The process of producing a martensitic microstructure that
is normally performed on ready-made parts is known as neutral hardening. Two other terms for
this same procedure are “quench hardening” and “martensitic hardening.”
The reasons this process is performed, plus the reasons it’s
so important, are numerous. First and foremost, the steel will achieve a higher
level of strength and hardness, plus it will become tougher, more resistant to
temperature extremes, plus the parts will be lighter and stiffer. Parts that
require low-roughness grinding will get the needed machinability, and the
martensitic stainless steel parts are corrosion resistant after neutral
hardening. Tools are also more resistant to wear.
Neutral hardening will not change the chemical composition
of the steel tools. It will help harden the tool’s core, but the surface will
not change, so that means the heated parts of the surface are not enriched or
decarburized. The steel tools will then have the best combination of strength
and toughness and, if needed, the aforementioned temperature resistance.
Steel tools will first be shaped. And then the actual
neutral hardening process begins. It involves parts being heated in a neutral
atmosphere. They are then quenched in an agitation- and temperature-controlled
oil bath that is also furnace integral. This helps the parts to harden. Then
the parts are tempered to relieve the stresses from the heat treating
procedure. The part’s hardness is reduced to the desired hardness range during
this part of the procedure. Parts that get this sort of heat treating process
include springs, highly loaded parts, cutting and hammering tools and stainless
steel tools that need high corrosion resistance.
Neutral hardening is a pretty complicated heat treating
process, so it is imperative that you take your steel tools to a company that
really knows what it is doing. That is where we come in! When you need neutral
hardening services call Hi-Tech Steel Treating at 1-800-835-8294 or Contact Us.
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