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An Experimental Study on the Mechanical Characteristics of Low Alloy Carbon Steels for Better Performance of Traditional Farm Implements in Ethiopia

Received: 3 January 2015     Accepted: 10 January 2015     Published: 21 January 2015
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Abstract

For most developing countries, including Ethiopia Agriculture is the backbone of their economy. Due to lack of effective farm implements, theses country’s population has been suffering on food shortage. Hence, the major objective the study is to improve the mechanical properties and abrasion resistance of traditional farm implements. To achieve the intended objectives of the study, Investigation was conducted on the mechanical and wear characteristics of steel samples for better performance of farm implements subjected to packed carburization treatment using wood coal as the carburizer, carburized at 850 °C, 900 °C and 950 °C, soaked at the carburizing temperature for 1:50 hrs followed by quenched with water. At the first the test specimen for analysis of different mechanical and wear characteristics of various local farming tools like abrasive wear, toughness, tensile strength, abrasive wear and hardness were prepared as per ASTM standard. The test specimens that was prepared for this purpose was subjected to destructive mechanical test before and after carburization process. From the data obtained, ultimate tensile strength, percent elongation, percent reduction in area, modulus of elasticity, Rockwell hardness, impact toughness, and abrasive wear were calculated. The destructive mechanical test results are compared before and after carburization process in order to see the impact of pack carburization and carburizing temperature on the performance (life cycle )of the traditional farm implements. It was observed that the mechanical properties of steel samples were found to be strongly influenced by the process of carburization, carburizing temperature and soaking time at carburizing temperature. It was concluded that the sample carburized at 950 °C soaked for 1:50 hrs followed by water quenching gives best result than the other samples. Since pack carburizing enhance the hardness, tensile strength, abrasion resistance, the farm implement manufacturing company has been recommended to carburize these farm implement.

Published in International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (Volume 3, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140306.31
Page(s) 420-430
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Abrasion Resistance, Hardness, Pack Carburization, Tensile Strength, Toughness

References
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[4] B. Selcuk, M.B. Karamıs¸ V. Kuzucu, An investigation on surface properties of treated low carbon and alloyed steel (boarding and carburizing),J. Mater Process,2000,pp 310-317.
[5] Benscoter, A. O. and Bramfitt, B. L., Metallographer’s Guide, Practices and Procedures for Irons and Steels,ASMInternational,MaterialsPark,Ohio,USA,2002,pp761.
[6] Ward D.M., Influence of carburization on the properties of furnace tube alloys,in Corrosion and Mechanical Strength at High Temperatures Guttmann, and Merz, M. (Eds.), Applied Science Publishers, Ltd., London, 1981, p. 71-83.
[7] Izciler M. and Tabur M., Abrasive wear behavior of different case depth gas carburized AISI gear steel, wear, 2006, pp1-9.
[8] Yang C. F.,Chiu L. H. and Wu J. K., Effect of carburization and hydrogenation on the impact toughness of AISI 4118 steel, surface and coating technology, 1995, pp18 - 22.
[9] G.E. Dieter, Introduction to Ductility, in Ductility, American Society for Metals, 1968, pp 766.
[10] William D. Callister, JR, Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering, Salt Lake City, Utah, John Wiley and Sons, August 2000,pp975.
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[16] Izciler M. and Tabur M., Abrasive wear behavior of different case depth gas carburized AISI gear steel, wear, 2006, pp1-9.
[17] Yang C. F.,Chiu L. H. and Wu J. K., Effect of carburization and hydrogenation on the impact toughness of AISI 4118 steel, surface and coating technology, 1995, pp18 - 22.
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[19] Higgins R.A., Engineering Metallurgy Part 1: Applied Physical Metallurgy,5th edition ELBS with Edward Arnold, Kent, 1991,pp1-23.
[20] American Society of Mechanical Engineers ,International Conference on Fatigue of Metals, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London, and American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York, 1956,pp1125.
[21] Dieter G. E., Mechanical Metallurgy, 3rd edit ion, McGraw Hills, Singapore, 1988, pp 766.
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[23] Luo Q., Xie J. and Song Y., Effects of microstructure on the abrasive wear behavior of spheroidal cast iron, Wear, 1995.pp1-8.
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[25] Ward D.M., Influence of carburization on the properties of furnace tube alloys, In: Corrosion and Mechanical Strength at High Temperatures Guttmann, and Merz, M. (Eds.), Applied Science Publishers, Ltd., London, 1981, p. 71-83.
[26] G.L. Huyett, Engineering Handbook, 26th edition, Industrial Press, Inc. of New York, NY, 2000, pp 4-95.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Belete Kefarge, Adhena Ayaliew Werkneh, Asmamaw Tegegne, Fikadu Gashaw. (2015). An Experimental Study on the Mechanical Characteristics of Low Alloy Carbon Steels for Better Performance of Traditional Farm Implements in Ethiopia. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 3(6), 420-430. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140306.31

