When you need a ductile, tough product for your industrial application, consider the normalizing heat treatment process. Explore the steps to create normalizing steel at our leading facility at Specialty Steel Treating to see how you can benefit from this process.

What Is Normalizing?

While there are many heat treatment services to increase toughness and ductility, the normalizing process is an efficient and effective solution for many applications. During the normalizing steel process the microstructure is homogenized in your chosen alloy.

The result is a complete removal of microscopic-level non-uniformities and segregation. It creates durable metal that’s ideal for forming and machining. Here are some of the industries that use normalized steel in hot-rolling and other manufacturing processes:

• Automotive
• Aerospace
• Energy
• Agriculture
• Heavy equipment

Work with a leading heat treatment specialist to learn more about normalizing steel for your industry. Because of the range of heat treatment processes available, you should carefully consider each one and work with a leader in the heat processing industry before selecting the optimal process for your machining, welding or hot rolling application.

There are many different materials that can be normalized. While the target attributes are similar regardless of the material chosen, the furnace temperature and cooling time can vary. Here are suitable materials we offer to consider as you explore normalizing for your industry:

• Tool, stainless or carbon steel
• Iron alloys
• Copper
• Brass
• Nickel alloys

This heat treatment can be combined with many manufacturing processes. Whether performed before or after the normalizing process, these metals can be hot-rolled, stamped or otherwise manufactured to create custom components for your industrial use. Use normalizing to remove banded grain structures after hot rolling or forging. 

The Process of Normalizing Steel

At Specialty Steel Treating, we offer normalizing steel services using our state-of-the-art equipment and highly trained technicians. We heat materials in a furnace between 750 and 980 degrees Celsius. This range accounts for the carbon content range in your chosen metal. The normalizing process occurs in three distinct stages: recovery, recrystallization and grain growth.

Recovery Stage

The high heat of the furnace is enough to reduce internal stress in the material, but not enough to melt the metal. Every component is heated at the precise stage above its recrystallization temperature, but under its melting point.

The high initial temperature of normalizing matches the similar process in annealing. This is part of what makes the two heat treatment processes so similar. The major difference between the two doesn’t appear until the cooling phase. At this stage, the temperature differences have to do with the material chosen, not the differences between annealing and normalizing.

Recrystallization Stage

Once your component exceeds the recrystallization temperature, it enters this stage. New grains are created without preexisting stresses. This is a critical stage in the process that helps prevent unexpected failure of components due to hidden internal stresses.

Grain Growth Stage

Finally, the cooling process is performed outside of a furnace. This is the critical distinction between normalizing and annealing, because the cooling phase isn’t strictly controlled and slowed in a furnace.

By immediately coming in contact with room-temperature air, the normalizing cooling process creates a higher cooling rate than the annealing process. This allows finer and more closely spaced lamellae and increased pearlite formation. The result is higher levels of hardness and strength, while slightly lower levels of ductility compared to annealing.

Normalizing steel creates a pearlitic structure that’s uniform, but the grain-boundary carbides or ferrite grains vary depending on the metal chosen and its natural carbon content. Choose this process if you need a refined grain structure and a machinable product for your manufacturing goals.

Annealing and normalizing are two heat treatment processes that Specialty Steel Treating can perform on steel products. Both processes offer unique advantages for your manufacturing process. Whether creating tooling, automotive parts or other industrial components, compare annealing and normalizing today to determine the best treatment process for your steel products.

Benefits of Normalizing Steel

Create a steel product that matches your manufacturing requirements through normalizing. Many industries benefit from the added performance characteristics of this specialized heat treatment. Review the benefits of this process when applied by an experienced heat treatment team:

• Increased ductility
• Improved toughness
• Faster cooling process

Create a more machinable, formable product through the normalization process. These benefits come from heating the material to a high temperature and then reducing it to room temperature during the cooling process. Throughout the recovery, recrystallization and grain growth stages, the material gains these properties in less time than the annealing process.

