WO2010051440A1 - Ultra-high strength stainless alloy strip, a method of making same, and a method of using same for making a golf club head - Google Patents

Ultra-high strength stainless alloy strip, a method of making same, and a method of using same for making a golf club head Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2010051440A1
WO2010051440A1 PCT/US2009/062745 US2009062745W WO2010051440A1 WO 2010051440 A1 WO2010051440 A1 WO 2010051440A1 US 2009062745 W US2009062745 W US 2009062745W WO 2010051440 A1 WO2010051440 A1 WO 2010051440A1
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Prior art keywords
strip material
ingot
elongated strip
max
golf club
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PCT/US2009/062745
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French (fr)
Inventor
Theodore Kosa
David E. Wert
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Crs Holdings, Inc.
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Publication date
Application filed by Crs Holdings, Inc. filed Critical Crs Holdings, Inc.
Priority to EP09745252.8A priority Critical patent/EP2350326B1/en
Priority to ES09745252T priority patent/ES2421431T3/en
Priority to CN2009801433587A priority patent/CN102203300B/en
Priority to JP2011534807A priority patent/JP5464214B2/en
Publication of WO2010051440A1 publication Critical patent/WO2010051440A1/en

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D6/00—Heat treatment of ferrous alloys
    • C21D6/001—Heat treatment of ferrous alloys containing Ni
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D6/00—Heat treatment of ferrous alloys
    • C21D6/02—Hardening by precipitation
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D8/00—Modifying the physical properties by deformation combined with, or followed by, heat treatment
    • C21D8/02—Modifying the physical properties by deformation combined with, or followed by, heat treatment during manufacturing of plates or strips
    • C21D8/021—Modifying the physical properties by deformation combined with, or followed by, heat treatment during manufacturing of plates or strips involving a particular fabrication or treatment of ingot or slab
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D8/00—Modifying the physical properties by deformation combined with, or followed by, heat treatment
    • C21D8/02—Modifying the physical properties by deformation combined with, or followed by, heat treatment during manufacturing of plates or strips
    • C21D8/0221—Modifying the physical properties by deformation combined with, or followed by, heat treatment during manufacturing of plates or strips characterised by the working steps
    • C21D8/0226—Hot rolling
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D8/00—Modifying the physical properties by deformation combined with, or followed by, heat treatment
    • C21D8/02—Modifying the physical properties by deformation combined with, or followed by, heat treatment during manufacturing of plates or strips
    • C21D8/0221—Modifying the physical properties by deformation combined with, or followed by, heat treatment during manufacturing of plates or strips characterised by the working steps
    • C21D8/0236—Cold rolling
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
    • C21D9/0068—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor for particular articles not mentioned below
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C38/00—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys
    • C22C38/001—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing N
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C38/00—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys
    • C22C38/02—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing silicon
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C38/00—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys
    • C22C38/04—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing manganese
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C38/00—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys
    • C22C38/06—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing aluminium
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C38/00—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys
    • C22C38/18—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium
    • C22C38/40—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium with nickel
    • C22C38/42—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium with nickel with copper
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C38/00—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys
    • C22C38/18—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium
    • C22C38/40—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium with nickel
    • C22C38/44—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium with nickel with molybdenum or tungsten
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C38/00—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys
    • C22C38/18—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium
    • C22C38/40—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium with nickel
    • C22C38/48—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium with nickel with niobium or tantalum
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C38/00—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys
    • C22C38/18—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium
    • C22C38/40—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium with nickel
    • C22C38/50—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium with nickel with titanium or zirconium
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C38/00—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys
    • C22C38/18—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium
    • C22C38/40—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium with nickel
    • C22C38/54—Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys containing chromium with nickel with boron
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D2211/00—Microstructure comprising significant phases
    • C21D2211/008—Martensite

Definitions

  • This invention relates to stainless steel strip material and in particular to a stainless steel strip article having very high tensile strength, a method of making same, and a method of using the strip material for making a golf club head.
