Induction-hardened crankshaft and method of manufacturing roughly shaped material for induction-hardened crankshaft

Abstract

An induction-hardened crankshaft is provided that offers an excellent balance of fatigue strength, machinability and quench-cracking resistance. An induction-hardened crankshaft has a chemical composition of, in mass %: 0.30 to 0.60% C; 0.01 to 1.50% Si; 0.4 to 2.0% Mn; 0.01 to 0.50% Cr; 0.001 to 0.06% Al; 0.001 to 0.02% N; up to 0.03% P; 0.005 to 0.20% S; 0.005 to 0.060% Nb; and balance Fe and impurities, the non-induction-hardened portion having a microstructure mainly composed of ferrite-pearlite and having a fraction of ferrite Fα satisfying the expression (1) provided below, the induction-hardened portion having a microstructure mainly composed of martensite or tempered martensite, and having a prior austenite grain diameter not larger than 30 μm, Fα≥150×[C %]+84   (1), where the C content in mass % in the induction-hardened crankshaft is substituted for [C %].

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.