During the recovery phase, your chosen material is heated to a high temperature to reduce internal stresses. The next phase heats your product to the recrystallization temperature, which varies between materials. This allows for new grains without melting the material.

Finally, the grain growth stage is controlled through the room-temperature cooling process. The fully cooled component is now ready for additional processing, packaging or installation.

Review the metals that can be normalized as you explore your heat treatment options. The final characteristics of your products are dependent on the material used just as much as the heat treatment used, so work with your heat treatment provider to determine the optimal alloy and grade for your process. Here are the common materials that can be normalized:

• Aluminum
• Iron-based alloys
• Copper
• Nickel-based alloys
• Brass

Tool steel, stainless steel and tool steel are popular options. These materials gain the machinability necessary to create custom tooling or other industrial products. Normalizing reduces the brittleness of carbon steel and reduces the hardening that occurs during the forming process of ferritic stainless steel automotive stampings.

Differences Between Normalizing and Annealing

Both annealing and normalizing offer distinct benefits for various industrial uses. These two heat treatments use high temperatures to heat materials above their recrystallization point, then slowly cool them down. While some key steps change, the primary goal of both is typically to increase ductility through a microstructural change.

Annealing

Annealing uses a slower cooling rate than normalizing. This slow process creates higher levels of ductility, but lower levels of hardness. It’s also a more time-consuming heat treatment, which means it requires a larger investment due to the extended furnace time.

This treatment is a popular option if you’re looking for maximum levels of ductility, but it sacrifices some hardness and investment in the process. The initial temperature and overall process, however, are relatively similar between these two treatments.

Consider the furnace availability and ductility requirements before choosing this process. The cost-savings of normalizing alone often make it a more attractive option, but annealing may be necessary if you need greater levels of ducility than possible with a normalized product.

Normalizing

Normalizing is used to reduce residual stresses in materials and create a more formable product. It’s a cost-effective way to reduce the risk of unexpected failures. Instead of waiting for a controlled cooling rate, normalized products are immediately exposed to room-temperature air until fully cooled. This can be performed in a separate area outside a furnace, allowing for a faster and more convenient process.

Both treatment options offer advantages depending on your manufacturing goals. Discuss the pros and cons of normalizing and annealing with your team at Specialty Steel Treating to determine the optimal treatment to help you create industry-leading components.

Precipitation hardening stainless steels are metals that have martensitic or semi-austenitic properties and contain high percentages of chromium and nickel. These steels are used in various industrial applications because of their high strength, corrosion resistance and hardness. Precipitation hardening stainless steels get their high tensile strength from undergoing a series of heat treatments. This specialized heat treatment process includes the addition of Copper, Aluminum and Titanium to enhance the steel’s corrosion resistance. Here’s everything you need to know about precipitation hardening stainless steels:

Stainless Steel Classifications 

Precipitation hardening stainless steels are put into three groups based on their properties after the heat treatments. These alloy groups are martensitic, semi-austenitic and austenitic.

Austenitic Alloys: Austenitic stainless steels largely retain their structure after the heat treatment process. The alloy should undergo annealing, reheating and hardening treatments. The steel should be heated to no more than 2050 degrees Fahrenheit during the annealing procedure. Precipitation occurs during the reheating process, which increases the hardness and strength of the steel.

Martensitic Alloys: Martensitic stainless steels should be heated to no more than 1950 degrees Fahrenheit during the annealing heating process. During the cooling part of the process, this material undergoes a classification transformation from austenite to martensite.

Semi-Austenitic Alloys: Unlike other types of precipitation hardening steels, semi-austenitic steels are relatively low on the hardness scale and can be cold worked. Austenitic alloys maintain their original structure at room temperature but transform to martensite when exposed to extremely low temperatures.

