Mapúa University

Muralla St, Intramuros, Manila

School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

SHOP EXERCISE 3:
Quenching and Tempering

Name: Nocum, Kin Anthony, S.

Course Code/Section: ME137L-2/A19
Student No.: 2016141682
Group No.: 4 Grade

Engr. Jose V. Hernandez

Instructor
OBJECTIVES:
 1. To be able to apply the process of quenching metal.
2. To be able to apply tempering process for metals.
3. To be able to apply knowledge learn in Engineering Materials.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS:

Quenching is the process that greatly affects the stress and strain setup in the metal.
The metal heated and immerse in the solution. After immersion a part of work is move around
the quenching solution in form of figure 8 motion, this keep temperature uniform to attain
uniform hardness.
Tempering is another quenching method, but the treating is done below critical
temperature and cooling it by means of quenching oil or by air. This improves but reduces the
hardness and tensile strength.

MATERIALS

 Hair Pins
 Flat Steel Bar
 Filler
 Brazing Flux

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED

 Oxy-acetylene set – used for heating and melting metals.

 Workbench – where the processes will take place.
 Quenching solution (water) – for quenching treatment.
 Drinking glass – where the quenching solution is placed.
 Pliers – for picking up the hairpins.
 Flint spark lighter – to provide spark that ignites the acetylene.
 Cutting Torch- used to cut the steel bar
 Welding Torch- used to weld the steel bar
 Bench Vise- working platform for the demonstration of heat treatment

PROCEDURES
Note: All drawings were shown in the succeeding pages labeled with their respective figure
numbers.

1. All materials were prepared and placed on top of the workbench. Hair pins were used to
demonstrate heat treatment process while flat steel bar used for welding and steel bar
used for cutting.
2. Prepare and setup the oxyacetylene. Thoroughly check the setups connection. Search
for leaks by odor detection or using soap-water detection. Check the welding torch and
cutting torch for any damages and tanks to be used and its gauges. Make sure the tank
is properly fitted and tightened. Shown Figure 1.
3. Ensure there will be no unwanted clogs or debris inside the pressure valves and opening
holes of the torches. Purging or the intention of opening the tank and letting it leak for a
couple of second flushing the debris or deposited material.
4. The knobs of the oxygen and acetylene tank are turned counterclockwise to allow the
gas flow into the welding or cutting torch. The pressure of the acetylene must not
exceed 15 psi. It can cause hazard in the workplace.
5. The flint spark lighter was used to ignite the torch.
6. The valves of the acetylene and oxygen near the handle of the torch was adjusted to
produce a neutral flame–50% on both oxygen and acetylene.

Quenching Process

7. The welding torch in the oxyacetylene setup was used to heat one hair pin while it is
picked up using a plier shown in Figure 2. Pliers are used to hold the hair pin due to the
conduction of heat and human hands cannot withstand tremendous amount of heat.
8. As the metal reach above critical temperature its color turned into red. The hair pin was
rapidly immersed in the quenching fluid–water. Shown in Figure 3.
9. It will produce a hard and brittle hairpin. The spring action will be replaced by hardening
and brittleness. If the material breaks easily then it hardens, quenching was successful.

Annealing Process

10. Same procedure was carried out, a new hairpin was heated using the setup and process
carried out previously until above critical temperature. Shown in Figure 2.
11. The heated hairpin was placed on the work bench or flat surface of the vise to air
cooled. Shown in Figure 4.
12. Annealing process will produce a stronger and ductile metal. The hairpin is more flexible
or malleable but does do anymore spring action–not resilient.
 Tempering Process

13. With the same procedures, a new hair pin was quenched first then heated below its or
reaching its critical temperature. Shown in Figure 2.
14. Unlike quenching immersing it rapidly, it was gradually immerse to the quenching fluid
(water). Shown in Figure 3.
15. After immersion, the hairpin will return to its original state such as being flexible and
spring action (resilient).

Cutting Process

16. For safety precautions, the valves were in the tanks were closed. The welding torch was
replace with the cutting torch. Shown in Figure 5. After attaching the cutting torch, the
valves were reopened without exceed 15 psi.
17. It was ignited at the tip using the flint spark lighter
18. It was configured to have a neutral flame 50% on both oxygen and oxyacetylene.
19. The scrap flat steel bar was clamped. The object near of it was cleared and flammable
materials. The cutting began.
20. The nozzle must be perpendicular to the surface of the workpiece being cut and leave at
least 1/8 in. to ¼ in. gap between the tip and surface of the workpiece, shown in Figure
6.

TOPIC QUESTIONS

1. What is quenching?

Quenching is the rapid cooling of a material from the heated state. The
material is heated up into critical temperature and then rapidly cooled by
immersing the heated material into water, oil or any other suitable liquid to
transform the material to a fully hardened structure.

