Many people assume that the rise of new technologies has led to or will lead to a dwindling importance of metallurgy or heat treatment processes. This is simply not true. While these processes are certainly ancient, that does not at all mean they are outdated or unnecessary. In fact, many industries make use of heat treatment on a regular basis. Rather than being replaced by new technologies, the advancement of such technologies has led to improvement in heat treatment as well.
With this in mind, here are just a few reasons why heat treatment in Gastonia, NC will never go out of style.
It is still a major industry
Some experts estimate the value of the heat treating industry at about $15 billion per year. This is a massive industry that is not going away any time soon.
Why is this? Because no metal is ever manufactured to certain specifications the first time—it must be changed and treated to fulfill the purpose of its end application. This is especially true for steel, which comprises about 80 percent of all heat treatments. Steel is a vital global industry, and the metal is machined, welded, rolled, stamped and more to fit its ultimate purpose. These processes would not be possible without heat treating, meaning most metal would actually be unusable.
In a world that relies so heavily on steel, heat treating is not just in high demand—it’s absolutely necessary. This makes it indispensable from an industrial perspective.
Modern applications require heat treatment
Heat treatment has been a major part of human industry since ancient times. Today, heat-treated parts and components are used in cars, aircraft, computers, rocketry, cell phones and much more.
But even other items that have been used for thousands of years still require heat treatment. Knives, saws, scissors and axes are all examples of items that depend on heat treating to get the proper edge.
Heat treating is constantly evolving
New industries are constantly popping up and existing ones are always evolving, meaning heat treating is always used in new ways and in new applications. The main processes used in heat treating have not changed much—you heat the material to a certain temperature, hold it at that temperature and then cool the metal at a proper rate for its application. However, the details have changed quite a bit over the years. For example, there are now furnace control systems that allow for much more fine-tuned heating and cooling processes. Automatic temperature control is another big advancement that has had a significant effect on accuracy and efficiency with heat treating processes.
This evolution happens in part because heat treating is the subject of a significant amount of study, even after being around for thousands of years. ASM International is a worldwide membership organization for metallurgists and frequently publishes research and development studies related to the process.
For more reasons why heat treating in Gastonia, NC will never be outdated, contact the experts at J. F. Heat Treating Inc. today.