  • club heads are typically manufactured using a cast body with a faceplate.
  • the cast body material is typically formed of a precipitation hardenable stainless steel such as 17-4 PH or 15-5 PH stainless steel.
  • Golf clubs are typically manufactured by welding the faceplate to the cast body and then heat treating the entire assembly to develop final properties.
  • the alloys typically used for the cast body of the club have solution temperatures of about 1900 0 F (1038 0 C) 1 whereas the known faceplate materials have solution temperatures ranging from 155O 0 F to 1800°F (843 0 C to 982 0 C). This mismatch in heat treating temperatures results in either the club body, or the faceplate material, or possibly both, providing less than optimum properties in the as-heat treated condition after assembly of the club head.
  • the CUSTOM 475 alloy often requires a different manufacturing process altogether, because the alloy cannot be re-solutioned after club head assembly.
  • a stainless steel strip article that is formed from a corrosion resistant alloy comprising, in weight percent, about:
  • the elongated thin strip article provides a room temperature tensile strength of at least about 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) in the solution treated and age hardened condition.
  • a method of making a thin strip article comprises the steps of casting a corrosion resistant alloy having the weight percent composition set forth above to form an ingot.
  • the ingot is hot worked to form an elongated strip material.
  • the strip material is then heat treated under conditions of time and temperature to provide an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) at room temperature.
  • a method of making a golf club head includes the step of casting a corrosion resistant alloy having the weight percent composition set forth above to form an ingot.
  • the ingot is hot worked to form an elongated strip article which is then heat treated under conditions of time and temperature to benefit the machinability and processability of the strip material.
  • the strip material is then machined to form a faceplate for a golf club head.
  • the method includes the further step of forming a golf club head body from a corrosion resistant precipitation hardenable steel alloy.
  • the faceplate is bonded to golf club head body.
  • the assembly is then heat treated under conditions of time and temperature sufficient to provide a desired level of hardness and strength in the golf club head body and an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) at room temperature in the faceplate.
  • the drawing is a graph of tensile strength as a function of aging temperature.
  • the balance is iron and the usual impurities.
  • the alloy composition is preferably melted using vacuum induction melting (VIM).
  • VIM vacuum induction melting
  • the steel is cast into one or more ingot molds.
  • VAR vacuum arc remelted
  • the alloy is formed into strip by intermediate pressing of the ingot to form a billet and then hot rolling the billet to form elongated strip.
  • the strip material can be formed by hot rolling the ingot from a starting temperature of about 1900 0 F to 225O 0 F (1038°C to 1232 0 C).
  • the strip can be provided in the overaged condition by heating at about 1100°F to 135O 0 F (593 0 C to 732 0 C) for about 2 to 8 hours and then cooling in air.
  • the strip material is heated at about 1900°F to 195O 0 F (1038 0 C to 1065 0 C) for about 1 hour, cooled in air, refrigerated at about -100 0 F (-73.3 0 C) for about 8 hours, and then warmed in air to room temperature.
  • the strip material is cold rolled to final or near final thickness prior to being heat treated.
  • the strip material according to this invention can be solution treated in a continuous furnace with times and temperatures adjusted accordingly.
  • the strip material is processed to a thickness of about 0.02-0.16 inches (0.5-4 mm), preferably about 0.10-0.12 inches (2.5-3.0 mm).
  • the alloy strip according to this invention can be double solution treated with no significant loss in properties, particularly no loss of strength.
  • the stainless steel strip material of this invention can be provided in the solution treated plus refrigerated condition, processed into components, and then re-solutioned, re- refrigerated, and age hardened after being assembled into a golf club head to provide the desired high strength and hardness.
  • a small heat was melted and processed.
  • the 400 Ib (181.4 kg) heat was melted by VIM + VAR and cast as an 8-inch (20.3 cm) diameter ingot.
  • the weight percent composition of the VAR ingot is given below in Table I.
