https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202637701002
Effect of Quenching and Tempering Processes on the Microstructure, Hardness, and Wear Resistance of AISI 1045 Steel
1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Indonesia
2 Faculty of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Malaysia
* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Published online: 2 July 2026
Abstract
AISI 1045 steel has significant potential as an alternative material for excavator track shoe components outstanding to the situation favorable automatic belongings, wide accessibility, and charge efficiency. This study investigates the things of extinction and tempering processes on the microstructure, inflexibility, and wear resistance of AISI 1045 strengthen. The quenching treatment was performed at 850°C with property times of 30 and 60 min using water as the cooling medium, followed by tempering at 250°C for 30 and 60 min. Material characterization included chemical composition analysis, microstructural observation, Vickers hardness testing, and wear resistance testing. The results revealed that the quenching process significantly increased hardness unpaid toward the construction of a martensitic microstructure. The highest inflexibility value of 669 HVN was obtained after quenching with a field time of 60 min. Subsequent tempering transformed martensite into tempered martensite, resulting in a slight decrease in hardness while improving microstructural stability and toughness. Wear test outcomes verified that quenching reduced the costume degree and improved wear resistance. The lowest wear rate of 3.18 × 10⁻7 mm3/mm was achieved in the specimen quenched for 60 min. Overall, the results indicate that the combination of quenching and tempering treatments significantly enhances the mechanical performance of AISI 1045 steel, making it a promising alternative material for excavator track shoe applications.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2026
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
