Heat treating of ferrous metals involves controlled heating and cooling processes used to alter the internal structure of iron-based alloys—primarily steels and cast irons—in order to achieve specific mechanical properties. Through heat treatment, characteristics such as hardness, strength, toughness, and ductility can be tailored to meet the needs of a particular application.
Processes like annealing, hardening, tempering, and normalizing rely on phase transformations within the iron-carbon system, particularly the behavior of austenite and its transformation into other structures such as martensite or pearlite. The effectiveness of a heat treatment depends on factors such as carbon content, heating temperature, cooling rate, and the presence of alloying elements. Understanding how these variables interact allows engineers to enhance performance, extend service life, and improve the manufacturability of ferrous components.