Three types of thermal treating processes are commonly applied to magnesium alloys, including annealing, solution heat treatment, and precipitation, or aging.

Manufacturing data together with heat treating knowledge can be synthesized with physics and data-based modeling approaches in a closed loop to provide insight for improving process efficiency and product quality for overall reduction in operating and energy costs. This article provides case studies of data analytics for coil batch annealing and batch carburizing.

In 2017, ASM’s Heat Treating Society R&D Committee established a new recognition for the best papers in the heat treating industry each year. This ariticle describes the Prime Contributor award criteria and judging process, and it includes a list of the award-winning papers from 2018 to 2023.

This article is a brief update on work by the Center for Heat Treating Excellence at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts to study the best way to heat treat additively manufactured parts for optimum performance. A particular focus of the CHTE research is on titanium and titanium alloys, cobalt alloys, and stainless steels for biomedical applications.

Conserving utilities is the simplest, most practical way for heat treaters to reduce costs and remain competitive. This article describes fuel-based nitrogen cogeneration systems that may offer efficiency benefits and reduced emissions for certain heat treating plants.

Understanding detrimental alpha case formation during heat treatment of titanium parts is increasingly important as titanium use in aerospace and medical applications continues to grow.

George Pfaffmann was highly regarded as a true leader and innovator in induction heating technology.

Industry 4.0 is an emerging technology trend in the manufacturing arena that emphasizes the connectivity of physical and digital process across product development cycles. This article presents some examples of how Industry 4.0 will affect heat treating operations.

Heat treaters are discovering new opportunities in the rapidly expanding field of additive manufacturing. This article describes some of the opportunities and challenges for heat treaters in this technology area.

Automotive die OEMs throughout Europe are using laser heat treatment (LHT) to deliver parts fast, with superior quality, at lower cost. This article presents a basic technical introduction to LHT and the results of a case study of LHT cost savings in automotive trim/form dies.

Modern, high quality induction heat treating equipment must be readily available and flexible enough to allow for easy retooling and reprogramming to process a variety of parts. This article focuses on the technical revolution taking place in induction heating, which for the first time enables preprogramming of induction equipment to change frequency and power during the heating cycle in the same manner manner as machinists have been programming CNC machines for years. This is illustrated through a case study of induction hardening a shaft-like component.

Engineers at the Ford Motor Co. are using integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) tools, allowing them to accurately simulate the heat treatment of gears and predict phase transformation kinetics and distortion.

Induction heating is used to produce high quality, reliable aerospace components as well as unique combinations of engineering characteristics.

Martempering involves cooling steel from the austenitizing temperature and rapidly cooling into either specially formulated petroleum oil or a molten salt bath with a specific composition to a temperature slightly above the martensite start (Ms) transformation temperature of the steel. Martempering is performed to reduce distortion problems that may be encountered with conventional quenching methods. This article, adapted from the latest ASM Handbook on quenching and quenchants, describes suitable steels for martempering and variables that influence the process.

Coupling a high magnetic field environment with an applied induction elevated temperature capability can achieve stronger, more durable components and materials with improved performance. This article describes work to develop high magnetic field processing technology.

Annealing and normalizing both involve heating metal to a temperature and cooling back to room temperature and are differentiated by the metals involved and rate of cooling. This article is an overview of annealing and normalizing processes.

The Center for Heat Treating Excellence (CHTE) was founded with the goal of bringing the industrial sector and university researchers together to find solutions to real-world problems. The Center, located at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts, has 19 members from all areas of industry working together with WPI researchers to improve both heat treat and thermal processing methods worldwide. This article describes some of the current CHTE research projects.

Members of the Center for Heat Treating Excellence are finding creative ways to bring awareness to careers in heat treating in order to recruit and retain top-notch talent.

Preventive multi-frequency testing using eddy current ensures heat-treated parts meet specifications.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has tremendous potential in many areas of industry, and the opportunities in heat treating cannot be overlooked. Large amounts of process and operational data can be gathered in heat treating. The potential for predictive processes, maintenance, and productivity will be fully realized as the heat treat industry combines data from multiple sources and focuses on evaluating, and acting on, both real-time and historical data that is readily available.