Production processes of hot forging most often look similar [1-3]. Forging in several operations, usually in three or four. Most often the first operation is upsetting or flattening (sometimes rolling). The last operation is finishing forging. This applies to the production of steel forgings for the automotive, agricultural and other similar industries. Typical production proceeds as follows: the forgings are cleaned (shot-blasted) and then heat treatment is performed. It can be normalization, hardening and tempering, etc. After the heat treatment, forgings are checked and subjected to strength and microscopic tests, hardness tests, impact tests. The type of tests depends on the recipient. The process described in the work takes place in three operations. The heat treatment used so far is hardening and tempering. An attempt was made to change the heat treatment technology for a selected product made of 42CrMo4 steel (1.7225) (4140). An isothermal annealing test was carried out at different temperatures and for different times. The possibility of using heat from the forging process in heat treatment processes for the described product has been confirmed.

Increasing the operating temperature and pressure of an automotive engine and reducing its weight can improve fuel efficiency and lower carbon dioxide emissions. These can be achieved by changing the engine piston material from conventional aluminum alloy to high-strength heat- resistant steel. American Iron and Steel Institute 4140 modified steels (AISI 4140 Mod.s), which have improved strength, oxidation resistance, and wear resistance at high temperature were developed by adjusting the AISI 4140 alloy compositions and optimizing the heat treatment process for automotive engine applications. In this study, the effects of modifying alloy compositions on the microstructure, mechanical properties (both at room and high temperatures), and oxidation of AISI 4140 Mod.s were investigated. Effective grain refinement occurred due to the influence of high-temperature stable carbide forming elements such as Mo, and V. The bainite structure changed to martensite structure under the influence Cr and Ni. As the Cr and W contents increased, the oxidation resistance was improved, and the oxide layer thickness decreased after 10 hours exposure at 500°C. The AISI 4140 Mod. exhibited a 35% improvement in room temperature strength, 70% improvement in high-temperature strength, and 40% improvement in high-temperature oxidation resistance compared to conventional AISI 4140.