This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of the melting rate on the carbide cell size in an electroslag remelted M2 type high speed steel ingot. In a copper mold of 85mm diameter, the rate was increased step by step from 460 to 1 690g/min.
High melting rates resulted in non-directional structures with the carbide cells of very different sizes. Uniform carbide cells were observed in regions for the low rates. At the ingot surface, the higher melting rate resulted in the finer carbide cells. On the other hand, at the mid-radius and center of the ingot, the higher rate resulted in the larger carbide cells.