Stress Relieving of Heat-Treated Materials: An Overview and Its Best Applications
10 July 2023Stress relieving is a heat treatment process that can improve the properties and performance of materials, including metals and plastics. This specific process involves heating a material to a specific temperature and holding it for a period to allow stress relaxation.
One of the benefits of stress relieving is it can improve the dimensional stability of a material. It can also provide a material with resistance to fatigue failure. The process can even improve the performance of the material. Some industries that can take advantage of stress relieving are aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, medical, and tool and die industries.
Many heat-treated, welded, and other types of materials can undergo stress relieving. Here are some of the common applications of stress relieving.
Weldments and Fabrications
Weldments and fabrications can boast residual stresses due to the welding process. These stresses can cause cracking, distortion, and reduced strength. Stress relieving, fortunately, can relieve these stresses and improve the integrity of the weld, making them less susceptible to failure. The process can also enhance the dimensional stability and resistance to fatigue failure of the weldments and fabrications without any issues.
Roughed Out Dies
Roughed out dies are often made from tool steel and can have residual stresses due to the rough machining process. The process of stress relieving can then be maximised to relieve these stresses and improve their dimensional stability and resistance to fatigue failure. The process can also improve the machinability and tool life of the dies, resulting in longer-lasting and more efficient tooling.
Flats and Rounds
Flats and rounds are often maximised in the construction industry for their high strength and durability. However, they can have residual stresses due to manufacturing processes like rolling and forging. Stress relieving can be used to relieve these stresses and improve the dimensional stability, fatigue resistance, and overall performance of the flats and rounds.
Extruded and Rolled Stock Materials
Some extruded and rolled stock materials like aluminium alloys and copper alloys can have residual stresses as they are being manufactured. But with stress relieving, their stresses can be relieved. Their dimensional stability, fatigue resistance, and overall performance can also be improved. Stress relieving can even improve the formability and machinability of the materials.
Castings
Castings can have residual stresses due to the casting process. These stresses can cause cracking, distortion, and reduced strength, which can affect their performance. Stress relieving can relieve these stresses and improve the dimensional stability and resistance to fatigue failure of the castings. It can also improve the machinability and surface finish of the castings.
Flame or Laser Cut Profiles and Plates
Flame or laser cut profiles and plates can boast residual stresses due to the cutting process. These stresses can cause cracking, distortion, and reduced strength. Stress relieving can be maximised to relieve these stresses and improve the dimensional stability and resistance to fatigue failure of the profiles and plates.
Stress relieving is a heat treatment process that can benefit a wide range of materials, including weldments and fabrications, roughed out dies, flats and rounds, highly stressed extruded and rolled stock materials, castings, and flame or laser cut profiles and plates. You should work with a qualified heat treatment provider to determine the best stress relieving process for your specific application and material.
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