This type of steel works due to several very important factors such as the type of metals used, high treatment temperatures and its ability to melt metals. Being an alloy that combines several metals, high speed steel can be kept hard even under extreme temperatures because the steel can provide heat resistance. The steel also remains hard even under intensive high temperatures due to the high temperature treatment.
This steel is an alloy which combines several metals such as tungsten, molybdenum, chromium, cobalt and others. The most commonly used type of steel in high speed steel products is tungsten. Nonetheless, various types and designations of high speed steel exist with each of these steels having their own special combinations. Due to its ability to melt metals, high speed steel is extremely significant. The melting of metals can even happen from friction resulting from drilling and sawing.
High Performance Gearbox Steels:
The motorsport industry particularly Formula One has always utilized new technology. While the emphasis was on reducing weight and increasing performance in the early part of this decade, the aim of technical changes in the industry has recently shifted to lowering the cost racing ("High Performance, n.d.). The standardization of the gearbox design and the introduction of minimum face width and weight for gear ratios are for the achievement of extended life and lower costs.
In the early 1990s, the primary gear steel which was used in motorsport applications was EN36C (832M31). This gear steel often lost one or more gear teeth due to the typical failures that resulted from the launch of fatigue cracks in the fillet radius of gear tooth roots. Therefore, the key focus of the gear box development has been on how to increase bending...
An example of this gear box steel is the XM033 that offers the benefit of high core strength for shafts as well as enhanced bearing properties for integrated rolling contact surfaces.
Conclusion:
Throughout different manufacturing industries, high strength steels are being utilized in more applications and it's expected that their use will continue to grow as engineers familiarize themselves with the various techniques required for manufacturability. The on-going development of the high strength steels will also enhance the performance of road and motorsport vehicles time after time. These steels also continue to the meet current and foreseeable design and manufacturing requirements in the automotive industry applications.
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