The Jominy end-quench test (ISO 642 / ASTM A255) measures steel hardenability — the ability to harden throughout a section when quenched. A standard bar is austenitised, end-quenched with water, and Vickers or Rockwell hardness is measured at 1.5mm intervals from the quenched end. This calculator predicts Jominy hardness at each position from steel composition using the Grossmann hardenability method and converts Jominy position to equivalent cooling rate and section diameter.
Jominy Hardenability and Section Size Calculator
Method: Grossmann D_I approach with multiplying factors for each element.
D_I (mm) = D_I_C × f_Mn × f_Si × f_Cr × f_Mo × f_Ni × f_V × f_gs
Jominy hardness profile estimated from D_I using SAE J406 correlation.
Maximum as-quenched hardness = 20 + 60×%C (Koistinen-Marburger approximation)
Jominy Position to Cooling Rate and Section Size Reference
| Jominy distance J (mm) | Cooling rate at 700°C (°C/s) | Approx. bar surface — oil quench | Approx. bar centre — water quench |
|---|---|---|---|
| J 1.5 (1.5mm) | 315 | Surface of any size (water or oil) | Surface of 6mm bar (water) |
| J 5 (5mm) | 56 | Surface of 25mm bar — oil | Centre of 12mm bar — oil |
| J 10 (10mm) | 14 | Surface of 50mm bar — oil | Centre of 25mm bar — oil |
| J 15 (15mm) | 5.6 | Surface of 75mm bar — oil | Centre of 50mm bar — oil |
| J 25 (25mm) | 2.2 | Surface of 125mm bar — oil | Centre of 100mm bar — oil |
| J 40 (40mm) | 0.7 | Core of 150mm bar — oil | Core of 250mm bar — water |
Common Steel Hardenability Grades
| Steel Grade | D_I (mm) typical | J10 Hardness (HRC) | Max through-hardened bar (oil) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1040 (0.40C, 0.75Mn) | ~25 mm | ~38 | ~25 mm |
| 4140 (Cr-Mo alloy) | ~75–100 mm | ~50 | ~75 mm |
| 4340 (Ni-Cr-Mo alloy) | ~150–200 mm | ~55 | ~150 mm |
| 8620 (Ni-Cr-Mo, low C) | ~60–80 mm | ~35 | Deep hardenability; case hardening grade |
| H13 (5Cr-1.5Mo-1V hot work) | >200 mm | ~52 | Air-hardening — very deep hardenability |
References
- ISO 642:1999 Steel — Hardenability test by end quenching (Jominy test).
- ASTM A255-20 Standard Test Methods for Determining Hardenability of Steel.
- Grossmann, M.A., Elements of Hardenability. ASM International, 1952.
📚 RELATED ARTICLES & TOOLS
🛒 RECOMMENDED BOOKS & TOOLS
As an Amazon Associate, MetallurgyZone earns from qualifying purchases. This helps us keep the content free.
🔧Mitutoyo 500-196-30 Absolute Digimatic Caliper 0-6 inchView on Amazon ↗🔧Portable Leeb Rebound Hardness Tester – Field UseView on Amazon ↗🔧Digital Infrared Thermometer – Industrial Non-Contact Temperature MeasurementView on Amazon ↗🔧Bridge Cam Weld Gauge – AWS/EN Weld InspectionView on Amazon ↗