Precipitation Hardening Stainless Steel Applications 

Because of the hardness and high tensile strength of this classification of stainless steels, many applications are in the high technology or aerospace engineering fields. These steels are used to manufacture the following components:

• Gears
• Valves
• Shafts
• Specialized engine components
• Turbine blades
• Molding dies

While these are the most routine functions, these steels can be used in any tool or component that requires a high degree of strength and hardness. 

Benefits of Precipitation Hardening Stainless Steel

One of the significant benefits of using precipitation hardening steels is that they can be treated to take on many favorable properties. These characteristics include:

Corrosion Resistance: Precipitation hardening steels have greater corrosion resistance than standard stainless steels, which is particularly beneficial when the steel is used in an outdoor or extreme weather application. The corrosion resistance of the steel can generally be enhanced during the heat treatment process.

Formability: Many grades of semi-austenitic stainless steel can be molded without any heat treatments. On the other hand, martensitic stainless steels are tough both before and after the heat treatment process and are therefore not easily formed.  

Weldability: Unlike other stainless steel alloys, precipitation hardening steels can be readily welded through standard fusion and resistance methods. Remember that special care should be taken during the heat treatment process to ensure that the optimum mechanical properties for weldability are achieved.

This is not a comprehensive list of the advantages of using precipitin stainless steels. Other benefits including affordability, malleability and tool longevity. 

Precipitation Hardening Stainless Steels Fabrications 

Special care should be taken during the stainless steel fabrication process to ensure no cross-contamination occurs. All fabrication should be done with tools specially made for stainless steel, and all devices should be sanitized before and after each use. If tools are not thoroughly cleaned, contamination that causes color discoloration of the fabricated mechanism can happen.

Founded in 1956, Specialty Steel Treating is a respected leader in the steel treatment industry. We provide heat treatment services for the aerospace, automotive, heavy equipment, commercial aircraft and heavy equipment industries. We offer several high-quality steel treatment services to our clients, including tempering, case hardening, oil quenching, precipitation hardening, and more.

Carburizing is a valuable treatment process that hardens metals. It is used because many low-carbon steels are not able to withstand the stresses and wear required in industrial and many other applications.

At Specialty Steel Treating, Inc., we offer a few carburizing methods including vacuum and gas carburizing. Understanding how these methods work and the different benefits and drawbacks of each will help you to make the right decisions for how you want your steel products to be treated.

Understanding the Methods of Carburizing

The general process for carburizing steel involves heating it with a nearby supply of carbon-rich material. This will cause the carbon content of the steel to increase.

Carburizing can be achieved with a solid carbon source (such as charcoal), a liquid source or a gaseous source (such as carbon monoxide). Although early versions of this process used charcoal, nearly all carburizing today is done with gas because it is significantly more uniform and easier to control.

The process can be achieved at atmospheric pressure. It can also be done at low pressure in a vacuum. The latter provides some useful characteristics, particularly related to control.

Currently, atmospheric gas carburizing is the most commonly used process by far. Although both atmospheric and vacuum carburizing can use gas, the term “gas carburizing” is typically used to refer to the atmospheric version. Despite the popularity of this option, vacuum carburizing has a lot of potential and may be the best choice in many circumstances.

Vacuum Carburizing

The process for vacuum carburizing is a modified version of gas carburizing that can be done at pressures significantly below atmospheric. Atmospheric pressure is around 760 Torr whereas vacuum carburizing is done at pressures as low as one Torr.

Advantages

The result of doing this is a cleaner and more consistent carburizing process. It also tends to be faster. Compared to atmospheric gas carburizing, there are several practical advantages:

• Easy Integration: The parts are significantly cleaner after being vacuum carburized. This makes it easy to integrate into the manufacturing process because of the superior results.
• Greater Automation Control: This process can be highly controlled because the vacuum pressure eliminates many variables. This can result in more accurate and specific treatments.
• Increased Temperatures: This process allows for higher temperatures. Some applications can benefit from higher heat.
• Consistent Results: The cleanliness of the process means that the results are very consistent.

