{"id":5723,"date":"2020-02-13T14:36:17","date_gmt":"2020-02-13T11:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/?p=5723"},"modified":"2024-06-25T12:12:32","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T09:12:32","slug":"heat-treatment-methods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/heat-treatment-methods\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Heat Treatment? Methods & Benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Heat treatment is the process of heating and cooling metals, using specific predetermined methods to obtain desired properties<\/strong>. Both ferrous as well as non-ferrous metals<\/a> undergo heat treatment before putting them to use.<\/p>\n

Over time, a lot of different methods have been developed. Even today, metallurgists are constantly working to improve the outcomes and cost-efficiency of these processes.<\/p>\n

For that they develop new\u00a0schedules<\/em> or cycles<\/em> to produce a variety of grades. Each schedule refers to a different rate of heating, holding and cooling the metal.<\/p>\n

These methods, when followed meticulously, can produce metals of different standards with remarkably specific physical and chemical properties.<\/p>\n

The Benefits<\/h2>\n

There are various reasons for carrying out heat treatment. Some procedures make the metal soft, while others increase hardness<\/a>. They may also affect the electrical and heat conductivity of these materials.<\/p>\n

Some heat treatment methods relieve stresses induced in earlier cold working processes. Others develop desirable chemical properties to metals. Choosing the perfect method really comes down to the type of metal<\/a> and the required properties.<\/p>\n

In some cases, a metal part may go through several heat treatment procedures. For instance, some superalloys used in the aircraft manufacturing industry may undergo up to six different heat treating steps to optimise them for the application.<\/p>\n

Heat Treatment Process Steps<\/h2>\n

In simple terms, heat treatment is the process of heating the metal, holding it at that temperature, and then cooling it back. During the process, the metal part will undergo changes in its mechanical properties. This is because the high temperature alters the microstructure of the metal. And microstructure plays an important role in the mechanical properties of a material.<\/p>\n

The final outcome depends on many different factors. These include the time of heating, time of keeping the metal part at a certain temperature, rate of cooling, surrounding conditions, etc. The parameters depend on the heat treatment method, type of metal and part size.<\/p>\n

Over the course of this process, the metal’s properties will change. Among those properties are electrical resistance, magnetism, hardness, toughness, ductility, brittleness<\/a> and corrosion resistance.<\/p>\n

Heating<\/h3>\n
\"Metal
Jet engine parts going into a furnace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As we already discussed, the microstructure of alloys will change during heat treatment. Heating is carried out in line with a prescribed thermal profile.<\/p>\n

An alloy may exist in one of three different states when heated. It may either be a mechanical mixture, a solid solution, or a combination of both<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A mechanical mixture is analogous to a concrete mixture where cement binds sand and gravel together. Sand and gravel are still visible as separate particles. With metal alloys, the mechanical mixture is held together by the base metal.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, in a solid solution, all the components are mixed homogenously. This means that they cannot be identified individually even under a microscope.<\/p>\n

Every state brings along different qualities. It is possible to change the state through heating according to the phase diagram. The cooling, though, determines the final outcome. It is possible for the alloy to end up in one of the three states, depending solely on the method.<\/p>\n

\n
\n Scale Your Manufacturing from Prototyping to Series<\/span>\n\n