Anneal

Produces a definite microstructure, usually one designed for best machinability. Annealing can be used to remove stresses, induce softness, alter ductility or create other mechanical properties.

Hot Bed Cool

The standard air-cooling process for tubing, accomplished on a special hot bed. Tubes arrive hot on one side of the bed and are "stepped" across, arriving at the other side of the bed cooled to the appropriate temperature.

Mill Anneal

A controlled tube cooling process that produces the optimum hardness and microstructure for machinability in some low-and medium-carbon and alloy grades.

Normalize

A heat treatment that produces recrystallization and refinement of the grain structure, while giving the product uniformity in both hardness and structure.

Quench

Uniformly heating the steel to a temperature above the critical range and then cooling it rapidly in a liquid medium.

Temper

A heating and cooling process that improves ductility, and produces the desired mechanical properties and structure.

Spheroidize Anneal

Produces a globular condition of the carbide, with maximum softness for best machinability or formability.