Disadvantages

Of course, using vacuum pressures is not without drawbacks. These are some of the disadvantages:

• Greater Initial Investment: The equipment for vacuum carburizing is costly. Although this is not as much of a concern for Specialty Steel Treating customers, it is the reason for slow adoption.
• Cleanliness Is Essential: The equipment needs to be kept very clean to achieve optimal results. Also, the process can produce a lot of soot and tar that need to be removed.

Gas Carburizing

Gas carburizing shares a lot of process similarities with vacuum carburizing. However, it is done at atmospheric temperatures instead.

Advantages

This can be an excellent option in many cases. These are some of the advantages:

• Low Cost: The initial cost of much lower for this type of carburizing.
• Adequate Control: Using gases can give a lot of control, even at atmospheric pressure. So, in many cases, this process provides ample treatment control.
• Excellent Results: Compared to solid or liquid carburizing, the gas process delivers excellent results. Your steel products will be hardened very effectively.

Disadvantages

Compared to vacuum carburizing, there are some drawbacks. These are the most notable:

• Post-Processing Requirements: The reduced accuracy may require some post-processing and finishing. This can add cost in some cases.
• Reduced Control: Compared to vacuum carburizing, it is hard to get truly minute control over the process. So, it may be insufficient in some cases.

Steel is one of the most widely used materials in the world. From appliances to home construction to car parts, steel is everywhere. To manipulate this and other types of metal and make them appropriate for use, manufacturers heat metals. When deciding how to go about this, engineers and product developers must choose from the most common forms of heat treatment.

Different heat treatment options create varying changes in the physical properties and malleability of steel from the inside out. Access to certain options can, therefore, affect the design, product development and material choices.

Soaking

Soaking is one labor-intensive and time-consuming way to heat steal. It involves heating the metal to the desired temperature and then keeping the metal at that temperature, evenly, through the entire structure. The bigger or thicker the structure, the longer professionals must soak it to achieve the desired effect. This type of heat treatment is applicable to a wide variety of metal types.

Drawing or Tempering

When the steel cools, it hardens and becomes too brittle for manipulation in this state. Through tempering, which is one of the most common forms of heat treatment, professionals reheat the material to release some of the internal stressors that make it so brittle. These stressors were originally created by the rapid cooling process when the steel was initially heated and hardened. Unlike other treatment options, professionals allow it to cool in the open air.

Annealing

Like tempering, annealing can help to relieve some of the internal stresses caused by a rapid cooling process. Professionals reheat the metal to the desired temperature in an attempt to accomplish several tasks:

• Refine the metal’s grain structures
• Make the metal more ductile
• Soften the metal

When cooling after this process, the rate of cooling makes a big difference. One of the drawbacks of this addition to the most common forms of heat treatment is that workers do not usually allow the metal to cool in the open air. Instead, they may bury the hot portions of the metal to insulate it while it cools very slowly. Annealing may work for both ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

Normalizing

Some specialists prefer normalizing over annealing. One reason for this is that normalized metal, particularly steel, is usually stronger than annealed metal. This process usually follows high levels of manipulation to metal, which includes forging, welding and machining. Manufacturers generally normalize the parts of steel that they expect to suffer the most vigorous conditions in the real world.

Nitriding

This is another form of case-hardening that is commonly used to treat ferrous metals. When choosing nitriding, workers use nitrogen on the surface of the metal. This hardens the exterior. While very effective, it is only commonly used on low-alloy and high-carbon steels. Some treatment specialists may also apply this to aluminum, titanium and molybdenum.

When choosing from the most common forms of heat treatment for your production process, you may come to the realization that you prefer to outsource this process. Outsourcing heat treatment may save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in the capital you would otherwise need to invest in expanding your operations and re-training workers. It also allows you to capitalize on other professionals’ economies of scale.

There are a variety of steel heat treatment processes available for steel products. Annealing steel and tempering steel are two commonly used methods. Whether you’re creating a new product or looking for ways to increase the efficiency of your current manufacturing line, compare the differences of annealing vs tempering and discover which option is right for your company. Explore these two popular services and discover why Specialty Steel Treating is your premier heating service provider.

