High tensile strength steel wire

A process of manufacturing a high tensile strength steel wire,

• said steel wire having as steel composition:
• a carbon content ranging from 0.20 weight percent to 1.00 weight percent, e.g. from 0.3 weight percent to 0.85 weight percent, e.g. from 0.4 weight percent to 0.7 weight percent, e.g. from 0.5 weight percent to 0.6 weight percent,
• a silicon content ranging from 0.05 weight percent to 2.0 weight percent, e.g. from 0.2 weight percent to 1.8 weight percent, e.g. from 1.2 weight percent to 1.6 weight percent,
• a manganese content ranging from 0.40 weight percent to 1.0 weight percent, e.g. from 0.5 weight percent to 0.9 weight percent,
• a chromium content ranging from 0.0 weight percent to 1.0 weight percent, e.g. from 0.5 weight percent to 0.8 weight percent,
• a sulfur and phosphor content being individually limited to 0.05 weight percent, e.g. limited to 0.025 weight percent,
• contents of nickel, vanadium, aluminum, copper or other micro-alloying elements all being individually limited to 0.5 weight percent, e.g. limited to 0.2 weight percent, e.g. limited to 0.08 weight percent,
• the remainder being iron,
• said steel having martensitic structure,
• wherein at least 10 volume percent of martensite are oriented.
• said process comprising the following steps in order:
• a) austenitizing a steel wire rod or steel wire above Ac3 temperature during a period less than 120 seconds,
• b) quenching said austenitized steel wire rod or steel wire below 100° C. during a period less than 60 seconds,
• c) tempering said quenched steel wire rod or steel wire between 320° C. and 500° C. during a period ranging from 10 seconds to 600 seconds,
• d) work hardening said quenched and tempered steel wire rod or steel wire.