  • the balance of the alloy was iron and usual impurities.
  • the ingot was homogenized at about 2300 0 F (126O 0 C) for 16 hours, and then pressed to a 4-in x 8-in (10 cm x 20.3 cm) billet from a starting temperature of about 2000 0 F (1093°C).
  • the billet was hot rolled to 7.5 in. wide x 0.15 in. thick (19 cm wide x 3.8 mm thick) strip from a starting temperature of about 225O 0 F (1232 0 C).
  • the strip was then ground to 0.135 in. (3.4 mm) thick and then cold rolled to 0.1103 in. (2.8 mm) thick.
  • the strip was given an overaging treatment by heating at about 1146 0 F (619 0 C) for 5.5 hours. After cooling to room temperature, the strip material was ground to a final thickness of 0.1083 in (2.75 mm).
  • Standard strip tensile blanks were rough cut in the longitudinal and transverse orientations from the overaged strip. Groups of the blanks were solution treated at 185O 0 F (1010 0 C), 1900 0 F (1038 0 C) 1 195O 0 F (1065°C), and 2000°F (1093X), respectively, for 1 hour and air cooled. The solution treated blanks were deep chilled at -100 0 F (-73.3 0 C) for 8 hours and then warmed in air to room temperature. The blanks were then rough machined to provide a gage section about Vz inch wide x 2 inches long (1.27 cm wide x 5.08 cm long).
  • Groups of the rough machined blanks from each solution treatment were aged at temperatures ranging from about 900 0 F (482 0 C) to about 975 0 F (524 0 C) for 4 hours and then air cooled.
  • the test specimens were finish machined after aging and tested at room temperature.
  • the results of room temperature tensile and hardness testing are presented in Tables 2 - 4 below including the solution treatment temperature (Solution Temp.) and the aging temperature (Age Temp.) in 0 F ( 0 C) 1 the 0.2% offset yield strength (Y.S.) and ultimate tensile strength (U.T.S.) in ksi (MPa), and the Rockwell C-scale hardness (Hardness) as HRC.
  • ASTM grain size means average grain size as determined in accordance with ASTM Standard Test Procedure E-112.
  • the preferred solution temperature is about 1900 0 F (1038 0 C) to about 195O 0 F (1065 0 C).
  • the preferred aging temperature is about 900 0 F to 925 0 F (482 0 C to 496 0 C) in order for the material to provide the desired 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) U.T.S.
  • a graph of U.T.S. versus solution and aging temperature combinations is shown in the drawing.
  • the data presented in the tables show that a strip article made from the alloy composition described in this application is capable of attaining an U.T.S, 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) or higher.
  • the strip material is much less heavily alloyed than other stainless compositions capable of that strength level, resulting in a lower alloy cost.
  • the strip material is capable of being solution heat treated more than once without sacrificing strength or toughness properties.
  • the strip material of this invention is preferably solution heat treated at a temperature in range of about 1900-1950 0 F (1038-1065 0 C), making golf club faceplates of this composition fully compatible with the solution treating temperature for the precipitation hardenable stainless casting alloys most often used for the body of golf club head. Therefore, the faceplate and the club head body can be solution treated and age hardened in the assembled configuration to develop maximum hardness and strength, not only in the body of the club head, but also in the faceplate which makes contact with a golf ball.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Golf Clubs (AREA)
  • Heat Treatment Of Articles (AREA)
  • Heat Treatment Of Sheet Steel (AREA)

Abstract

A stainless steel strip article is disclosed. The article is formed from a corrosion resistant alloy having the following composition in weight percent, C 0.03 max. Mn 1.0 max. Si 0.75 max. P 0.040 max. S 0.020 max. Cr 10.9-11.1 Ni 10.9-11.1 Mo 0.9-1.1 Ti 1.5-1.6 Al 0.25 max. Nb 0.7-0.8 Cu 1 max. B 0.010 max. N 0.030 max. The balance is iron and usual impurities. The elongated thin strip article provides a room temperature tensile strength of at least 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) in the solution treated and age hardened condition. A method of making the strip article and a method of using it to make a golf club are also disclosed.

