| Abstract Scope |
Surface cracks induced by thermomechanical cycling, referred to as heat checking, can cause premature failure of high-value, open-die forge tooling. To aid in the assessment of heat checking resistance of die steels, a simulation-informed, out-of-phase thermomechanical fatigue (OP-TMF) testing methodology was developed. Temperature and displacement data extracted from Transvalor Forge® simulations aided in the construction of OP-TMF profiles with different die preheat temperatures; these OP-TMF profiles were applied to 4330V steel samples in a Gleeble 3500. Stress-cycle curves, generated from load-displacement hysteresis data, indicate relative heat checking resistance. Additionally, various material properties were collected at elevated temperatures to calculate a temperature-dependent thermal fatigue resistance parameter, which can be correlated to OP-TMF performance. This work provides a high-fidelity framework for rapid assessment of heat checking performance of die steels during open-die forging, enabling improved material selection that extends tool life and reduces consumption in alignment with broader industry sustainability goals. |