Precipitation hardening (also known as age hardening) is a heat treatment process used to increase the strength of metals and alloys. This process is commonly used for metals such as aluminium, copper, and titanium – but how does it work? Let’s take a closer look at the science of precipitation hardening.
What is Precipitation Hardening?
Precipitation hardening is a metal or alloy strengthening process that works by introducing small amounts of other elements into the metal or alloy, allowing it to form precipitates which provide further strength. It involves heating the metal or alloy to an elevated temperature, holding it there for several hours while allowing the particles to form, and then cooling it in order to ensure that those particles remain in place. As time passes, these particles will grow larger and form even more intricate structures – this is why this process is also referred to as age hardening.
Benefits of Age Hardening
Age hardening provides numerous benefits compared to other common strengthening processes like cold working and solid solution hardening. For one thing, age hardening allows for increased strength at lower temperatures than other processes – meaning that any parts that are subjected to low-temperature environments can still benefit from increased strength. Furthermore, age-hardened parts tend to be better able to resist fatigue damage due to their increased hardness (which helps reduce stress concentrations). Finally, age-hardened parts can also be machined faster than cold-worked parts due to their improved wear resistance.
How Metric Marketing Can Help
Metric Marketing understands how important it is for you to get your parts right – which is why we offer a precision age-hardened service with no minimum order quantity required. Our experienced technicians understand how this process works, and they know how important it is for you to receive high-quality parts on time and on budget. Whether you need just one part or thousands of them, Metric has you covered! Contact us today if you have any questions about our services or would like a quote on your next project!
Conclusion:
At its core, precipitation hardening is an incredibly powerful strengthening process that can help improve the performance of metals and alloys in almost any environment. By introducing additional elements into the base material via heat treatment processes such as ageing, manufacturers are able to create stronger components which can withstand higher levels of stress without compromising their integrity or performance. If you’re looking for a way to make your components stronger without breaking your budget in the process, then consider utilizing precipitation hardening services from Metric Marketing – we’ll help ensure that you get precisely what you need every time!
