heat treatment processes banner

POST WELD
HEAT TREATMENT

Post-Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) is designed to achieve a desired improvement in the characteristics of a material or to regain characteristics that may have been affected by welding, bending or forming activities. One of the primary benefits of PWHT is to relieve the affected material's residual stresses and reduce the danger of cracking in the weld.

  • Reduced residual stresses
  • Improved ductility
  • Lower hardness
  • Improved machining ability
  • Resistance to corrosion and caustic effects
  • Less risk of brittle failure
  • Increased dimensional stability
Post Weld Post Weld
Preheating image Preheating image

PREHEATING

Preheating is a process of heating a weld's surrounding metal before and during the welding procedure. As a weld cools, thermal stresses are always induced and may cause cracking. If cooling is too rapid, it results in the entrapment of stresses and hardening of the material with a loss of ductility. If the rate of cooling is reduced by preheating, it reduces the chances of thermal cracking.

  • Reduction in thermal stresses
  • Compensation for high heat loss
  • Lowered rate of hardening
  • Reduced porosity
  • Reduced hydrogen cracking
  • Improved micro-structure of the heat affected zone

BAKE-OUT/DEGASSING

Bake-out/Degassing is a heating process commonly used to remove contaminants and gases from a material prior to fabrication or repair welding. The most common source of hydrogen is in the service environment, known as wet H2S. Heat specifications vary but are typically moderate in temperatures and time.

Bake-Out image Bake-Out image
line-Thaw image line-Thaw image

LINE THAW

Line thaw refers to the heating of component parts in a process system containing material or product that has begun to solidify due to mechanical or operational error. Because the product being processed has fallen below the minimum temperature needed to maintain a fluid state, heating the product to an adequate temperature can return it to a more liquid state and allow flow within the equipment used for the process.

PAINT &
PHENOLIC CURE

Curing is a chemical reaction process that changes a coating or paint from a liquid state to a solid film through a controlled and sensitive thermal cycle. Liquid coating systems have been developed to protect components from corrosion, wear, environment, corrosive fluids and temperature fluctuations. Proper curing of these coatings greatly affects the life expectancy of the coating and materials to be protected. Some applications may require several intermediate coats, and properly curing each layer of coating is critical to ensure proper adhesion and bonding. Analytic Stress is committed to reviewing your application's specific needs and providing the highest quality curing and coating possible.

induction image induction image
Refractory image Refractory image

REFRACTORY
CURES/DRY-OUT

Refractory curing is a controlled process of removing moisture from a lining without causing damage to the refractory materials. All residual, absorbed or induced moisture must be removed to prevent cracking and compromising the lifespan of the lining. The process involves a delicate and sometimes challenging thermal cycle of applying forced hot air throughout a refractory lining. Analytic Stress technicians have the skill, experience and expertise needed to perform this sensitive process with accuracy and precision.

READY TO GET MORE IN YOUR
HEAT TREATMENT SERVICES?

Contact us today to work with the industry leader in safe, quality service since 1979.