And it is that...

2001/06/11 Carton Virto, Eider - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Materialak
• Ikerketa-zentroak

The objective of the project has been to work the forging on time for the manufacture of automotive parts. In the forge of Epele the metal is worked without reheating, to about 900 ° C. CEIT researchers have added vanadium to steel and analyzed changes in the process. "We found some of the advantages of using vanadium steels in Epele forging. We have realized that vanadium delays the static recrystallization of steel microstructures, which is a new tool to increase resistance," said José María Rodríguez Ibabe when he learned about the award.

"Epele forging has several advantages: it maintains the properties of all steel components and is a way to consume less energy, something very important in the industry. On the other hand, when working at lower temperatures, the part does not require post-forging treatment. This accelerates the process and produces more accurate parts," he explained.

The use of vanadium in very small quantities improves the strength of steel. For example, the introduction of less than 0.1% vanadium in the weight of the metal to be worked and 0.03% mixed niobium make the steel strength double. These mixtures of small quantities are called microalloys and so far only have been used in hot forges. CEIT researchers have used microalloys in epel forgings and have managed to improve the properties of the material by adding vanadium.

According to Rodriguez Ibabe, the results of his research have expanded the field of vanadium use and a new field of research, "increasing resistance, decreasing the weight of steel parts, something very important for the automotive industry."

Carlos García, Beatriz López and José María Rodríguez Ibabe, researchers at the CEIT Research Center in Donostia, have stated that the award has been a great surprise. In fact, VANITEC (The Vanadium International Technical Committee), sponsor of the award, collects the articles published around the Vanadium and chooses the one who presents a new contribution to it. In October 2000, in Toronto, the American Iron and Steel Association awarded them another prize for other results of the same research.