What is the primary goal of heat treatment processes like quenching and tempering?

The primary goal of heat treatment processes, such as quenching and tempering, is to alter the material properties of the metal. These processes are designed to improve specific characteristics of the metal, such as its hardness, strength, and ductility.

Quenching involves heating the metal to a high temperature and then rapidly cooling it, which can significantly increase its hardness. However, this can make the metal brittle. Tempering is then performed to reduce this brittleness while maintaining the enhanced hardness achieved during quenching. Through tempering, the internal structure of the metal is modified, allowing for improvements in toughness and ductility while still retaining desirable hardness.

Overall, the goal is to tailor the physical and sometimes chemical properties of metals to meet the requirements for various applications, making them more suitable for their intended use.