Strengthening Industrial Metals Using Heat Many of the historical and pre-historical ages, like the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age, are distinguished by the materials the tools and weapons of the day were made out of. As humans have grown and become even more innovative, the materials we use to build with improve. One technique that is relatively old yet is still used today is various forms of metal heat treating. Annealing, re-ageing, and heat stress relief make industrial metals stronger for a wide range of conditions and requirements. Although the concept is the same as blacksmiths of yore once used, modern technology and expertise have perfected the processes. Why Use Metal Heat Treating Processes? Most large structures and machines are made using some form of steel, which means that the structure is only as strong as the metal used to make it. One of the reasons that steel is steel and not iron is the special heat treatments used to strengthen it. With repeated and specific heat treatment, metals become flexible, easier to work with, and less likely to fail at peak operating conditions. Here are some of the other reasons that annealing, controlled quenching, and stress relief procedures are important:
- Alloy grain size is reduced, making the material finer and prepares it for further treatments
- Metals can be formed into thinner final forms, such as wire or sheets, without becoming brittle
- The chemical compositions of various metals are changed with heat treatment
- Treated metals last longer without developing serious structural defects or failing in a dangerous or costly fashion
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