HEAT TREATMENT
•
It is a continuous process of HEATING, HOLDING AT A PARTICULAR TEMPERATURE
FOR SPECIFIC TIME AND COOLING AT A PREDETERMINED RATE of metals to change their physical and mechanical properties,
without letting it change its shape. . The most common
application is metallurgical. Heat treatment could
be said to be a method for strengthening materials but could also be used to
alter some mechanical properties such as improving formability, machining, etc.
It is very important manufacturing processes that can not only help
manufacturing process but can also improve product, its performance, and its
characteristics in many ways.
•
Engineering properties are modified by heat treatment processes so that structural components
are able withstand specified operating conditions and have desired useful life.
i) By Alloying Elements
ii) By Heat Treatment
a same type of steel can exhibit different type of properties under different heat treatment conditions. Such type of flexibility helps us to decide various manufacturing processes and ultimate uses of steel.
DETAILS OF HEAT TREATMENT
1.
Heating -> Rate of
Heating
2.
Soaking -> Temp.
& time of Soaking
3.
Cooling -> Rate & Medium of cooling
- The
properties of steel can be influenced by different combinations of the above
parameters
- Different
composition and initial phases of material can also be influenced the
properties after Heat Treatment.
PURPOSE OF HEAT TREATMENT
(1)
Soften the metal prior to shaping or cutting / Machining.
(2)
Relieve the effects of strain hardening that occurs during cold forming.
(3)
Achieve the final strength and hardness required in the finished product
as one of the end manufacturing processes.
TYPE OF HEAT TREATMENT
·
Body heat treatment
·
Surface heat treatment
TYPE OF THERMAL TREATMENT
- Annealing.
- Normalizing
- Hardening & Tempering.
- Stress Relieving
- Surface Hardening.