Introduction to

Heat Treatments

What is Heat
Treatment ?
A combination of heating and
cooling operation, timed and
applied to a metal or alloy in
the solid state in a way that will
produce desired properties, and
improve the exist properties.

Purpose of Heat
Treatment

To relieve internal stresses.

To decrease extra hardness.
To improve the Ductility.
To obtain the homogeneous
microstructure.
To obtain the desired physical
properties

Types Of Heat
Treatment

Annealing
Normalizing
Hardening
Tempering
Stress Relieving
Carburizing
Nitriding

Annealing

Annealing
This process consists of heating the
steel to austenitising temperature (850
- 925 deg C) and cooling slowly to room
temperature to reduce hardness and
improve machinability.

Solution Annealing

Solution Annealing

Solution annealing consists of austenitising

stainless steel at 1040 - 1150 deg C and
cooling very fast by quenching in air (or)
water.

E.g. CF8, CF8M, CF3, CF3M, 4A, 5A

Normalizing

Normalizing

Normalizing consists of heating a

ferrous alloy 875 - 950 deg C
temperature followed by cooling in still
air to room temperature. Eg: WCB,
A105

Hardening

Hardening

It is the heat treatment in which material

is heated up to austenitizing temperature
and then quenched it rapidly in water or
oil, to give the Hardness.
The Hardening leads to increase in
Hardness & strength while ductility
decreases.
Hardening gives Martensitic structure.

Tempering

Tempering

It is the heat treatment where material is

heated below the critical temperature,
soak it for some time and then slowly
cool it to room temperature.
It increases the ductility and toughness.
It reduces hardness & strength somewhat
but relieves the residual stresses.

Stress
Relieving

Stress Relieving
Heating to a suitable temperature,
holding long enough to reduce residual
stresses, and then cooling slowly
enough to minimize the development
of new residual stresses.

Surface Heat Treatments

The chemistry of the material at surface

is changed in these processes.
They introduces the extra C , N to the
Surface. Giving high hardness values at
surface but tough & softer at the core.
The processes are

Carburizing
Nitriding
Cyaniding

Carburizing

Carburizing

Material is heated up to
austenitizing temperature in CO &
CO2 atmosphere
And then after sufficient soaking
time it is quenched in water or oil.

Effect of alloying
elements

Different alloying elements are added

into material to give desired properties.
Each element has its own significant
role in improving the alloy properties.
Main alloying elements are
Cr, Ni, Mo, Ti, V, W, Co, Al, Si, Mn.

Purpose of Alloying

Improve Hardenability
Improve strength at ordinary temperatures
Increase wear resistance
Improve corrosion resistance
Improve toughness without affecting the
strength & hardness.
To improve mechanical properties either at
higher or lower temperatures.

Aluminum

It hardens the material by solid

solutioning
It restricts grain growth.
Strong grafitizer.
Deoxidizes the alloy.

Chromium

It increases hardenability
It increases resistance to
corrosion and oxidation.
It gives strength at high
temperatures.
Gives abbrasive & wear
resistance.

Cobalt

Cobalt gives red hardness to the

alloy. That is the ability to retain
the hardness at elevated
temperatures.
Decreases hardenabily
Increases wear resistance.

Molybdenum

Increases corrosion resistance in

stainless steels.
Gives abrasion resistance.
Increases hardenability.
Lessen the tendency of temper
brittleness.
It provides hardness by age
hardening system.

Nickel

Increases the toughness of the

alloy at lower temperatures.
Increases the strength to the
alloy at lower temperatures.
Retains austenite at room
temperature even if the
chromium percentage is high.

Vanadium

Increases hardenability.
It promotes fine grain at elevated
temperature.
Resist tempering and causes
secondary hardening

Tungsten

It gives hard and wear resistance

particles to increase wear
resistance.
It promotes hardness at elevated
temperatures.
It increases hardenability.
It gives age hardening system to
the alloys.

Titanium

It forms hard carbides which

provides age hardening system
in alloys.
It prevents localized depletion of
chromium in stainless steels
during long heating.

Silicon

Used as a deoxidizer.
Improves electrical & magnetic
properties
Increases hardenability
Strengthened low alloy steels.
Hardens the alloy with loss in
plasticity
Improves the oxidation resistance.

Manganese

It reduces the brittleness

occurred by sulfur.
Increases the hardenability.
Hardens the material by
reducing the plasticity.

HT of various Grades
Normalizing

Material
Temperature
A105
900 - 920 deg C
A182 F11, F22 900 - 920 deg C
WCB
900 - 920 deg C

Stress Relieving
Material

Temperature

WCB, A105, LCB, LCC,WC6 600 - 640 deg

C
A515 Gr.70 & A516 Gr.70
600 - 640
deg C
A182 Gr F1, F11
600 - 640 deg C
A487 Gr. 4A, 4D
620 - 640 deg C
WC9, F22, 410, CA15
675 - 700 deg C
C5, C12
700 - 720 deg C

Furnaces

The Furnaces are classified in so

many ways. According to their use,
type, position, fuel used etc.
Type:
Bogie Hearth
Muffle Furnace
Pit type furnace
Seal Quench furnace.