Heat treatment is how we dial in the mechanical properties your application actually needs—strength, toughness, wear resistance, and machinability—not just “make it harder.” In many cases, the right cycle softens steel to improve formability and machining (anneal/spheroidize), then later cycles build the final property set (quench & temper, normalize, stress relief). Done right, heat treat controls microstructure, grain size, and residual stress—so parts perform consistently and predictably.
At Anderson Shumaker, heat treating is integrated into the forging process, not outsourced as an afterthought. Our electronically controlled furnaces and documented procedures help ensure repeatable temperatures, soak times, and cooling practices. Keeping heat treat in-house improves lead times, reduces handling and variability, and strengthens traceability—so you get the mechanical results you’re paying for, backed by the paperwork your quality system requires.
Common heat treatment processes include:
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Annealing / Spheroidizing: Softens material, improves machinability and formability, and reduces internal stress.
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Normalizing: Refines grain structure and improves uniformity after forging.
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Quench & Temper: Builds strength and wear resistance while restoring toughness and reducing brittleness.
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Stress Relief: Lowers residual stresses from forging or machining to reduce distortion risk.
If you want, I can also tailor this to the exact alloys you run most (e.g., 4140/4340, 8620, 17-4, 316/L, tool steels) and the way you actually route work through the shop (forge → normalize → rough machine → Q&T, etc.).
Contact us with your heat-treating questions today!
