Posted by mkk on August 14, 2008 at 01:38:28:
In Reply to: Heat treat processes. posted by Mark S. on August 12, 2008 at 02:24:19:
o.k, lets get the conversation started. I could be wrong but here goes. In order to heat treat a low carbon steel, you need to add carbon to the steel part. This is known as carburizing. After the part is "carburized" it is then heat treated to obtain the hardness. Unless a steel is a "thru hardening steel" such as stressproof, the steel will only have hardness on "the skin" of the part. The depth of this "skin hardness" is called the Case Depth. This process is called Case Hardening.
For example a print may call for "Carburize and harden to Rockwell 45-50 "C" scale, .010" to .020" case depth. This would have a hardenss of Rockwell 45 - 50 on the "C" scale at a depth of .010" to .020 deep from the surface.
Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.