Non-ferrous metals are metals that are not comprised of iron content, which gives them significant resistance to corrosion and rust that can be very useful for outdoor applications. They are also non-magnetic, allowing them to be used for electronic applications.
One metal that is part of the non-ferrous metal family is aluminium. It is lightweight, soft, and can be processed easily. This metal, however, has low strength. Therefore, different methods of heat treatment are carried out to alter their strength. Heat treatments also allow aluminium to be machined or welded easily, change their mechanical properties, obtain wear-resistant properties, improve brittleness, and enhance compatibility with other types of materials.
To date, there are numerous types of aluminium heat treatments that you can maximise. Some of these types are as follows:
Annealing
The plastic deformation of aluminium that is subjected to strain hardening allows its grain structures to slide against each other along slip planes. As the instances of plastic deformation continue, the number of slip planes decreases, requiring the aluminium to have more force to obtain further deformation. To reset the crystalline grain structure, restore the slip planes, and relieve the internal stress of an aluminium alloy, it must undergo the process of annealing. Annealing is conducted by heating the aluminium alloy between 298°C to 410°C for around thirty minutes to three hours. An aluminium alloy that is subjected to annealing can be worked more easily compared to one that has not been processed.
Solution Heat Treatment
Solution heat treatment, alternatively, is a process wherein the age-hardening elements are dissolved. During this process, a part must be rapidly cooled after heating to effectively distribute the dissolved elements in the alloy. The temperature needed by an aluminium alloy for the heating process ranges between 440°C and 526°C. The temperature must be, nevertheless, within ±12°C of the target temperature so that the solution heat treatment can yield great results. The soaking time of the heated part, subsequently, may range between 10 minutes and 12 hours, depending on its size and dimensions. Ultimately, it must be quenched to trap elements in place and avoid them from precipitating.
Precipitation Hardening
Precipitation hardening, also known as artificial aging, is another type of heat treatment that allows an aluminium alloy to reach its maximum hardness. This heat treatment process is conducted by heating an aluminium alloy between 115°C and 274°C, within ±15°C of the intended temperature. The alloy must be consequently soaked for around 6 to 24 hours and then cooled to room temperature. Once the precipitation hardening is finished, the aluminium alloy is expected to obtain a significant increase in yield strength, a slight increase in tensile strength, and a decrease in ductility. An aluminium alloy that cannot reach its peak hardness during natural aging at room temperature can utilise precipitation hardening.
To obtain high-quality aluminium heat treatment processes, feel free to contact us at Alpha Detroit Heat Treatment. We provide a wide range of services for all your heat treatment needs. Our expertise allows us to suggest the most appropriate process for your heat treatment requirements.
Standard nitriding process is a type of heat treating process that is being utilised by many manufacturers. This process is done through the introduction of nitrogen into the surface of a metal, allowing it to obtain a case-hardened surface. The case-hardened surface of a metal part becomes possible as it is being held at a temperature below on which its crystal structure transforms into austenite on heating. The transfer of nitrogen into the metal surface is initiated by subjecting the material to ammonia.
What is great about nitriding is that it maximises lower temperature and less part distortion compared to other case-hardening processes and techniques. It is also easier to control, especially when it comes to process parameters. One limitation of this process, however, is that it tends to create a more brittle surface for a high surface-hardness case compared to one that has undergone the carburising process.
Once the standard nitriding process is carried out, the following properties of a metal part or components are expected to be changed and altered.
Surface Appearance
Metal parts and components that are subjected to the standard nitriding process are typically known to have a dull, matte-grey colour. However, there are instances where additional steps are made, which then convert the parts’ surfaces into darker colours.
Case Structure
Metal parts that are processed through standard nitriding are expected to be diffused with nitrogen, but there are limitations on how far it can reach from a part’s surface, especially during the nitriding period. As more alloy elements are eliminated from the solid solution, the nitrogen will then diffuse farther into the metal part and subsequently increase deep case. The case depth, after all, will depend on the amounts of alloy elements that the nitrogen must reach with and interact with before the diffusion takes place.
Dimensional Changes
The standard nitriding process enables the parts to slightly increase in size due to the occurrence of an increasing volume in the case. The increasing volume enables the part to stretch its core, resulting in tensile stresses in the core that are compensated equally by compressive stresses in the case. All these changes materialise once the parts have already cooled to room temperature. Factors that can affect dimensional changes include the overall composition of a part, tempering temperatures, time and temperature of nitriding, the relative thickness of the case or core, part shape, and areas marked off.
Amount of Growth
The amount of growth during the standard nitriding process is normally constant for parts that are processed in varying batches under fixed processing cycle. Allowance can only be made once the amount of growth for a part has been identified. Though, sharp corners or edges must be avoided on parts that have been subjected to the standard nitriding process since they are vulnerable to chipping.
Some of the most common metals that can undergo the standard nitriding process include high-carbon, low-alloy steels that include alloy elements of titanium, aluminium, and/or molybdenum. As for applications, the same process can be used for gears, crankshafts, camshafts, valve parts, extruder screws, die-casting tools, forging dies, extrusion dies, injectors, plastic-mould tools, and many more. For more information about the standard nitriding process, feel free to contact us at Alpha Detroit Heat Treatment.
