Why Does Hardened Steel Need to Be Tempered?
Tempering Is Used to Improve Toughness in Steel That Has Been Through Hardened by Heating It to Form Austenite and Then Quenching It to Form Martensite...
Tempering is used to improve toughness in steel that has been through hardened by heating it to form austenite and then quenching it to form martensite. ... At these temperatures the martensite decomposes to form iron carbide particles. The higher the temperature, the faster the decomposition for any given period of time.
What is the purpose of tempering for hardened steel?
The maximum hardness of a steel grade, which is obtained by hardening, gives the material a low toughness. Tempering reduces the hardness in the material and increases the toughness. Through tempering you can adapt materials properties (hardness/toughness ratio) to a specified application.
Do you have to temper hardened steel?
No. The tempering reduces the amount of martensite and thus makes the steel softer. Heating it again to a lower temperature will not introduce additional martensite. The only way to do that is to heat it until the metal de-magnetises, quench it again, and then temper to the desired hardness.
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