Comparing Heat Treatments

Heat treatment services are used to change the properties of steel and other metals. Here are the basic properties that can be altered depending on the treatment you choose:

• Hardness
• Strength
• Ductility
• Formability
• Malleability
• Machinability

Treatments use a range of heating temperatures, heat rates, cooling methods and cooling rates to produce dramatically altered results. Steel treatments require precise control of each variable for uncompromising quality.

Annealing and tempering are just two heat treatment services available from industry-leading service providers. At Specialty Steel Treating, we also offer case hardening, precipitation hardening, oil quenching and more.

While there are some significant differences between annealing and tempering, these services also have several overlapping features. Both increase conductivity, durability and purity of steel. However, annealing reduces hardness while tempering increases abrasion resistance. Once you settle on a single heat treatment service, there are different grades and applications within each broad category.

Benefits of Annealing

Annealing steel has decreased hardness and increased conductivity. Annealed steel uses expert control of a slow, steady cooling process to create these highly sought after features.

The process begins by heating steel to a specific temperature for an exact length of time. After the heating process is completed, the annealing process requires a gradual cool down. Even the cooling period must be monitored carefully to ensure the process is completed effectively.

Annealed steel is not only more ductile and soft, but it has many of the original impurities in the grain removed. Annealing is a competitive option for industrial machinery that requires pure, precise components with sufficient durability.

The annealing process is excellent for welded structures, wiring and sheet metal. If the metal isn’t properly cooled in a conditioned atmosphere, it can affect the quality of your annealed steel. Work with a quality service provider who can discuss the differences between annealing, normalizing, tempering and other heat treatment services.

Benefits of Tempering

Tempering uses the same three basic steps but creates unique features in your steel workpiece or industrial equipment component. Tempering creates tough, durable steel that is easy to weld, more ductile and resistant to abrasion.

A piece of tempered steel is typically heated to the lower critical temperature of the alloy. This is typically between 400 and 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit. Once heated, the workpiece is rapidly cooled. Just like annealing, tempering requires highly precise temperatures, timing and cooling features.

Properly tempered steel also reduces impurities in the steel. A more pure, durable steel component is necessary for welding. Without tempering steel before welding your welded steel could quickly distort, warp and become damaged.

Tempering results in steel that’s rated between 80 grade and 400 grade. Use tempered steel to create a cutting edge for saws and drills, a rugged storage tank, liners for dump trucks and trailers and even building construction. Work with our team at Specialty Steel Treating to identify the ideal grade of steel for your particular project.

Learn More About Quality Heat Treatments Today

Work with a team that’s committed to quality treatment services. We put performance, improvement and integrity at the heart of everything we do.

Request a quote today from Specialty Steel Treating to learn more about our annealing and tempering steel services. We work with a wide range of industries to provide industry-leading products, repair parts and new equipment.

Achieving the perfect metal properties often requires heat. There are many different ways that heat can alter the properties of metal. Some of those methods include case hardening, tempering steel, precipitation hardening, and vacuum heat treatment. However, does heating metal make it weaker? Here are some common ways that heat treating metals changes the basic properties and strength of metal.

Metal Transformations

Metals can be changed to acquire or improve certain traits that are important for different roles in different industries. If need structural elements for architecture, you’ll search for a material with very different qualities than electrical wiring. Here are three basic ways that metal is transformed with heat treatment:

• Structure: By displacing atoms, heat can form new metallic structure. Also known as allotropic phase transformation, this is an essential transformation that is used with iron and steel heat treatment.
• Magnetism: Perhaps the most common way that heat makes metal permanently weaker is with a magnetic charge. Heating nickel, iron and cobalt to temperatures ranging from 626 to 2,012 degrees Fahrenheit can cause these metals to completely lose their magnetism. Magnetism can be useful in some instances, but in others it can be unnecessary or inconvenient.
• Thermal Expansion: This transformation is not only used when crafting metal products but also can be a liability. Metal expands in volume, length and surface area as it heats up. This can continue to occur even as the metal is shaped and put to use, so everything from sewer pipes to bridge cables needs to account for thermal expansion.

