Heat treatment of metal is an essential component of the manufacturing process. Most people are unfamiliar with the process, the reason for it, and the benefits it holds.
What Is Heat Treatment?
Metal heat treating is a thermal process. The process improves the material properties of metal in three different ways:
- Enhancing corrosion resistance
- Improving mechanical properties
- Reducing residual stresses
The metal heat treatment process is started by heating a specific can of alloy metal to a determined temperature. This temperature is usually below the critical point. The metal is held at this temperature for a specific time.
The timeframe will depend on the desired results and the specific type of metal that is being heat treated. Then, the metal is cooled down in a controlled manner. During this process, the microstructure of metals and alloys is changed and locked in.
Why Is Heat Treatment so Important?
Metal is heat treated to change the microstructure of the metal and improve its wear and tear during the manufacturing process. Heat treatment holds many benefits and can be done at any stage of the manufacturing process.
For example, heat treatment may either harden the metal or soften it. The metal can be hardened on the surface only or all the way through. Hardening the metal will make it stronger, tougher, and more durable. In addition, hardening makes the metal more resistant to wear and tear.
In addition, heat treatment may reduce hydrogen levels, restore the mechanical properties of the metal, or even reduce the stress on the metal after it has undergone a welding procedure.
There are different kinds of heat treatment processes. Each process is used to achieve a specific result. However, the primary focus of heat treating metal is to comply with industry standards, first and foremost, and to meet customer specification requirements.
There are various types of heat treatments, including:
- Tempering
- Normalization
- Annealing
- Hardening
- Case hardening
Metal heat treatment processes are crucial to the industry as many industries that benefit from fabrication rely on different kinds of metals performing under specific conditions. This would not be possible if the metal isn’t heat treated.
A simple "metal shop near me" search should yield several results. However, if you are serious about the quality of your workmanship, there are various factors to consider before selecting a metal shop for your metal heat treatment services.
It’s important to select a shop with many years of experience in various metal heat treatment processes. This will ensure that you obtain your services from professionals in the industry who are skillful, knowledgeable, and have the experience to perform the job properly. In addition, it’s essential to ensure that the shop conforms to all industry standards during the heat treatment process.
Since 1980, J.F. Heat Treating Inc has been your local professional metallurgy and heat treatment company. We provide all types of heat-treating services to soften, harden, relieve stress, or remove contaminants from your metal parts and components.