Mechanical properties of chromium steels for back up rolling rolls

Back up rolling rolls are very large mechanical components which have to be designed to withstand very high contact stresses produced, under the rolling load, in the region between the working and the back up rolls, along with severe wear actions. In this investigation, the thermal treatment (bainitic isotermic quenching followed by several temper treatments) of these components is described and their most characteristic properties related to the in-service behaviour of these products are determined, using hardness, compresion, fracture toughness and sliding wear tests.