Description

ULTRA-HIGH STRENGTH STAINLESS ALLOY STRIP,
A METHOD OF MAKING SAME, AND A METHOD OF USING SAME FOR MAKING A GOLF CLUB HEAD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
This invention relates to stainless steel strip material and in particular to a stainless steel strip article having very high tensile strength, a method of making same, and a method of using the strip material for making a golf club head.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART:
Golf club manufacturers are constantly looking for a high strength faceplate material. Very high strength allows the faceplate section to be made thinner, and therefore lighter, which provides designers more leeway in club head design. In addition, corrosion-resistant materials are preferable to non-stainless materials because surface coatings or plating, which could be removed during use, are not required.
Current solutions to this problem include the use of standard PH stainless steel alloys such as the CUSTOM 455 alloy and newly designed stainless alloys such as the CUSTOM 465 and CUSTOM 475 alloys. However, the CUSTOM 455 and CUSTOM 465 alloys do not provide the strength levels desired in new club designs. The CUSTOM 475 alloy provides very high strength, but it is also highly alloyed, making it both expensive for the club manufacturer as well as less forgiving in the golf club manufacturing process.
In addition, many club heads are typically manufactured using a cast body with a faceplate. The cast body material is typically formed of a precipitation hardenable stainless steel such as 17-4 PH or 15-5 PH stainless steel. Golf clubs are typically manufactured by welding the faceplate to the cast body and then heat treating the entire assembly to develop final properties. The alloys typically used for the cast body of the club have solution temperatures of about 19000F (10380C)1 whereas the known faceplate materials have solution temperatures ranging from 155O0F to 1800°F (8430C to 9820C). This mismatch in heat treating temperatures results in either the club body, or the faceplate material, or possibly both, providing less than optimum properties in the as-heat treated condition after assembly of the club head. In addition, the CUSTOM 475 alloy often requires a different manufacturing process altogether, because the alloy cannot be re-solutioned after club head assembly.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The disadvantages of the known materials are overcome to a large degree by a stainless steel strip article according to this invention. In accordance with the one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stainless steel strip article that is formed from a corrosion resistant alloy comprising, in weight percent, about:
C 0.03 max.
Mn 1.0 max.
Si 0.75 max.
P 0.040 max.
S 0.020 max.
Cr 10.9-11.1
Ni 10.9-11.1
Mo 0.9-1.1
Ti 1.5-1.6
Al 0.25 max.
Nb 0.7-0.8
Cu 1 max.
B 0.010 max.
N 0.030 max. and the balance is iron and usual impurities. The elongated thin strip article provides a room temperature tensile strength of at least about 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) in the solution treated and age hardened condition.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention there is provided a method of making a thin strip article. The method comprises the steps of casting a corrosion resistant alloy having the weight percent composition set forth above to form an ingot. The ingot is hot worked to form an elongated strip material. The strip material is then heat treated under conditions of time and temperature to provide an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) at room temperature.
In accordance with a further aspect of this invention there is provided a method of making a golf club head. The method includes the step of casting a corrosion resistant alloy having the weight percent composition set forth above to form an ingot. The ingot is hot worked to form an elongated strip article which is then heat treated under conditions of time and temperature to benefit the machinability and processability of the strip material. The strip material is then machined to form a faceplate for a golf club head. The method includes the further step of forming a golf club head body from a corrosion resistant precipitation hardenable steel alloy. The faceplate is bonded to golf club head body. The assembly is then heat treated under conditions of time and temperature sufficient to provide a desired level of hardness and strength in the golf club head body and an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) at room temperature in the faceplate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING:
The drawing is a graph of tensile strength as a function of aging temperature.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
A preferred embodiment of the invention includes an elongated strip article having the following composition in weight percent:
C 0.03 max.
Mn 1.0 max.
Si 0.75 max.