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    ACS Style

    Belete Kefarge; Adhena Ayaliew Werkneh; Asmamaw Tegegne; Fikadu Gashaw. An Experimental Study on the Mechanical Characteristics of Low Alloy Carbon Steels for Better Performance of Traditional Farm Implements in Ethiopia. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Appl. 2015, 3(6), 420-430. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140306.31

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    AMA Style

    Belete Kefarge, Adhena Ayaliew Werkneh, Asmamaw Tegegne, Fikadu Gashaw. An Experimental Study on the Mechanical Characteristics of Low Alloy Carbon Steels for Better Performance of Traditional Farm Implements in Ethiopia. Int J Mater Sci Appl. 2015;3(6):420-430. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140306.31

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140306.31,
      author = {Belete Kefarge and Adhena Ayaliew Werkneh and Asmamaw Tegegne and Fikadu Gashaw},
      title = {An Experimental Study on the Mechanical Characteristics of Low Alloy Carbon Steels for Better Performance of Traditional Farm Implements in Ethiopia},
      journal = {International Journal of Materials Science and Applications},
      volume = {3},
      number = {6},
      pages = {420-430},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140306.31},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140306.31},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmsa.20140306.31},
      abstract = {For most developing countries, including Ethiopia Agriculture is the backbone of their economy. Due to lack of effective farm implements, theses country’s population has been suffering on food shortage. Hence, the major objective the study is to improve the mechanical properties and abrasion resistance of traditional farm implements. To achieve the intended objectives of the study, Investigation was conducted on the mechanical and wear characteristics of steel samples for better performance of farm implements subjected to packed carburization treatment using wood coal as the carburizer, carburized at 850 °C, 900 °C and 950 °C, soaked at the carburizing temperature for 1:50 hrs followed by quenched with water. At the first the test specimen for analysis of different mechanical and wear characteristics of various local farming tools like abrasive wear, toughness, tensile strength, abrasive wear and hardness were prepared as per ASTM standard. The test specimens that was prepared for this purpose was subjected to destructive mechanical test before and after carburization process. From the data obtained, ultimate tensile strength, percent elongation, percent reduction in area, modulus of elasticity, Rockwell hardness, impact toughness, and abrasive wear were calculated. The destructive mechanical test results are compared before and after carburization process in order to see the impact of pack carburization and carburizing temperature on the performance (life cycle )of the traditional farm implements. It was observed that the mechanical properties of steel samples were found to be strongly influenced by the process of carburization, carburizing temperature and soaking time at carburizing temperature. It was concluded that the sample carburized at 950 °C soaked for 1:50 hrs followed by water quenching gives best result than the other samples. Since pack carburizing enhance the hardness, tensile strength, abrasion resistance, the farm implement manufacturing company has been recommended to carburize these farm implement.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - An Experimental Study on the Mechanical Characteristics of Low Alloy Carbon Steels for Better Performance of Traditional Farm Implements in Ethiopia
    AU  - Belete Kefarge
    AU  - Adhena Ayaliew Werkneh
    AU  - Asmamaw Tegegne
    AU  - Fikadu Gashaw
    Y1  - 2015/01/21
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140306.31
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140306.31
    T2  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
    JF  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
    JO  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
    SP  - 420
    EP  - 430
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2327-2643
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20140306.31
    AB  - For most developing countries, including Ethiopia Agriculture is the backbone of their economy. Due to lack of effective farm implements, theses country’s population has been suffering on food shortage. Hence, the major objective the study is to improve the mechanical properties and abrasion resistance of traditional farm implements. To achieve the intended objectives of the study, Investigation was conducted on the mechanical and wear characteristics of steel samples for better performance of farm implements subjected to packed carburization treatment using wood coal as the carburizer, carburized at 850 °C, 900 °C and 950 °C, soaked at the carburizing temperature for 1:50 hrs followed by quenched with water. At the first the test specimen for analysis of different mechanical and wear characteristics of various local farming tools like abrasive wear, toughness, tensile strength, abrasive wear and hardness were prepared as per ASTM standard. The test specimens that was prepared for this purpose was subjected to destructive mechanical test before and after carburization process. From the data obtained, ultimate tensile strength, percent elongation, percent reduction in area, modulus of elasticity, Rockwell hardness, impact toughness, and abrasive wear were calculated. The destructive mechanical test results are compared before and after carburization process in order to see the impact of pack carburization and carburizing temperature on the performance (life cycle )of the traditional farm implements. It was observed that the mechanical properties of steel samples were found to be strongly influenced by the process of carburization, carburizing temperature and soaking time at carburizing temperature. It was concluded that the sample carburized at 950 °C soaked for 1:50 hrs followed by water quenching gives best result than the other samples. Since pack carburizing enhance the hardness, tensile strength, abrasion resistance, the farm implement manufacturing company has been recommended to carburize these farm implement.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Chemistry, Collage of Natural and Computational Science, Jigjiga University, PO.Box: 1020, Jigjiga, Ethiopia

  • Department of Chemistry, Collage of Natural and Computational Science, Jigjiga University, PO.Box: 1020, Jigjiga, Ethiopia

  • Department of Physics, Collage of Natural and Computational Science, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia

  • Department of Physics, Collage of Natural and Computational Science, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia

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