SEDL / STP / STP1327-EB / STP12128S

Bearing Steels 20/20 — A Steelmaker's View Point — A Look Back 20 Years and a Look Forward 20 Years

Glasgal, BM
General Manager, Republic Engineered Steels, Massillon, Ohio

Pages: 13    Published: Jan 1998

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Abstract

Historically, bearing steels have been manufactured using “clean steel technology” to produce a product that has reduced levels of non-metallic inclusions. Included in this review are the key steel production practices that have evolved over time to make steels with superior cleanliness. The evolution of steelmaking practices over the past twenty years has also given rise to more discriminating test and evaluation methods. The types of testing reviewed here include microscopic examination, oxygen analysis, and various types of fatigue testing. Further improvements in steelmaking technology in the future, such as the increased usage of continuous casting, are expected to result in further quality improvements.