An important property of a compressor valve steel is its ability to withstand fatigue. In compressor applications the steel is often subjected to both bending stresses and impact stresses. This paper presents the fatigue properties of a modified martensitic compressor valve steel having a larger amount of retained austenite than usual. The influence of tumbling on the impact fatigue properties is studied. Conventional bending fatigue properties are also evaluated. It is shown that retained austenite contributes to better impact fatigue properties, and that tumbling leads to a significant improvement in bending fatigue. The results are discussed in relation to the microstructure and residual stresses of the steels.
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