One material that is being maximised by numerous industries is steel. It is an alloy of iron that is typically comprised of a few per cent of carbon which can modify its general properties and composition. But generally, this specific material is durable enough to sustain damages from surrounding elements. And compared to other materials, steel has been known for its cost-efficiency due to its cheaper production requirements. It is also recyclable and environmentally friendly.
The addition of other elements allows the steel to be versatile, making it effective in producing machines and tools. Steel can also be utilised in constructing buildings and other structures.
Understanding How Carbon Affects Steel
What makes steel unique and special is its overall carbon composition. Without the integration of carbon, the iron would stay soft, which makes it impossible to be utilised in products that are needed by high-demanding industries. By adding small amounts of carbon, the iron will finally be converted into steel.
With the addition of carbon, the steel material is expected to obtain improved hardness and strength. However, the same element can also increase the brittleness of the steel. It can even reduce the weldability of steel since the presence of carbon allows the material to form martensite, which is a very hard and very brittle form of steel crystalline structure.
Most of the steel materials that are used today have less than 0.35 per cent carbon. A few steel materials have up to 2 per cent carbon, but they are not utilised widely.
General Classification of Steel Materials
The steel can be generally classified according to their content. Three of the most common types of steel are plain carbon steels, low-alloy steels, and high-alloy steels.
Work with Alpha Detroit Heat Treatment
To know more about steels and their processes, feel free to contact us at Alpha Detroit Heat Treatment. We aim to offer the widest range of specialty heat treatment services for complex engineering projects and to play a key role in the manufacturing of parts for all industries in Australia and New Zealand.
When it comes to metal fabrication, there are a lot of processes that are utilised to effectively modify the properties of metal products according to the intended application. These processes normally require specific conditions and elements so they can be done without any compromises.
Two processes that can modify the overall composition of metal products are quenching and tempering. Quenching is a metal heat treatment process that is done by cooling a metal for it to acquire adjusted mechanical properties. Tempering, alternatively, heats it to a high temperature before cooling it through different media, helping the product reduce internal stresses and lessen brittleness.
The Effects of the Quenching Process
As mentioned, quenching takes place by cooling a metal product. During this metal heat treatment process, the heated metal product is normally submerged in a cooling media such as oil, water, or brine, allowing it to solidify and harden. The overall cooling process of quenching ensures that the metal product will be prevented from undergoing unsought low-temperature processes. Moreover, it allows metal products to be durable enough in withstanding elements that can come from various applications.
One downside of quenching, however, is that the metal product tends to become brittle. Quenching can likewise make it vulnerable to cracking and other similar irregularities. Fortunately, these problems can be resolved by allowing a metal product to undergo additional heat treatment processes.
The Process of Tempering is Vital
Tempering is one of the additional heat treatment processes that metal can undergo after quenching. This specific process is done to reduce the hardness of a metal product or alloy and subsequently enhance its durability. These properties allow a metal product or alloy to be useful in extreme conditions.
This process is conducted through heating a metal to a certain duration and temperature for it to gain the previously stated properties. The exact duration and temperature of the heating process vary based on the intended application of the metal. For instance, hard tools are usually tempered at low temperatures so they can an increased hardness. Springs and other flexible mechanical parts, alternatively, are tempered at higher temperatures for them to obtain a decrease in hardness.
Conducting the tempering process can easily help eradicate the brittleness of metal out of the quenching process. Additionally, subjecting metal products or alloys under quenching and tempering processes can help them achieve the desired hardness, ductility, and durability, which can be very useful in certain applications and industries.
Alpha Detroit Heat Treatment Services
If you want to know more about both quenching and tempering processes, then feel free to contact us Alpha Detroit Heat Treatment. We provide a wide range of services for all your heat treatment needs. Our expertise allows us to suggest the most appropriate process for your heat treatment requirements. We likewise pride ourselves on providing quality service and reliability.
Industries such as mining, construction, marine, and energy usually utilise the capabilities of large gears. And as these industries foresee a growing demand for tools and equipment that rely primarily on these mentioned gears, the production of these gears is now more prioritised compared before.
Just like any other tools and equipment, large gears must be able to resist wear and other elements that could negatively affect their functions and longevity. One way to ensure their durability and reliability is through effective heat treatment methods. Though, different manufacturers maximise varying heat treatment processes in producing high-quality large gears.
Heat Treatment Processes for Large Gears
Some of the most notable heat treatment processes for large gears include carburising, nitriding, induction hardening, and through hardening. These processes have unique approaches in making sure that the specifications of the large gears can meet the needs and demands of industries.
Challenges in Heat Treating Large Gears
Heat treatment processes may be effective in enhancing the properties of large gears. But there are few factors that can affect these processes as well as their respective outcomes. For one, the final part dimensions of large gears can be hugely affected by these processes, especially if residual stresses are not eliminated properly. And as the size of the gears increases, the challenges of distortion are known to be greater. In fact, problems with distortion may also occur during the final heat treatment step.
Other challenges that manufacturers often encounter during the heat-treating process of large gears are temperature uniformity, carbon uniformity within the process gas, transport of gears from one furnace component to the other, investment and running costs, the construction of the quenching equipment, and meeting the expertise needed for an effective heat-treating application.
For more information about heat treating large gears, just contact us at Alpha Detroit Heat Treatment.