HEAT TREATMENT

Sketch thermal equilibrium diagrams and explain. (a) Annealing (b) Stress relieving (c) Normalizing (d) Hardening In the process o heat treatment ! heating " ollo# b$ slo# cooling method could produce equilibrium condition . %hese methods are annealing and normalizing. In the process o heat treatment ! heating " ollo# b$ rapid cooling method could produce non&equilibrium condition . %hese methods are hardening and tempering. 'A( )* +,, .,, /,, 1,, 0o#er critical temperature -pper critical temperature

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Annealing Steel is heated up slightl$ above critical range ! holding temperature and allo# to cool slo#l$ ! either in the urnace or insulated space . %his process is called annealing. %he purpose o this process are - %o reduce hardness - %o improve machineabilit$ - %o acilitate cold #orking - %o obtain desired mechanical properties - %o remove internal stresses - %o so ten the steel - %o alter ductilit$ and so tness. A ter annealing !the steel is in so test and most ductile state ! suitable all kind o #ork ! either cold or hot. Normalizing %he steel is heated about 6. 7 11 8* above the critical temperature range and cooled do#n reel$ in still air ! room temperature. It is called normalizing. It is cheaper and quicker than annealing process. It produce stronger and harder than annealed steel. It is suitable process or large sections and structures rom casting and orging . %his process improves mechanical properties. 9ut normalized steel is not suitable or cold #orks. Stress relieving Stress relieving is also called sub&critical annealing. I a piece o steel has internal stresses due to cold #ork or due to the strains o #elding or other local heating! it could be relieved stresses b$ heating up to 1:,)* ! to lo#er the elastic limit o steel . It is lo# enough or the stresses to pull the so tened metal into the shape! #hich release them.

*ho ;$int <irst =ngineer ;.<.S.0

HEAT TREATMENT
Hardening Steel is heated up to its upper critical point about .:, 7 +:, 8* ! or 6, 7 :, 8* above critical temperature . %hen rapidl$ cooled b$ quenching in oil or #ater . >uring quenching! the #ork piece should be moving in a liquid quenching medium to shake o an$ gas ilm #hich ma$ orm and tend to envelop the #ork piece. I this gas ilm is not completel$ and rapidl$ removed ! so t spots ma$ result in the #ork piece. Hardening produce hardest condition o steel and increase tensile strength. It can be obtained H.? 2,,, to 1,,, . A gain in hardness is accompanied b$ a loss o ductilit$ and having internal stresses ! steel become brittle. In order to relieve the stresses and restore the ductilit$ #ithout loss o toughness and hardness ! the material must be tempered. Tempering %his process heats the material #ithin a temperature range o 2,, 7 /,, 8* . ollo#ing b$ quenching . %he higher the tempering temperature ! the lo#er the tensile properties o material. %empering process is carried out a ter the hardening process! to relieve internal stresses and stabilize the structure o the metal. It convert the hard and brittle steel to applicable metal condition.

*ho ;$int <irst =ngineer ;.<.S.0