Introduction
Heat treatment is an important process in the manufacturing ofany parts. Heat treatment is the combination of physical andchemical processes in which the properties of the material aremodified by heating and cooling in a controlled way. Heat treatmentis used to harden, strengthen, soften and improve the structureand surface characteristics of materials, or to change its physicaland chemical properties. In China, the standards for heat treatmentare determined by the current Chinese Standard GB/T 10343-2008.
The GB/T 10343-2008 Standard
GB/T 10343-2008 is the Chinese standard for heat treatment. Thisstandard provides technical requirements, test methods andinspection rules for heat treatment of metallic materials. Thepurpose of this standard is to ensure the quality and performanceof heat treated workpieces and parts by defining specificrequirements for the process of heat treatment.
This standard applies to heat treatments for any metallicmaterials used for industrial production in China. This standardis divided into 6 parts, each dealing with a different aspectsof heat treatment:
1) Heat treatment procedure
2) Heat treatment equipment
3) Heat treatment temperature control
4) Heat treatment documentation
5) Heat treatment testing
6) Heat treatment inspection
Heat Treatment Procedure
The first section of the standard provides requirements forheat treatment processes. These requirements include theselection of the most suitable heat treatment process, thecontrol of temperatures, cooling rates and time at heat. Inaddition, the standard provides requirements for the use of heattreatment agents and for the heat treatment of quenching media.
Heat Treatment Equipment
The second section of the standard provides requirements forheat treatment equipment. This includes the selection of theappropriate equipment for the intended purpose, the safe andefficient use of the equipment, and the prevention of overheatingor contamination of the materials being heat treated.
Heat Treatment Temperature Control
The third section of the standard provides requirementsfor the control of heat treatment temperatures. This includes therequirements for the calibration of thermocouples and the use ofthermocouples in heat treatment processes.
Heat Treatment Documentation
The fourth section of the standard provides requirementsfor heat treatment documentation. This includes the requirementsto record the necessary information before, during and afterthe heat treatment process. This information includes the typeof material, the heat treatment temperatures, the cooling rate,the quenching media and the heat treatment agent used.
Heat Treatment Testing
The fifth section of the standard providesrequriements for heat treatment testing. This includes the testingfor the hardness, corrosion resistance and other mechanicalproperties of the treated material.
Heat Treatment Inspection
The sixth section of the standard provides requirementsfor heat treatment inspection. This includes the inspection forexternal surface defects, internal structural defects and otherdefects that may affect the mechanical properties of thetreated material.
Conclusion
The Chinese Standard GB/T 10343-2008 provides standardrequirements for the heat treatment of metallic materialsused for industrial production in China. This standard providesthe necessary requirements for the selection of the appropriateheat treatment process, the use of the correct equipment,the control of the heat treatment temperature, the recordingof heat treatment parameters, the testing of the heat treatedmaterial, and the inspection of the heat treated material.This standard helps ensure the quality and performance ofthe heat treated workpieces and parts.
