Back to Low Alloy Medium Carbon QT
ML00182 - Jul.2022

Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod

Detail of the flat fracture from the notch at the bottom of the recess. No plastic deformation.

2

113
Detail of the flat from the notch at the bottom of the recess. No .
M

Material

Low Alloy Medium Carbon QT
  • AISI 4140
Ds

Description

The fixing failed in a brittle way, predominantly by micromechanism, during the first moment in operation. The failure investigation indicated that the imposed , tempering at low temperature, is not suitable for the application, since the mechanical properties are of too high Yield Strength and low impact resistance at room temperature, not compatible with the geometric deep recess that intensifies the stresses at the notch.

C

Chemistry (% in weight)

Rod analysis

0.38C; 0.26Si; 0.80Mn; 0.017P; 0.009S; 0.99Cr; 0.11Ni; 0.16Mo.

Associated Images
Tool fixture 5" long, nominal diameter 2", presenting a recess 1/2" deep from two sides. The rupture occurred about 2" from the end of the rod. Scale in milimeters.
523
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - General View
Detail of the flat fracture from the notch at the bottom of the recess. No plastic deformation.
113
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Brittle Fracture
Low magnification micrography presenting segregation bands in a martensitic structure. In the segregated regions the Nital etch effect is lower and the bands appear lighter. The black spots and lines are inclusions (some elongated) in the band.
91
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Longitudinal Section
Micrography presenting segregation bands (less etched) in a tempered martensitic microstructure.
81
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Segregated Regions
Micrography presenting a tempered martensitic microstructure, with light etch in segregated bands.
74
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Tempered Martensite
Low magnification micrography, revealing (in black) the impurities in the segregated bands.
63
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Micro by OM, picric acid+FeCl3+H2O etchDf - Longitudinal Section
Micrographic detail of the segregated bands.
61
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Micro by OM, picric acid+FeCl3+H2O etchDf - Segregated Regions
Micrographic etch for revealing previous austenite grain boundaries, that shows the impurities.
54
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Micro by OM, picric acid+FeCl3+H2O etchDf - Segregated Regions
Flat fracture, no plastic deformation, at the notch in the recess.
63
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Brittle Fracture
Fractographic image of the actual rod rupture, showing that the material fractured by an intergranular micromechanism, evidencing a tempered martensite embrittlement.
59
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Intergranular Fracture
Fractographic detail of the intergranular micromechanism, evidencing a tempered martensite embrittlement.
49
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Intergranular Fracture
Fractographic detail of the intergranular micromechanism, evidencing a tempered martensite embrittlement.
44
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Intergranular Fracture
Micrography perpendicular to the fracture surface showing, in the secondary cracks, the intergranular morphology of the fracture.
33
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Nital Etched Micrography by OMDf - Intergranular Cracking
Broken tensile testpiece fractography showing predominantly dimples as the fracture micromechanism, and some integranular aspects. It shows that in this uniaxial and without stress concentration raisers, the material presented a ductile behavior.
30
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Broken Testpiece
Broken Charpy V testpiece fractography showing intergranular fracture micromechanism. It reveals the brittle material behavior when under critical conditions, like the one that was present in the service application (with a triaxial condition in the notch).
26
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Fractography by SEMDf - Broken Testpiece
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
2
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Fracture
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
5
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Fracture
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
0
VIEW
ML00182 / Jul.2022
Brittle Fracture of a LAS Fixing Rod
M - Low Alloy Medium Carbon QTP - StemAp - Mechanical IndustryCd - Brittle Fracture
Cm - Aspect Before AnalysisDf - Fracture