November 2023 Volume 5

MATERIALS

Empowering Industry: Forgers, Component Suppliers and Their SBQ Steel Partners Raise the Bar Together By Matt Oettli and Michael Koutsis

At the heart of industry, from automotive engineering to energy exploration, lies a hidden hero: special bar quality (SBQ) steel. This high performer plays an integral role in ensuring the integrity, reliability and safety of mission-critical-application components, setting it apart from a wide range of standard steels. SBQ steels have become indispensable to operations characterized by high speeds and stresses, extreme temperatures and

probability of rejections stemming from material-related challenges. The result is valuable time and resources saved. Tight-knit associations between steelmakers, forgers and suppliers enhance efficiency, excellence and competitiveness in the manufacturing arena. When steel is exceptionally clean and strong, the foundation is laid for superior end products. As industries evolve and confront new challenges, nurturing these partnerships and harnessing the performance attributes of SBQ steel will be imperative in delivering substantial advantages to customers. Waves of Innovation

exacting requirements for strength and durability. Every day, countless components forged from SBQ steel—everything from bearings to rotors to gears—endure extended use as moving parts in vehicles and equipment while remaining resilient to fatigue, corrosion and the toughest conditions. For SBQ steelmakers, this means developing meticulous metallurgical techniques and manufacturing procedures to attain peak performance. For component suppliers, it means embracing the stringent standards of SBQ steel to cater to industries reliant on finely engineered parts. Forgers, meanwhile, benefit from understanding the impact of steel composition and cleanness levels on forged components, especially as a growing number of OEMs look to them to drive quality. Here, we explore the efforts of steel manufacturers, forgers and component suppliers, all working in tandem to match optimal steel grades with specific applications, a partnership that benefits the entire supply chain. Partners in Results High-performance SBQ steels play a critical role in ensuring the highest-quality end products from raw materials to finished components. For forgers, SBQ steels offer consistency: in response to forging and machining processes, in response to thermal treatment, in theoretical foot weight and more. This predictability may in turn reduce production costs and material waste, ensure the final product meets hardness and strength requirements and reduce the potential for rejections or rework. Component suppliers benefit from the use of SBQ steels with fewer impurities and flaws that can compromise product integrity. Top-tier steel guarantees components can endure their designated loads and environmental conditions, consequently lowering the

In the world of marine propulsion systems, one forged steel component stands out as a particular performance challenge: the propeller shaft. Prop shafts operate under constant torsional stress and must withstand bending stresses induced by ever-changing water conditions. Repetitive loading and unloading cycles further introduce fatigue factors to the equation. Consequently, the steel used to forge prop shafts must possess extraordinary toughness and strength. When a prominent outboard engine maker sought a competitive edge, it turned to TimkenSteel, a recognized SBQ steel industry leader, for a material fit to extend service life for its forged marine components. To meet the challenge, TimkenSteel harnessed its certified air-melt technology, an innovative process applicable to nearly all grades of steel, that substantially minimizes micro inclusions.

FIA MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2023 26