Abstract: Rotary bending fatigue tests were carried out with two kinds of materials, S43C and S50C, using the front engine and front drive shaft (FF shaft) of vehicle. The specimens were induction hardened about 1.0mm depth from the specimen surface, and the hardness value on the surface was about HRC56-60. The tested environment temperatures were -30, 25 and 80℃ in order to look over effect of the induction hardening and the environmental temperatures on the fatigue characteristics. The fatigue limit of induction hardened specimens increased more about 45% than non-hardened specimens showing that the endurances of S43C and S50C were 98.1 and 107.9MPa in non-hardened samples, 147.1 and 156.9MPa in hardened samples respectably. The maximum tensile and compressive stress on the small circular defect was about +250 and -450MPa respectively when circular defect is situated on top and bottom. The fatigue life increased 80, 25 and -30℃ in order regardless of hardening. In comparison of the fatigue lives on the basis of tested result at 25℃, the fatigue lives of non-hardened specimens decreased about 35%, but that of hardened specimens decreased about only 5% at 80℃ more than at 25℃. And fatigue life of non-hardened and hardened specimens were about 110% and 120% higher at -30℃ than that of 25℃. Based on the result of stress distribution near the defect, the tensile and compressive stress repeatedly generated by load direction were the largest on the small circular defect due to the stress concentration.

Key words: induction hardening, fatigue test, front engine and front drive shaft