P 0.040 max
S 0.020 max
Cr 10.9-11.1
Ni 10.9-11.1
Mo 0.9-1.1
Ti 1.5-1.6
Al 0.25 max. Nb 0.7-0.8
Cu 1 max.
B 0.010 max.
N 0.030 max.
The balance is iron and the usual impurities.
The alloy composition is preferably melted using vacuum induction melting (VIM). The steel is cast into one or more ingot molds. For additional cleanness, the alloy is vacuum arc remelted (VAR) after the VIM step. After solidification, the alloy is formed into strip by intermediate pressing of the ingot to form a billet and then hot rolling the billet to form elongated strip. Alternatively, the strip material can be formed by hot rolling the ingot from a starting temperature of about 19000F to 225O0F (1038°C to 12320C). The strip can be provided in the overaged condition by heating at about 1100°F to 135O0F (5930C to 7320C) for about 2 to 8 hours and then cooling in air. Alternatively, and for better machinability and processability, the strip material is heated at about 1900°F to 195O0F (10380C to 10650C) for about 1 hour, cooled in air, refrigerated at about -1000F (-73.30C) for about 8 hours, and then warmed in air to room temperature. Preferably, the strip material is cold rolled to final or near final thickness prior to being heat treated. The strip material according to this invention can be solution treated in a continuous furnace with times and temperatures adjusted accordingly. For the golf club application, the strip material is processed to a thickness of about 0.02-0.16 inches (0.5-4 mm), preferably about 0.10-0.12 inches (2.5-3.0 mm).
Unlike the known high strength stainless steel alloys such as the CUSTOM 475 stainless alloy, the alloy strip according to this invention can be double solution treated with no significant loss in properties, particularly no loss of strength. In other words, the stainless steel strip material of this invention can be provided in the solution treated plus refrigerated condition, processed into components, and then re-solutioned, re- refrigerated, and age hardened after being assembled into a golf club head to provide the desired high strength and hardness. As an example of the elongated strip article according to the present invention, a small heat was melted and processed. The 400 Ib (181.4 kg) heat was melted by VIM + VAR and cast as an 8-inch (20.3 cm) diameter ingot. The weight percent composition of the VAR ingot is given below in Table I. The balance of the alloy was iron and usual impurities.
Table I
Figure imgf000006_0001
The ingot was homogenized at about 23000F (126O0C) for 16 hours, and then pressed to a 4-in x 8-in (10 cm x 20.3 cm) billet from a starting temperature of about 20000F (1093°C). The billet was hot rolled to 7.5 in. wide x 0.15 in. thick (19 cm wide x 3.8 mm thick) strip from a starting temperature of about 225O0F (12320C). The strip was then ground to 0.135 in. (3.4 mm) thick and then cold rolled to 0.1103 in. (2.8 mm) thick. The strip was given an overaging treatment by heating at about 11460F (6190C) for 5.5 hours. After cooling to room temperature, the strip material was ground to a final thickness of 0.1083 in (2.75 mm).
Standard strip tensile blanks were rough cut in the longitudinal and transverse orientations from the overaged strip. Groups of the blanks were solution treated at 185O0F (10100C), 19000F (10380C)1 195O0F (1065°C), and 2000°F (1093X), respectively, for 1 hour and air cooled. The solution treated blanks were deep chilled at -1000F (-73.30C) for 8 hours and then warmed in air to room temperature. The blanks were then rough machined to provide a gage section about Vz inch wide x 2 inches long (1.27 cm wide x 5.08 cm long). Groups of the rough machined blanks from each solution treatment were aged at temperatures ranging from about 9000F (4820C) to about 9750F (5240C) for 4 hours and then air cooled. The test specimens were finish machined after aging and tested at room temperature. The results of room temperature tensile and hardness testing are presented in Tables 2 - 4 below including the solution treatment temperature (Solution Temp.) and the aging temperature (Age Temp.) in 0F (0C)1 the 0.2% offset yield strength (Y.S.) and ultimate tensile strength (U.T.S.) in ksi (MPa), and the Rockwell C-scale hardness (Hardness) as HRC.
