Atmospheric control is a powerful tool in a heat treatment engineer’s metal hardening armoury. For example, by adding gaseous nitrogen to a furnace, the gas nitride hardening effect is initiated. This process sees the gas come into contact with a heated low carbon workpiece. As the surface metal and nitrogen […]
Carbon isn’t a metal. Actually, it’s a sooty black substance, and it’s not that strong. However, appearances can be deceiving, as every engineer knows only too well. Crushed by incredible pressures, carbon crystals become diamonds, which are the strongest naturally occurring substance known to man. In light of this most […]
Flame hardening technology uses a heat treatment methodology that’s reminiscent of old blacksmithing procedures. Instead of electrically powered induction coils, an oxy-fuel gas flame takes care of the workpiece hardening work. Capable of applying a focused heat source, this is a process that’s used to target reduced geometrical outlines. It’s […]
Engineering handbooks describe annealing as a stress reduction process. A workpiece goes into a furnace, is heated to its transformative temperature, then it slowly cools to room temperature. Hard and stressed when going into a heat treatment furnace, the part exits with a softer, plastic-deformable structure. Back with the different […]
Copious quantities of nickel and chromium bolster a base ferrous structure. That’s what gives Austenitic Stainless Steel its face-centred microcrystalline identity. Infused with a little carbon, the alloy family gains its mainstream mechanical properties. So, what is that austenitic edge? The nickel-based flavouring is clear enough, but we want to […]