These are the basic ways that heat can alter the characteristics of metal. However, when heated and cooled in specific ways at specific temperatures, heat can alter metal in far more unique and specialized ways. Learn how heat treatment can specifically alter metal to fit a variety of different needs such as malleability, hardness, softness, magnetism and more.

Heat to Alter Metal

The short answer to the question regarding making metal weak is yes, however, only for some metals. The process of annealing can soften a variety of metals. Brass, steel, iron copper and silver can all be made weaker by heating the metal to a set temperature and cooling it slowly. It’s not only used to create softer metal products but also more electrically conductive ones.

However, it would be incorrect to state that heat always makes metal weaker. Hardening is another process used by heat treating companies to actually create more durable metal components. This is used for steel and similar alloys and creates hard, yet brittle metal.

Another popular process where heat is used to alter metal is tempering. Tempering increased the ductility of hardened steel. It is used to keep the benefits of hard steel, with less of the brittle qualities.

Finally, normalizing alloys is another common way to treat metal using heat. It starts with heated metal that is air cooled. This simple act, if heated to an exact temperature range, can create a more pure, hard metal. It’s often used to create steel that is stronger than annealing the metal, but also creates a less ductile product.

So, heat can indeed make metal weaker. However, there are many processes where metal is strengthened by heat. The alloy, temperature range and cooling methods all need to be considered before determined whether metal will increase or decrease its hardness through heat treatment.

Discover the Best Heat Treatment Service Whether you’re searching for weaker, more malleable metal through heat treatment or stronger, more durable products, SST offers one of the most professional and exacting steel heat treatment services in the country. Discover why we’re the only approved company for heat treatment of specific flight safety configurations.

If you have any more questions about heat treatment and metal processing, or if you need any services from one of the best heat treating companies in Michigan, contact us today.

Case-hardened steel means creating a thin layer of a harder alloy on a metal surface by infusing elements onto it. The harder alloy on the outer surface is called the case, while the inner structure is called the core. Speciality Steel Treating offers several different methods of case hardening your steel.

Properties of Case-Hardened Steel

Case hardened steel properties include a core that is tough surrounded by a case that is hard. This gives the case hardened metal components extra durability as the core, or case depth, retains the ability to absorb shock while the hard outer case provides extra strength. Steel that is case hardened is equipped to resist the following:

• Abrasion
• Corrosion
• Wear

By contrast, a component that is not case hardened may develop cracks below the surface that cause pitting and flaking when they finally reach it.

Difference Between Case Hardening and Surface Hardening

Surface hardening involves keeping the core below its austenitizing temperature while heating the surface and then immediately quenching it (i.e., plunging it into a cold liquid) after that temperature is reached. This causes the core of the metal to remain soft while the surface hardens.

How To Case Harden Steel

Because case hardening involves adding an element to the metal, the different case hardening processes are named according to the element added. These elements include the following:

• Ammonia or other nitrogen-rich gas (nitriding)
• Nitrogen and carbon (cyaniding)
• Carbon (carburizing)

Case hardening steel involves infusing elements onto the heated metal surface and then quenching. The case hardening method used depends in part on the carbon content of the metal. 

Learn More About Case Hardening Steel

Large or small, simple or complex, case hardening has benefits for many steel components or tools. For more details, or to request an estimate, call Specialty Steel Treating at 586-293-5355.

It is easy to take things for granted. You wouldn’t think twice about sharpening your favorite chef’s knife because it is dull. Did you ever wonder what would happen if the bearings, gears and axles in your car were made the same way? If they were, your car would wear out in a few weeks. The biggest difference between the steel in knives and that in moving engine parts is in the way they are heat treated. Nobody is better at heat treating metals than Specialty Steel Treating, Inc. of Michigan and Connecticut.

