The Heat Treat Doctor

Daniel H. Herring | 630-834-3017 | heattreatdoctor@industrialheating.com

Steam Treating

team has been involved in some way, shape or form

with a number of memorable events in the Doctors
life whether doing calisthenics in a Turkish sauna
at 17 or being whipped with wet eucalyptus branches
in a Moscow steam bath some 20 years later (stories best left for
another time and place). For many of us, however, staring down at
a dinner plate of steamed broccoli or cauliower is as up close and
personal with steam as it gets. Yet steam is one of the simplest and
most basic of heat-treating atmospheres.
Lets learn more.
Steam treating (a.k.a. bluing or blackening) is a time-temperature-atmosphere-dependent process where the performance and
quality of the surface and subsurface layers
depends to a great extent on surface cleanliness (prior to steam treatment) and the overall integrity (i.e. gas tightness) of the equipment. As an atmosphere, steam can be used
for scale-free tempering and stress relief of wrought or powder-metal
(P/M) parts of ferrous or nonferrous materials. While not necessary
for all components, steam treatment benets include: reducing the
susceptibility to rusting on steel parts that is, avoidance of the formation of undesirable Fe2O3 (hematite), sealing porosity, providing
a base material for additional (powder or paint) coatings, extending
shelf life, improving mechanical properties (e.g., apparent hardness,
compressive strength, wear characteristics), and as a decorative
coating producing a blue-gray to blue-black surface appearance.

How it Works
Steam treating is performed on ferrous parts through a deliberate
addition of steam (H2O) into a tightly sealed heat-treating furnace
in the temperature range of 315-540C (600-1000F) so as to ensure
that only Fe3O4 (magnetite) is formed on the surface (Eq. 1).
The following oxidizing reaction takes place at the surface of
the parts:
3Fe + 4H2O (g) C Fe3O4 + 4H2 (g)

Steam Treatment of P/M Parts

Many P/M parts are processed in furnaces exposed to superheated
(e.g., 160C/320F steam) at a temperature around 550C (1020F).
The oxide layer formed is typically 5-7m (0.00020-0.00028 inch)
thick on the surface with interconnected subsurface porosity
(Fig. 1). Fe3O4 is stable and tenacious, forming a bluish or bluishblack surface layer that does not easily break down.
The Fe3O4 oxide has a hardness of approximately 50 HRC and
is highly corrosion-resistant. The thickness of the coating grows
with the square root of treating time and can vary from just over 1
m (0.00005 inch) to just over 7 m (0.00030 inch). Applications
such as sealing require that the part be in the dry steam at 540C
(1000F) for about 60 minutes. For applications where corrosion
resistance or hardness is important, a retention time of only about
30 minutes may be required to achieve the desired results.
Steam Treatment of Motor Laminations
The performance of steel in an electro-magnetic circuit is
measured by variations in eddy current, hysteresis losses and
changes in (magnetic) permeability. The presence of carbon and
to a lesser extent sulfur, oxygen and nitrogen in steel increases
eddy current and hysteresis losses while lowering permeability.
In-process annealing, in addition to removing stains induced
from cold working, reduces carbon levels (from steels with up to
0.08%) to typically less than 0.01%C. Eddy current losses vary
with lamination thickness and lamination coating. For most
60 Hz applications, 0.60 mm (0.024 inch) is reported to balance
25.0 m

(1)

A typical cycle begins by thoroughly cleaning the individual

parts of oils and other contaminants. Heating then usually takes
place in air (or another oxidizing but non-carburizing furnace
atmosphere). Ferrous parts are typically heated in the 315-375C
(600-700F) range before steam introduction, while for nonferrous
parts this value is around 150C (300F). Purging of the furnace
with steam then takes place to an oxygen level less than 1%
(10,000 ppm), typically around 0.1% (1,000 ppm). This step
must be complete before the temperature exceeds 425C (800F)
for ferrous parts. A dew point in the furnace of +15C (+60F)
16 September 2011 - IndustrialHeating.com

or higher is typical. After soaking, parts are cooled in steam to

an intermediate temperature before removal or rapid quenching
nishes the cycle. Steam treatment is reportedly most effective on
parts with a maximum carbon content of 0.5-0.8%.

