What’s work hardening?

Work hardening is a process that increases the strength of metal components through plastic deformation. It can be achieved through heat or cold and reduces the potential for cracking and contamination. However, it can also make the metal less ductile and negatively affect directional properties, making it unsuitable for certain products. Also known as work […]

What’s work hardening?

Work hardening is a process where metals harden when mechanically flexed, useful for increasing strength in metals that cannot be heat treated. Dislocations form in the crystalline structure, increasing yield strength but decreasing ductility. Cold forming can intentionally initiate work hardening, but excessive bending can cause unwanted work hardening, leading to damage or breakage. Work […]

What’s induction hardening?

Induction hardening uses a magnetic field to heat the surface of conductive materials, producing a hard outer layer while retaining the original material’s strength. The process is ideal for drivetrain components, gears, and tooling, and produces reproducible results at a relatively low cost. Induction hardening is the manufacturing process that produces a surface hardening of […]

What’s Precipitation Hardening?

Precipitation hardening is a technique that strengthens malleable materials by creating solid impurities that halt dislocation movement. Alloys such as aluminum, magnesium, nickel, and titanium are used. The process involves heating the material, quenching it, and aging it. Impurities disrupt the crystal lattice structure, increasing yield strength. Alloys produced through precipitation hardening are used in […]

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