Bar Steel Fatigue Database for Heat Treating is Updated

The Long Products Market Development Group (LPMDG) of the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI; Livonia, MI), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI; Washington, DC), has announced the sixth update of their online Bar Steel Fatigue Database with total publically-available grade/process combinations now at 164 iterations. The database provides crucial grades and heat treatment combinations for safety critical components of vehicles.

As auto and other vehicle manufacturers and suppliers use Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to work on next-generation vehicles, they require accurate, reliable bar steel fatigue data. The information in the database has been acquired using sophisticated strain-controlled methods, which provides better, more accurate and detailed component fatigue life predictions than the rudimentary stress-life method. “We work with our end-use customers to determine the material and heat treatment combinations to be tested,” said David Anderson, the senior director of the long products program for SMDI. “By providing optimal predictability for steels, designers and engineers can develop optimized designs for powertrain and chassis component performance.”

These components are found in the areas of the vehicles where long-term performance is critical and reliable strain-controlled, axial fatigue testing data are required to optimize the part design. Engines are prime targets for performance improvement and boosting efficiency through the use of steel connecting rods, crankshafts and valves. Steering systems offer durable and reliable performance at a high value, making steel the preferred material for rack and pinion systems. In transmission systems, steel concentrates on reducing package size and mass, improving the power density and/or torque output.

The Bar Steel Fatigue Database is for use by design engineers in the ground vehicle industry. It was developed using the same strain-controlled methods to provide engineers with the tools to optimize critical powertrain and chassis component designs. The database was developed under the guidance of representatives from the steel and ground vehicle industries. Interested individuals can sign up by clicking here.

The Bar Steel Fatigue Database Project Team is comprised of three LPMDG member companies and eight companies from the ground vehicle industry, including:

• American Axle & Manufacturing
• Caterpillar Inc.
• Cummins Inc.
• Dana Holding Corporation
• Eaton Corporation
• Gerdau
• FCA US LLC
• General Motors Corporation
• Meritor
• Nucor Corporation
• TimkenSteel

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