WIND TURBINES – Effect of Retained Austenite on White Etching Crack Behavior of Carburized AISI 8620 Steel Under Boundary Lubrication

PCS instruments: MPR
Summary: The study tested carburized AISI 8620 steel with varying retained austenite (RA) levels to understand white etching crack (WEC) behaviour. Higher RA levels led to more crack branching but less-defined microstructural changes near cracks. While RA didn’t extend failure time, it altered crack morphology, suggesting potential benefits in bearing durability.