Benefits of thread rolling process to the stress corrosion cracking and fatigue resistance of high strength fasteners

摘要

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of cut (machined) vice thread rolled Alloy X-750 and Alloy 625 fasteners in a simulated high temperature primary water environment has been evaluated. SCC testing at 360 and 338C included 157 small and 40 large 60(degree) Vee thread studs. Thread rolled fasteners had improved resistance relative to cut fasteners. Tests of fatigue resistance in air at room temperature and both air and primary water at 315C were conducted on smaller studs with both cut and rolled threads. Results showed rolled threads can have significantly improved fatigue lives over those of cut threads in both air and primary water. Fasteners produced by two different thread rolling methods, in-feed (radial) and through-feed (axial), revealed similar SCC initiation test results. Testing of thread rolled fasteners revealed no significant SCC or fatigue growth of rolling induced thread crest laps typical of the thread rolling process. While fatigue resistance differed between the two rolled thread supplier's studs, neither of the suppliers studs showed SCC initiation at exposure times beyond that of cut threads with SCC. In contrast to rolling at room temperature, warm rolled (427C) threads showed no improvement over cut threads in terms of fatigue resistance. The observed improved SCC and fatigue performance of rolled threads is postulated to be due to interactive factors, including beneficial residual stresses in critically stressed thread root region, reduction of plastic strains during loading and formation of favorable microstructure.