorozhnykh koles s raznym profilem poverkhnosti kataniia [Improving the wear resistance of railway wheels with different rolling surface profiles]. Metallurgical and Mining Industry, (2), 42-44. [In Russian]

20. Esaulov, V. P., Proidak, Yu. S., Gubenko, S. I., Sladkovskii, A. V., & Iskov, M. V. (2004). Issledovanie strukturnykh izmenenii vblizi poverkhnosti kataniia zheleznodorozhnykh koles pri ekspluatatsii [Study of structural changes near the rolling surface of railway wheels during operation]. Bulletin of Dnipropetrovsk National University of Railway Transport, (5), 65-71. [In Russian]

21. Taran, Y. N., Esaulov, V. P., & Gubenko, S. I. (2000). Increase of wear-resistance of railway wheels with different profile of tread. Metallurgical and Mining Industry, (2), 42-44

22. Taran, Y., Yessaulov, V., Kozlovsky, A., Sladkovsky, A., & Gubenko, S. (1999). Wear reduction on working surface of railway wheels. Transactions on Modelling and Simulation, 22, 693-701