Table 2
Figure imgf000007_0001
Table 3
Figure imgf000007_0002
Figure imgf000008_0001
Figure imgf000009_0001
Table 4
Figure imgf000009_0002
Figure imgf000010_0001
* Strength data was lost for these samples. However, the test operator recalls that the U.T.S. for the H900 samples was above 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) and that the U.T.S. for the H950 samples was slightly under 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa).
Metallographic analysis of the test specimens showed that the material solution treated at 185O0F (10380C) and 19000F (1038°C) had a grain size of about ASTM 8. The material solution treated at 195O0F (1065°) had a grain size of about ASTM 7-8. The material solution treated at 2000°F (10930C) had a grain size of about ASTM 2-3. Here and throughout this application, the ASTM grain size means average grain size as determined in accordance with ASTM Standard Test Procedure E-112.
The results presented in Tables 2, 3, and 4 show that the preferred solution temperature is about 19000F (10380C) to about 195O0F (10650C). Likewise, the preferred aging temperature is about 9000F to 9250F (4820C to 4960C) in order for the material to provide the desired 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) U.T.S. A graph of U.T.S. versus solution and aging temperature combinations is shown in the drawing.
The data presented in the tables show that a strip article made from the alloy composition described in this application is capable of attaining an U.T.S, 280 ksi (1930.5 MPa) or higher. The strip material is much less heavily alloyed than other stainless compositions capable of that strength level, resulting in a lower alloy cost. In addition, the strip material is capable of being solution heat treated more than once without sacrificing strength or toughness properties. The strip material of this invention is preferably solution heat treated at a temperature in range of about 1900-19500F (1038-10650C), making golf club faceplates of this composition fully compatible with the solution treating temperature for the precipitation hardenable stainless casting alloys most often used for the body of golf club head. Therefore, the faceplate and the club head body can be solution treated and age hardened in the assembled configuration to develop maximum hardness and strength, not only in the body of the club head, but also in the faceplate which makes contact with a golf ball.
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It is understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments that are described, but is intended to cover all modifications and changes within the scope and spirit of the invention as described above and set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. An elongated, thin strip article that is formed from corrosion resistant alloy comprising, in weight percent, about:
C 0.03 max.
Mn 1.0 max.
Si 0.75 max.
P 0.040 max.
S 0.020 max.
Cr 10.9-11.1
Ni 10.9-11.1
Mo 0.9-1.1
Ti 1.5-1.6
Al 0.25 max.
Nb 0.7-0.8
Cu 1 max.
B 0.010 max.
N 0.030 max.
and the balance is iron and usual impurities, said elongated thin strip article having a room temperature tensile strength of at least about 1930.5 MPa in the solution treated and age hardened condition.
2. An elongated strip article as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the strip has a thickness of about 0.5 to 4 mm.
3. An elongated strip article as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the alloy has an average grain size not greater than about ASTM 7-8 in major dimension.
4. An elongated strip article as claimed in any of Claims 1-3 which has a hardness of about 53-54 HRC.
5. A method of making the thin strip article claimed in Claim 1 comprising the steps of casting the corrosion resistant alloy to form an ingot; mechanically working said ingot to form an elongated strip material; and then heat treating said elongated strip material under conditions of time and temperature to provide an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 1930.5 MPa at room temperature.
6. A method as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the step of heat treating the elongated strip material comprises the steps of: heating the elongated strip material at a temperature of about 1038-10930C; and then heating the elongated strip material at a temperature of about 482°C to about 51O0C.
7. A method as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the first heating step comprises heating the alloy at a temperature of about 1038-10650C and the method comprises the following steps between the heating steps: rapidly cooling the alloy to about -73.3°C; and then holding the alloy at about -73.30C for a time effective to substantially completely transform any austenite in the alloy to martensite.
