Processes

Heat Treating Services

Interested in learning more about General Metal’s high-quality heat treating services? We pride ourselves in our ability to consistently meet the needs of our customers with accuracy and effectiveness, while providing clear and safe working conditions. If you need heat treating services done efficiently and with custom tailored processes, trust your work to General Metal Heat Treating.

 

AGING

This is also called Precipitation Hardening. Aging increases the hardness of the material by heating it at a relatively low-temperature. It is kept at this low temperature for hours in order to allow the precipitation to take place.

 

ANNEALING

This process involves heating the material to above the critical temperature range, holding this temperature, and then slow cooling. This allows the material to be softer and easier to machine, and removes any internal stresses that may have been created during the forming process. This will typically leave the steel softer than if it underwent the normalizing process.

 

AUSTEMPER

Austemper is a hardening treatment, which consists of quenching in a molten salt bath maintained at an elevated temperature and holding. The benefits include improved ductility and a reduction in distortion.

 

CARBONITRIDING

Carbo-Nitriding is a combination of carburizing and nitriding. This process is typically utilized when more shallow case depths are required.

 

CARBURIZING

In use of the carbon method, carbon atoms are added to the outer surface of the steel. The increase in carbon changes the chemistry of the steel at the surface while the interior chemistry is unchanged and therefore remains relatively soft.

 

MARQUENCHING

Marquenching is a type of quenching in which the steel is quenched rapidly until the hardening temperature is uniform, then cooled in air to room temperature. The advantages include reduction in distortion and a reduced risk for cracking.

 

NORMALIZING

This process involves heating the material to above the critical temperature range, holding this temperature, and then slow cooling at room temperature. This allows the material to be softer and easier to machine, and removes any internal stresses that may have been created during the forming process. Another benefit to normalizing is that it can leave the material stronger and harder than if it underwent a full annealing process.

 

STRESS RELIEVING

This process involves heating the steel and holding this temperature long enough to reduce any internal stresses. The material is then slowly cooled to prevent the development of any new stresses.

TEMPERING

This process is also referred to as drawing and is appliedafter hardening the steel. The material is reheated to a relatively low temperature and then slowly cooled in order to relieve stresses and increase ductility.

 

Additional Heat Treating Services

 

BLASTING

We are able to offer blasting services in-house including sand blast and vacuum blast.

 

DEEP FREEZE (CRYOGENIC)

The deep freeze is another process that can improve hardness and wear and achieve the proper microstructure. Through the use of a liquid nitrogen system, sub-zero temperatures as low as -120°F are accurately controlled to completely transform austenite into martensite.

 

METALLURIGICAL TESTING

We are able to provide Brinell Hardness, Rockwell Hardness, Case Depth, and Micro Structure testing and evaluation in our in-house lab and inspection facilities.

 

SALT BATHS

Our salt baths allow us to handle precision machined tool steel parts which are finished to size before heat treating but required hardening to as high as 65Rc with minimum distortion and change. Because salt baths heat by conduction rather than radiation, heat is applied more evenly and quickly.

 

VACUUM HEAT TREATING

Vacuum processing protects the steel from oxidation and provides low distortion.

 

 

Ready to get started? Give us a call at 216-391-0886 or request a quote today to receive more information.

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