What do you mean by carburizing? Carburizing is the process of introducing carbon to the surface of low-carbon steel. The purpose of carburizing is to increase the hardness and wear resistance of the steel. Over the years, many methods have been developed to carburize steel. The most common method today is gas carburizing. There are many different gas carburizing processes, but they all work by introducing carbon to the surface of the steel in a controlled atmosphere.
What Is Through Hardening?
Through hardening is the process of hardening the entire body of a piece of steel to increase the hardness and wear resistance of the steel. Through hardening is typically done using one of two methods: quenching and tempering or martensitic transformation.
Quenching and tempering work by heating the steel to a high temperature and then cooling it rapidly. This process creates a hard outer layer and a tough inner core. Martensitic transformation works by heating the steel to a high temperature and then cooling it slowly. This process creates a tough outer layer with a ductile inner core.
What’s the Difference Between Case Hardening and Hardening?
Case hardening is the process of hardening the surface of a piece of steel. The purpose of case hardening is to increase the hardness and wear resistance of the surface. Hardening is setting the entire body of a work of steel. The purpose of hardening is to increase the hardness and wear resistance of the steel.
Industrialists must first decide what they want to achieve before choosing the best process for their needs. It will be easier to increase the hardness of the surface with case hardening, but if they need to increase the hardness of the entire body, they will have to use hardening.
What Are the Through Hardening Applications?
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Hand Tools
In most cases, hand tools such as hammers, chisels, and screwdrivers are made from low-carbon steel. This steel is not hard enough to withstand repeated blows or the twisting force of a screwdriver, so it must be through hardened. This process ensures that the entire body of the tool is hard enough to withstand years of use.
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Cutting Tools
Cutting tools such as saw blades and lathe cutting tools are also made from low-carbon steel. However, these cutting tools must be extremely hard to cut through metal. For this reason, they are also through hardened. You need to be very careful when cutting tools because they can cause serious injury if they break.
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Automotive Components
Many automotive components are made from through-hardened steel. This includes engine blocks, drive shafts, and suspension components. Through-hardened steel is used in these applications because it is strong enough to withstand the high forces generated by a car. That is why most of these parts are made from through-hardened steel.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different applications for through hardening. This process creates hand tools, cutting tools, and automotive components. Hardening is also used to increase low-carbon steel’s hardness and wear resistance. If you need to increase the hardness of a piece of steel, through hardening is the best way to do it. Contact J.F. Heat Treating Inc. for all of your heat-treating needs to learn more about our services.