Abstract: A workpiece is designed for rolling stresses and includes a body having a core zone and a carbonitrided surface zone which surrounds the core zone. The workpiece body is formed of a fully hardening steel. The core zone has a bainite microstructure as its main constituent. The surface zone of the workpiece has a mixed microstructure comprising martensite and bainite and the martensite in the surface zone constitutes a proportion of at least twenty percent by volume.

Abstract: A workpiece is designed for rolling stresses and includes a body having a core zone and a carbonitrided surface zone which surrounds the core zone. The workpiece body is formed of a fully hardening steel. The core zone has a bainite microstructure as its main constituent. The surface zone of the workpiece has a mixed microstructure comprising martensite and bainite and the martensite in the surface zone constitutes a proportion of at least twenty percent by volume.

Abstract: A method for the heat treatment of workpieces made of steel or cast iron involves quenching the workpiece to a temperature above the martensite starting temperature (i.e., the temperature below which martensite is formed) after a holding period at or above the austenitizing temperature. In the ensuing time period, austenite is transformed into bainite. The temperature of the workpiece is reduced during the time period when transformation occurs and the transformation of austenite into bainite is thus continued.

Abstract: A method for heat-treating a component of steel or cast iron, particularly a through hardening bearing steel component, involves heating the component to the austenitization temperature and holding the component at the austenitization temperature to achieve austenitization, rapidly quenching the component to approximately the martensite starting point (MS temperature) and holding the component at the bainite transformation temperature until partial bainite transformation occurs. After partial bainite transformation, the component is cooled down to and briefly held at room temperature, followed by short-cycle tempering.

Abstract: In a method for producing machine elements of steel having a carbon content of 0.3 to 1.1%, blanks are heated to austenitizing temperature and austenitized, quenched for the formation of martensite, heated from room temperature to a maximum tempering temperature, and immediately after reaching said maximum temperature cooled to room temperature to attain a hardness of 45 to 65 RHC and finish-machined to machine elements.