subject: Heat Treatment Procedures - An Overview [print this page] Heat treatment is a process, which is applied to the commonly found metals and its alloys. There are different ways by which this treatment can be carried out. The experts specialize in different processes, which are used to carry out this step. Metals are growing in importance in our everyday lives, with the progress in technology. The usage of metals has increased manifold in almost every single industry. Heat treatment necessary entails the shaping of metals mechanically without losing out on any of the strengths and characteristics of that metal. This is a process where a metal is heated in order to form finished products out of it, which are in turn used for a variety of purposes. The manufacturers of the various metal products, specially the manufacturers of steel and iron alloys, use the heat treatment process. This treatment can be carried out in various ways, which have been discussed in detail below.
Induction heat treatment is one process where induction is involved to heat a metal till it is totally molten. Once the metal reaches its molten state, a magnetic kind of a field is used in order to stir the molten metal in order to make sure that the molten metal has mixed well. Producing localized surface hardening of a specific area, which needs water resistance, hardens the metal. While doing this, it is to be kept in mind that the toughness, which is associated with the original structure, should definitely be retained by any means. The various patterns can be controlled by different ways, such as power density, induction frequency, and interaction time.
Annealing is another process of heat treatment. This process involves holding the piece of metal at a temperature, which suits the metal, and then cooling it in order to remove stresses. This entire process of treatment improves the softness as well as the machining of the metal and a structure, which you desire that the metal obtain, can be reached without much hassles. While the metal gets cooled down in a furnace, the carbide is taken into the solution form. After all these steps have been completed, the metal in question is hammered so that it retains it ductile nature. Depending on the specified range of the metal, which is in question, the temperature of annealing is also bound to differ.
Ageing is another treatment, which is followed by many. In such a process, those metals, which are showing traits of gradual structural changes due to atmospheric temperatures, are taken up. Artificial ageing is an offshoot of this process, where ageing takes place rapidly if the metal has been set at a very high temperature. This kind of treatment for metals help in the process of increasing proof stress, maximum stress levels, and hardness values of the metal. Another name for this process is precipitation hardening.
Tempering is another process, which is followed to treat metals. Using tempering heat treatment, metals are toughened. This process is also used for glass as well as alloys. This process helps to transform brittle maternsite to tempered martensite. With so many processes, tempering of metals had never gotten this easier!
by: James
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