Hot-rolled steel wire and rod for machine structural use and a method for producing the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a hot rolled steel wire rod or bar for machine structural use having, in the as-hot-rolled condition, cold workability equal to that of the conventional wire rods or bars softened through annealing after hot rolling, and a method to produce the same: and relates to a hot rolled steel wire rod or bar for machine structural use, characterized in that; the wire rod or bar is made from a steel consisting of, in weight, 0.1 to 0.5% of C, 0.01 to 0.5% of Si, 0.3 to 1.5% of Mn, and the balance comprising Fe and unavoidable impurities and containing strengthening elements as required; its microstructure consists of ferrite and pearlite; its ferrite crystal grain size number defined under Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) G 0552 is 11 or higher; and a granular carbide 2 &mgr;m or less in circle-equivalent diameter and having an aspect ratio of 3 or less accounts for a percentage area of 3 to 15%.