Heat Treatment

A two-stage process that hardens steel by rapid quenching from austenitizing temperature, then tempers it to relieve stress and develop a balance of strength and toughness. It is the most common treatment for high-strength alloy steel forgings, fasteners, and wellhead components.

Normalizing air-cools steel from above its critical temperature to refine grain structure and improve uniformity, while annealing slow-cools to soften the metal and improve machinability. Both relieve residual stresses in forged and cast oilfield parts.

Heating below the transformation temperature and slowly cooling to reduce internal residual stresses from welding, machining, or forming without significantly changing hardness or microstructure. It is widely applied to weldments and fabricated pressure-containing assemblies.

Surface-hardening processes that diffuse carbon into a low-carbon steel skin to create a hard, wear-resistant case over a tough core. Used for gears, bearings, and high-wear downhole and rotating components.

A low-temperature surface treatment that diffuses nitrogen into the steel surface to form a hard, wear- and corrosion-resistant layer with minimal distortion. Common on valve stems, pump components, and parts requiring fatigue resistance.

Processing in a vacuum or inert-gas furnace to prevent surface oxidation and decarburization, enabling bright finishes and clean results. Required for titanium, stainless, and specialty alloy components and for vacuum annealing of titanium.

Applied surface treatments such as zinc-aluminum flake (Dacromet) coatings on fasteners for corrosion protection, and thermal-sprayed metal layers such as Ni-Cr alloy for wear and corrosion resistance. These add a protective layer rather than altering the bulk metal.

Solution treating, aging, and annealing of corrosion-resistant alloys, titanium, and nickel-based grades to develop required properties for sour and high-temperature service. Used where standard carbon and alloy steels are inadequate.