Fig. 1. 4200 steel (0.60%Mo, 0.45%Ni, 0.28%Mn) with 2% Cu and

1% graphite admixed; steam treated for one hour at 575C (1067F)

rial H

TH

% H2 A
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Heat

Steam blue
Cool in steam

Temperature, C

Temperature, C

Controlled
cool

FeO

1000
800

_ Fe
600

550C
Fe3O4

400
Air
blast

Preheat
Time, hrs.

Fig. 2. Combination annealing and bluing cycle for motor laminations[1]

optimum stamping qualities with acceptable eddy current losses.

To reduce eddy current losses between laminations, electrical
steels are normally coated to increase inter-laminar resistance.
These coatings may be organic, inorganic or an oxide (Fe3O4)
applied by exposing the lamination to either a high dew-point
exothermic atmosphere or a super-heated steam atmosphere (Fig. 2)
for a period of up to one hour at a temperature of around 510C
(950F). This coating generally increases resistance between
laminations and provides rust and corrosion protection.
Steam Treatment of High-Speed Steels
The presence of a tenacious oxide coating on some high-speed steel
cutting tools is reported to help prevent chip buildup on cutting
edges while enhancing grinding, drilling, cutting and endurance
(feed rates). However, steam treating is not recommended in
cutting applications for very soft or nonferrous materials.
Steam Treatment of Nonferrous Materials
For nonferrous materials, loads are purged at 150C (300F),
heated to the required soak temperature, and cooled under a
steam atmosphere back down to 150C (300F) after the nal
soak and before air or water quenching. The treatment performs
both a stress relief and anneal for bronze, brass, copper and silver
alloys. Post treatments such as bright dip, bufng or pickling are
reportedly reduced.
Potential Problems
The most commonly reported problems with steam treating could
be categorized as follows:
Layer Reversal
The hydrogen (H2) gas created by the steam-treating process is
constantly diluting the steam (H2O). If the hydrogen concentration
rises too high, the reaction is reversed and the oxide layer reduces.
In order to prevent this, three measures are important: (1) maintain
a sufciently high turbulence in the steam; (2) create good
18 September 2011 - IndustrialHeating.com

a Fe

Minimum H2O/H2

200
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
@ % H2O

Fe3O4 formation Increasing risk of

slowing down FeO formation

1200
Soak

Fig. 3. Acceptable and unacceptable steamtreatment conditions for ferrous materials[3]

circulation paths throughout the load; and (3) bleed controlled

amounts of air (or oxygen) into the furnace chamber to keep the
hydrogen concentration down to an acceptable level.
Flaky Surfaces
In most instances, neither the steam temperature nor the part
temperature should exceed 550C (1020F) because, above this
temperature, the reaction (Eq. 1) is more and more superseded by
the reaction:
Fe + H2O (g) A FeO + H2

(2)

which forms a gray, aky and loosely adhering layer of FeO

(wstite) on the surface of the parts and provides no corrosion
protection at all.
Discolored Surfaces
Pinkish or inconsistent discoloration of the part surface may
indicate the presence of undesirable Fe2O3, suggesting that the
entire load was not above 315C (600F) prior to the introduction
of the steam. Black spots on parts suggest improper cleaning and
residues left on parts prior to processing, while white spots often
indicate water contaminants or chemicals.
Reddish discoloration suggests that the steam was not dry
that is, liquid water was present and reacted with the iron on
the surface of the iron part to form Fe2O3. A brown or brownishblack discoloration suggests air was in contact with the ferrous
component while in the presence of the steam.
In Conclusion
Steam treating is a versatile tool in the heat-treaters arsenal and
one that should not be forgotten when its benets are needed.
Typical steam-treating applications include automotive, hydraulics,
agriculture, marine, home appliances, lawn and garden, and offroad construction components of wrought and powder metal. IH
References Available Online