2. Is there a need to quench the material? Why?

Yes, the demand for quenching the material prevents processes occurring in
low temperatures such as phase transformations. The reaction only happens in a
fraction of time where it is both in favor thermodynamically and kinetically
accessible.
3. What is tempering? What is the significance of it?
 Tempering reheats quenched steel to reduce brittleness and to increase
toughness. Tempering is the process of reheating steel at a near low temperature
that leads to precipitation and ductility of the carbides in the microstructure. The
temperature and frequency of tempering is controlled to produce the desired
properties of steel. It yields a suitable composition of hardness, strength, and
toughness intended to its application. Tempering is also affecting in relieving the
stresses from quenching.

4. What characteristics of the material are affected by quenching?

The characteristic/s of the material being affected by quenching is hardness.

The reduction of crystallinity resulted an increased toughness of both alloys and
plastics. Variety of quenching fluids will affect different characteristics of the
material. Water was known as the most efficient quenching fluid that maximize the
hardness but a slight side effect of distortion and minuscule cracks to the material.

5. What is the effect of rapid cooling?

Rapid cooling prevents the formation of all crystal structure, resulting

in amorphous metal or "metallic glass.” Thus, hardens and ductile the metal.

6. Is the drawing temperature are the same in all steel?

Not all steels have alike drawing temperature. The melting point of a steel
varies to the type of steel and its composition thus have a varying drawing
temperature.

7. Can you cut steel metal by means of hacksaw?

Steel metal can be cut using hacksaw but dependent on what kind of steel such
as its hardness and thickness. Hence, it can cut the steel metal but not all kind.

8. What is the difference between austenite and martensite?

At high temperatures crystal formations are found and the parent phase. It is
often referred to austenite which resulted a phase from a martensitic transformation
called martensite. Thus, martensite is harder than austenite.
DISCUSISION

Shop exercise 3 conducted and demonstrated different heat treatment processes using
oxyacetylene setup. For this shop exercise, the instructor vividly demonstrated the following
operations in oxyacetylene setup: welding, cutting, quenching, tempering, and annealing.
Quenching processes the material by heating it and rapidly cooled. Hair pins were used as the
material in demonstrating various heat treatment–quenching, tempering, and annealing. It was
used due to the convenience, ease and heated quickly, and due to the limited supply of
oxyacetylene and oxygen. Tempering processed the quenched material by applying heat at a
low temperature and gradually cooled off upon immersing into the quenching fluid–water.
Annealing a heat treatment process that alters the microstructure of a material. The heated
material was cooled off using room temperature. The hair pin was heated, and air cooled.
Welding and cutting using oxyacetylene was demonstrated using the flat steel bars. A high
dense steel bar was heated upon melting point thus being cut. Two flat steel bars are spot
welded at first and welded thoroughly–fillet.

The differences between quenching, tempering, and annealing heat treatment process
was thoroughly discussed by our instructor. Quenching, the material was heated and quickly
cooled by rapid immersion in water. The product the material must be brittle. Tempering, the
material was quenched then heated again at a low temperature. It was immersed in water
gradually. Thus, the material returns to its original state being ductile, exhibiting spring action.
Annealing, the heated material was air cooled. It became ductile without the spring action thus
being malleable.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Due to the lack of competency, experience, knowledge, and safety precautions the
students did not performed the said processes in oxyacetylene. All objectives were met. The
clear and thorough demonstration of different oxyacetylene process: heat treatment processes,
welding, and cutting depicted by the instructor. The limited supply of oxygen gas and
oxyacetylene hinders the demonstration. Different heat treatment processes: quenching,
tempering, and annealing was observe, distinguish with one another, and know its effects and
the properties it alters in the metal. This shop exercise introduces new tools for us students
such as the oxyacetylene setup, cutting torch, welding torch, brazing flux, and quenching fluid
(water). The gain knowledge from those demonstration will be used in engineering materials. It
equipped our arsenal in forming and altering the metal to our desire use or application.

Safety and precaution must be the top priority. Students, instructors, and the institution
is at stake if malfunction happen to oxyacetylene setup. The equipment used are too
conventional or old school. Modern equipment is built with safety mechanism that could
prevent backfire and one flow of gas (one-valve). The room was ventilated well but fire
extinguisher is not frequently seen. The limited supply of the oxyacetylene and oxygen gas is
the main concern. Also, the variations of cutting torch. Variations in cutting torch could
demonstrate cutting in a higher dense steel bar or with variations. The experiment only cut a
specific metal. Demonstrating cutting in variations of metal’s density will have a visualization for
the students and its scenarios. The regular maintenance and checking of the materials must be
fully conducted. Safety is the most priority.

REFERENCES

https://www.metlabheattreat.com/metal-hardening-metal-quenching-metal-tempering.html
https://www.tec-science.com/material-science/heat-treatment-steel/quenching-and-
tempering/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quenching
https://jfheattreatinginc.com/2017/12/what-is-quenching-and-why-is-it-useful-in-heat-
treating/
http://www.irwinautomation.com/quenching-tempering.html
https://www.shapecut.com.au/blog/what-is-quenched-and-tempered-steel/
https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/953/quenching
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempering_(metallurgy)
https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/macr.1999.51.4.255