Metals already boast tons of properties that make them beneficial for manufacturers. Some of their properties include excellent ductility, good conductivity of heat and electricity, and high tensile strength. They are likewise hard, lustrous, and resistant to elements.
But to further improve the strength, malleability, ductility, and abrasion resistance of metals, they can undergo a wide array of heat treatment processes. Heat treatment is conducted by heating the metal workpieces before reaching their molten phase. They are then cooled in a controlled way, making sure that they acquire the needed mechanical properties.
Two heat treatment processes that metal workpieces can undergo are flame hardening and induction hardening. Understanding their differences can help business owners like you know the best heat treatment process for your metal workpieces.
Flame Hardening
Flame hardening is a surface hardening method wherein metal workpieces are exposed to a high-temperature flame before quenching them. Some metal workpieces that can undergo this surface hardening method are alloy steels, mild steels, cast iron, and medium carbon steels.
When carrying out flame hardening, the operator must utilise direct heat from oxy-gas flames to heat the metals until they reach their austenitizing temperature. Once this temperature has been reached, the surface of the materials will change while their core remains unchanged. The process of quenching must then be carried out upon reaching their austenitizing temperature, providing them with a harder surface that is more resistant to corrosion and wear.
Remember, however, that the result of flame hardening will be determined by the flame temperature, heating duration and speed, quenching temperature, and elemental composition of the metal workpieces.
Induction Hardening
Induction hardening, on the other hand, is a surface hardening method that places metal workpieces inside a copper coil to heat them within or above their transformation temperature. The coil is utilised to generate an alternating current, inducing an alternating magnetic field to the workpieces to effectively heat their surfaces. After heating their surfaces, they are quenched to attain the needed alterations.
Some metal workpieces that can undergo induction hardening are carbon steels, alloy steels, stainless steels, cast iron, and ductile iron. Somehow similar to flame hardening, induction hardening can also enhance the surface of workpieces by increasing their wear resistance, surface hardness, and fatigue life. It does not likewise affect their core microstructure.
The output of induction hardening may depend on power level, dwell time, and other process variables. It can also be affected by the elemental composition of the metal workpieces.
Primary Differences
One key difference between flame hardening and induction hardening is that the latter does not operate in an open flame. Induction hardening only heats materials through a coil, making it more precise. It does not likewise generate scaling, decarburisation, and overheating damage. Flame hardening, however, can still be utilised in processing irregular workpieces. It also has lower equipment and maintenance costs than induction hardening.
To know more about these heat treatment processes, you can call us at Alpha Detroit Heat Treatment.
Manufacturers of metal parts and components often turn to heat treatment due to the advantages its processes could bring to their overall operations.
Heat treatment, for one, can alter the physical properties of materials, matching the specifications needed for subsequent manufacturing activities. It can likewise relieve any stresses on the materials, making them easier to weld or machine. Heat treatment processes can also enhance the strength, electrical, and magnetic properties of materials. Ultimately, they can improve the brittleness of the workpieces, making them more workable in the long run.
Normally, manufacturers that conduct heat treatment processes can generate high-quality parts and components. There are times, however, when their heat-treated metal components fail remarkably. Here are some of the most common causes of failure in these products.
1. Design Deficiencies
Failure in heat-treated metal components can be possible if design flaws are present during their processing. Various situations and factors during the heat treatment processes can lead to design flaws and deficiencies. For instance, failures may be present if a component design has been utilised for a new application. Failures might likewise occur due to unanticipated service conditions and significantly high stresses among the workpieces. Design flaws can also be present if the manufacturer fails to come up with sufficient design criteria, possesses limited knowledge of a component’s stress state, and carries out heat treatment processes despite inadequate stress calculations.
2. Material Defects
Another potential cause of failure in heat-treated metal components lies in their materials themselves. Numerous components may have been crafted out of wrong or incompatible materials as the manufacturer proceeded with their heat treatment processes without gathering adequate material data. They may have likewise estimated the effects of heat treatment processes instead of acquiring adequate fatigue data, elevated-temperature tensile data, and creep or corrosion data. Other heat-treated metal components, alternatively, may have failed due to material imperfections. Some types of imperfections that may have been overlooked are cold shuts, shrinkage, voids, laps, and seams.
3. Processing Mistakes
Heat-treated metal components may have likewise failed due to processing and manufacturing mistakes. As mentioned earlier, heat treatment processes intend to relieve any stresses found in the materials. If the materials still attained significant residual stresses, they may have been subjected to wrong procedures and ambiguous processes. They may have also undergone improperly specified procedures. Even the improper sequencing of the processes can lead to the failure of heat-treated metal components. Without considering the specifications of the heat treatment processes that will be conducted, metal components may certainly fail once they have been processed.
These common causes of failure can be mitigated if a company has reputable experts in various heat treatment methods. Numerous factors and specifications must likewise be considered by the company first before proceeding with heat treatment. To attain quality heat-treated metal components for your application, you can contact us at Alpha Detroit Heat Treatment.
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