Marquenching

The right heat treatment can improve the quality of your steel parts, be providing enhanced durability for a product that lasts. However, the process of exposing a piece to such extreme temperatures can put a lot of stress on the steel. One of the many steel heat treatment services offered by Specialty Steel Treating is the marquenching process. By using a molten salt bath to quench the hot steel, this process helps minimize distortion and cracking.

How the Marquenching Process Works

The marquenching process begins like other heat treatments. The steel is heated above its critical temperature, until it reaches its austenitic state. It’s then transferred to a cooler bath of molten salt for quenching.

The steel is held in the salt bath until the temperature is uniform through a cross-section of the piece. It is then removed and cooled to room temperature. Finally, it’s tempered as usual.

The Advantages of Marquenching and Martempering

Salt bath heat treating provides several advantages when compared to processes that use oil or polymer baths to quench. Because cooling is delayed until the temperature is uniform throughout the piece, the marquenching or martempering process helps prevent cracking and distortion. This makes it a great choice for parts that are very sensitive to deformation during the cooling process, such as the following:

• those made of higher alloy grades of steel
• those with complicated structures
• those with varied thicknesses or section changes

While salt bath heat treating has many benefits, the lowered thermal driving force of a salt bath quench can make it less effective than oil quenching for some applications. The process may not be able to provide enough force to meet core requirements for thicker parts. No single heat treatment is ideal for every project, which is why Specialty Steel Treating offers a variety of quenching options. Our customer care experts can help you determine which of our services is right for you.

Experienced Providers of Heat Treatment Services

With over 60 years of experience in heat treatment, Specialty Steel Treating is a trusted expert in the field. Our services have been employed by the aerospace and automotive industries and used for heavy machinery and railroad applications.

Our team would be happy to speak with you about how our marquenching and martempering services can meet your needs. Contact us by filling out our submission form or giving us a phone call at one of our four locations.