Dana B. Aguto Department of Mining, Metallurgical, and Materials Engineering University of the Philippines - Diliman Quezon City, Philippines dbaguto@upd.edu.ph
1. Importance of Heat Treatment processes classified under hardening are: carburizing,
nitriding, cyaniding, and flame hardening. Heat treatment is often used to alter the mechanical - Tempering properties of metals. This includes but is not limited Lastly, tempering aims to reduce the brittleness to: softening metal to improve formability and caused by hardening. hardening metal to improve strength. Aside from these, heat treatment can also create a corrosion- 3. Atmospheric vs. Vacuum Chamber resistant skin on parts that need extra protection from corrosion, as well as toughen brittle products. The main difference between an Without heat treatment, the properties, performance, atmospheric and a vacuum chamber is that and durability of metals cannot be improved. the air and other gases present in the vacuum chamber are removed by a vacuum Heat treatment is required in order to attain specific pump. This produces cleaner surface metal properties that are otherwise unattainable finishes, especially in metals that readily through other processes. As such, it plays a critical react to the atmosphere. Using a vacuum role in the manufacturing of essential parts in chamber also prevents oxidization. automobiles, aircraft, technological devices, and more. [1] 4. Vacuum vs Pack Carburizing
2. Methods of Heat Treatment Pack carburizing is a process in which
carbon monoxide derived from a solid There are four types of heat treatment namely: compound decomposes at the metal surface annealing, normalizing, hardening, and tempering. into nascent carbon and carbon dioxide. [3] The type of heat treatment used depends majorly on While vacuum carburizing allows more the metal, and the mechanical properties the client control over certain parameters such as the wishes to achieve. [2] case depth, carbon profiles, surface and core hardness, and microstructure of the end - Annealing product. It also allows the prediction of Annealing aims to relieve internal stresses, making distortion results. [4] the metal softer and more ductile by refining their grain structure. - Normalizing References: Normalizing aims to relieve internal stresses induced [1] "What Is Heat Treating? - Heat Treating Society - Heat Treating by heat treatment and the mechanical processes used Society". 2016. ASTM International. to work the metal. This only applies to non-ferrous https://www.asminternational.org/web/hts/about/what-is. metals. [2] The Center For Seabees And Facilities Engineering Training - Hardening Manual. n.d. Port Huenne, California. As the name suggests, hardening aims to increase the [3] Foreman, Robert W., ed. "Pack Carburizing of Steels." ASM hardness and the strength of the metal. The downfall Handbook Volume 4, Heat Treating, 1990.. to hardening is that the metal becomes less ductile, [4] Otto, Frederick J., and Daniel H. Herring. "Vacuum and consequently, more brittle. The heat treatment Carburization of Aerospace and Automotive Materials." Heat Treating Progress, January/February 2005..