Heat Treat Metals to Survive Hostile Environments

Imagine the harsh operating conditions of moving parts in cars, trucks, locomotives, heavy equipment and aircraft. There is heat, pressure, friction, exposure to corrosive materials and repetitive motion over many millions of cycles. With the assistance of lubrication, heat treating metal hardening is what makes the long working life of these moving parts possible.

Heat Treat Metals for Utility and Safety

Your favorite chef’s knife is a perfect example of how heat treating improves utility and safety. First, your knife needs to be flexible and yet hard enough to hold an edge. One thing it must not do is break. A knife that breaks under any circumstances is a danger to the user and anyone close by.

Heat Treat Metals To Make Them Last Longer

Custom tools and dies represent a significant investment to manufacturers. If they are too brittle, they can break. If they are too soft, they can wear or deform and make parts that no longer meet specifications. However, if they are processed in a metal heat treating furnace by skilled technicians, their resilience and useful life can be greatly improved.

Heat Treating Is Something Worth Considering

If you manufacture metal parts and wonder if they would benefit from heat treating, contact the experts at Specialty Steel Treating, Inc. by phone at (248) 478-5900. Tell them what you manufacture, and they will help you make it better.

Did you ever wonder how the skinny rail tracks do not get crushed under the weight, speed and impact of a train? It is because they are strengthened with heat treatment to withstand extreme pressure and wear. Steel heat treatment is an ancient method used by blacksmiths to mold metal. At SST, we have offered precision-controlled metal heat treating services for over 60 years. We provide a variety of processes in a myriad of industries for parts small and large that travel through earth, water and space.

How Do Our Metal Heat Treating Services Work?

Heat treating employs the extremes of hot and cool temperatures to alter the physical constitution of a metal and produce desirable levels of hardening or softening. The granular structure of the material is manipulated to shift its mechanical properties for achieving specific levels of toughness, malleability, ductility, strength and resistance to corrosion. Learn more about our methods through the following heat treatments:

1. Case hardening strengthens the surface of steel while maintaining a softer core. In this process, carbon is diffused into the material through various means, such as gas carburize, gas nitride, vacuum carburize and carbonitride. By utilizing an interplay of gases, air and vacuum, the surface of the metal is hardened and made corrosion resistant. The vacuum treatment protects the surface of metal by application of a pressure vacuum to austenitize metal after high heat. This cost-effective process allows for lower gas consumption and short carburizing and processing cycles.
2. Quenching heat treatment enhances the mechanical properties and durability of a metal. The steel is heated above its upper critical temperature limits and then quickly cooled with the help of elements like oil, water, gas or molten salt, which cool at different speeds and produce varying levels of hardness. The method of quenching heat treatment is chosen based on the type of steel, which then is aged, stress relieved or tempered for stability and internal stress reduction.
3. Tempering reduces the brittleness of steel, making it more suitable for applications. The steel is heated below the transformation temperature threshold for a certain amount of time, depending on the alloy and desired performance, and then cooled. Tempering enhances ductility and reduces hardness.
4. Cryogenic hardening treats the metal to extremely cool temperatures – around -300°F – using liquid nitrogen to fully eliminate austenite and reduce thermal stress. It also makes the material corrosion resistant.
5. Annealing heat treatment is used to make metals more pliable by heating them to a specific temperature followed by slow cooling, altering their microstructure. Annealing steel and other metals improves their electrical conductivity and makes them more malleable for cold working.

Why Should You Contact Us?

We offer metal heat treating services in various industries: automotive, aerospace, heavy equipment, firearms, industrial, rail, and tool and die. We are the only approved commercial company in the country for certain configurations for prime aerospace, and we bring this standard to all clients.

With our experience and breadth of services, we are well positioned to handle your heat treatment needs. Find out more and end your search for metal heat treating services. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.