Medium-carbon steels are frequently annealed in order to develop adequate micro-structures for several applications when improved ductility and formability are required.1"6 The final microstructure after conventional rolling processes consists of lamellar pearlite and proeutectoid ferrite, whose proportions vary depending on the cooling rate carried out after hot rolling. Pearlite shows poor formability properties and makes the steel unsuitable for further cold forming processes. Consequently, it must be properly softened via spheroidization treatment.
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