8. A method as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7 wherein the step of mechanically working the ingot comprises the steps of: pressing the ingot to form a billet; and then hot rolling the billet to form the elongated strip material.
9. A method as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7 wherein the step of mechanically working the ingot comprises hot rolling the ingot to form the elongated strip material.
10. A method as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the hot rolling step comprises heating the billet to about 1038-12320C.
11. A method of making a golf club head from the elongated strip material according to Claim 1 comprising the steps of casting the corrosion resistant alloy to form an ingot; mechanically working said ingot to form the elongated strip material; heat treating said elongated strip material under conditions of time and temperature to improve the machinability and processability of the material; cutting said elongated strip material to form a faceplate for a golf club head; forming a golf club head body from a corrosion resistant precipitation hardenable steel alloy; bonding said faceplate to said golf club head body to form a golf club head assembly; and then heat treating said golf club head assembly under conditions of time and temperature to provide hardness and strength in the golf club head assembly and an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 1930.5 MPa at room temperature in said faceplate.
12. A method as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the step of heat treating the golf club head assembly comprises the steps of: heating the elongated strip material at a temperature of about 1038-10930C; and then heating the elongated strip material at a temperature of about 4820C to about 51O0C.
13. A method as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the first heating step comprises heating the golf club heat assembly at a temperature of about 1038-1065°C and the method comprises the following steps between the heating steps: rapidly cooling the golf club head assembly to about -73.30C; and then holding the golf club head assembly at about -73.30C for a period of time to substantially completely transform any austenite in the alloy to martensite.
14. A method as claimed in any of Claims 11 to 13 wherein the step of mechanically working the ingot comprises the steps of: pressing the ingot to form a billet; and then hot rolling the billet to form the elongated strip material.
15. A method as claimed in any of Claims 11 to 13 wherein the step of mechanically working the ingot comprises hot rolling the ingot to form the elongated strip material.
16. A method as claimed in Claim 14 or Claim 15 wherein the hot rolling step comprises heating the ingot or billet to about 1038-12320C.
17. A method as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the step of heat treating the elongated strip material comprises the step of overaging the strip material at about 593-7320C.
18. A method as claimed in any of Claims 11 to 13 wherein the step of mechanically working the ingot comprises the steps of: pressing the ingot to form a billet; hot rolling the billet to form the elongated strip material; and then cold rolling the elongated strip material to reduce its thickness to final or near final dimension.
19. A method as claimed in any of Claims 11 to 13 wherein the step of mechanically working the ingot comprises the steps of: hot rolling the ingot to form elongated strip material; and then cold rolling the elongated strip material to reduce its thickness to final or near final dimension.
20. A method as claimed in Claim 18 or Claim 19 wherein the hot rolling step comprises heating the ingot or billet to about 1038-12320C.
PCT/US2009/062745 2008-10-31 2009-10-30 Ultra-high strength stainless alloy strip, a method of making same, and a method of using same for making a golf club head WO2010051440A1 (en)

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EP09745252.8A EP2350326B1 (en) 2008-10-31 2009-10-30 Ultra-high strength stainless alloy strip, a method of making same, and a method of using same for making a golf club head
ES09745252T ES2421431T3 (en) 2008-10-31 2009-10-30 Ultra-high strength stainless steel alloy strap, a method of manufacturing it and a method of using it to manufacture the head of a golf club
CN2009801433587A CN102203300B (en) 2008-10-31 2009-10-30 Ultra-high strength stainless alloy strip, a method of making same, and a method of using same for making a golf club head
JP2011534807A JP5464214B2 (en) 2008-10-31 2009-10-30 Ultra-high strength stainless steel alloy strip, method of manufacturing the same, and method of using the strip to manufacture a golf club head

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CN102203300B (en) 2013-08-07
US20130220491A1 (en) 2013-08-29
TWI417402B (en) 2013-12-01
EP2350326B1 (en) 2013-05-01
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EP2350326A1 (en) 2011-08-03
US20100108203A1 (en) 2010-05-06

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