Metal heat treatments are designed to alter the properties of a metal without changing its shape. Heat treatment in Gastonia, NC is a process that can be applied to a variety of materials and is used for many different reasons. Treating metal with heat can change its physical and chemical properties to alter factors like the strength of the metal, how brittle it is and its softness or hardness. Depending on the industry and the application that a metal component will be used for, different heat treatments might be employed. One of these, the aging process, can be used for strengthening alloys and giving them important properties for industrial applications.
The aging process and its benefits
The heat treatment aging process involves elevating the temperature of an alloy to change its properties. The process accelerates changes in an alloy’s properties through a series of heat treatments. When the aging process occurs at room temperature, the chemical properties of newly cast and forged metals will transform and settle very slowly. Artificial heat aging involves much higher temperatures and accelerates the process of changing and settling. This process of aging ensures a high degree of quality and a level of accuracy that can meet the standards of very precise specifications. Benefits include:
- Strengthening: The aging process can greatly increase the strength of a metal component. This allows your component to be used for a variety of applications that require durability and strength. Industries that require a high level of performance from their metal components, including manufacturing, repair, aircraft manufacturers and fabricators, can benefit from using the aging process for their metals.
- Stability: Before a metal is treated, it can be unstable, which may lead to an increased risk of breaking, damage or weakness. Aging increases the stability of a metal component. It restores the equilibrium of the metal and eliminates any unstable conditions.
- Increased properties: In addition to the strength and stability that the aging process offers, it can also add valuable properties to the item that is being treated. Aging can give a piece of metal high coercivity, which is an important property that can be very beneficial.
- Speed: Aging heat treatment in Gastonia, NC is a relatively rapid process, which means that you can have your component treated in a short period of time. Artificial aging transforms metals and changes their components in a manner that is similar to what would happen during the natural aging process, but it can be done in a much shorter amount of time.
If you need assistance with aging or any other services related to heat treatment in Gastonia, NC, contact J. F. Heat Treating Inc. We have been offering our expertise in metal heat treatments to our customers in the area for decades. Our extensive experience in the industry has given us the knowledge necessary to advise you on the best course of action and assist you with professional services to get you the best possible result. Give us a call for more information about all of the services that we offer and how we can help improve the performance of your products.