Abstract: A bar or wire product for use in cold forging, characterized in that it comprises a steel having the chemical composition, in mass %: C: 0.1 to 0.6%, Si: 0.01 to 0.5%, Mn: 0.2 to 1.7%, S: 0.001 to 0.15%, Al: 0.015 to 0.05%, N: 0.003 to 0.025%, P: 0.035% or less, O: 0.003% or less and balance: Fe and inevitable impurities, and it has, in the region from the surface thereof to the depth of the radius thereof×0.15, a structure wherein ferrite accounts for 10 area % or less and the balance is substantially one or more of martensite, bainite and pearlite, and the average hardness in the region from the depth of the radius thereof×0.5 to the center thereof is less than that of the surface layer thereof by 20 or more of HV; and a method for producing the bar or wire product.

Abstract: The present invention is a steel, excellent in machinability, wherein forging workability is improved by suppressing the deterioration of mechanical properties in the direction in which the mechanical properties are the lowest, and more specifically, is a steel excellent in forgeability and machinability, characterized in that: the steel contains, in mass, C: 0.1 to 0.85%, Si: 0.01 to 1.5%, Mn: 0.05 to 2.0%, P: 0.003 to 0.2%, S: 0.003 to 0.5%, and Zr: 0.0003 to 0.01%; the following steel components are controlled in the following ranges respectively, in mass, Al: 0.01% or less, total O: 0.02% or less, and total N: 0.02% or less; the average aspect ratio of MnS grains is 10 or less and the maximum aspect ratio of those is 30 or less; and the balance of the steel components consists of Fe and unavoidable impurities.

Abstract: The present invention provides a steel bar or wire rod for cold forging excellent in ductility after spheroidizing annealing and capable of preventing the occurrence of cracking in the steel material during cold forging, which cracking has so far been a problem when manufacturing machine structural components by cold forging, and a method to produce the same. Specifically, a steel bar or wire rod for cold forging according to the present invention has a chemical composition comprising, in mass, 0.1 to 0.65% of C, 0.01 to 0.5% of Si, 0.2 to 1.7% of Mn, 0.001 to 0.15% of S, 0.015 to 0.1% of Al, 0.0005 to 0.007% of B, and the restricted elements of 0.035% or less of P, 0.01% or less of N and 0.003% or less of O, with the balance consisting of Fe and unavoidable impurities, and is characterized in that: the area percentage of ferrite structure is 10% or less at the portion from the surface to the depth of 0.

Abstract: A bar or wire product for use in cold forging, characterized in that it comprises a steel having the chemical composition, in mass %: C: 0.1 to 0.6%, Si: 0.01 to 0.5%, Mn: 0.2 to 1.7%, S: 0.001 to 0.15%, Al: 0.015 to 0.05%, N: 0.003 to 0.025%, P: 0.035% or less, O: 0.003% or less and balance: Fe and inevitable impurities, and it has, in the region from the surface thereof to the depth of the radius thereof×0.15, a structure wherein ferrite accounts for 10 area % or less and the balance is substantially one or more of martensite, bainite and pearlite, and the average hardness in the region from the depth of the radius thereof×0.5 to the center thereof is less than that of the surface layer thereof by 20 or more of HV; and a method for producing the bar or wire product.

Abstract: The present invention provides a simplified ladle refining process capable of efficiently heating a molten steel in a short period of time while scattering and adhesion of splashes and erosion of refractories are suppressed. A simplified ladle refining process for refining a molten steel in a ladle comprising inserting an immersion snorkel into a ladle and blowing an oxidizing gas onto the surface of a molten steel within the immersion snorkel through a lance while the molten steel is being stirred by blowing an inert gas through the bottom of the ladle, wherein the lance has a ratio (d0/dt) of a nozzle outlet diameter d0 (mm) to a nozzle throat diameter dt (mm) of from 1.2&agr; to 2.5&agr; wherein &agr; is defined as a function of a back pressure.

Abstract: A fine graphite uniform dispersion steel material excellent in cold workability, cuttability and hardenability, which has graphite finely and uniformly dispersed therein, and a production method for producing the same. The steel contains at least 0.30 to 1.0% of C, 0.4 to 1.3% of Si, 0.3 to 1.0% of Mn, 0.0003 to 0.006% of B, 0.002 to 0.010% of N and 0.05 to 0.20% of Mo as the basic components and contains graphite having a mean particle diameter of not more than 4.0 .mu.m and a number of particles per unit and of at least 3,000 per mm.sup.2. The production method includes at least the steps of cooling the steel having these components at a cooling start temperature of not less than an A.sub.rl point, a cooling end temperature of not more than an M.sub.s point and a mean cooling rate of 5.degree. to 100.degree. C./s.