1. Improvement of mechanical properties
The mechanical properties of forged 304 Stainless Steel Forgings can be significantly improved through heat treatment. First, in terms of hardness, appropriate heat treatment, such as solution treatment, can fully dissolve the second phase such as carbides in the forging into the austenite matrix, thereby making the hardness more uniform. In terms of strength, heat treatment can refine the grains, and the increase in grain boundaries will hinder dislocation movement, thereby enhancing the yield strength and tensile strength of the material. For example, in the tensile test, the yield strength of 304 Stainless Steel Forgings that has been properly heat treated can be increased by about 20% compared to that without treatment. At the same time, heat treatment can also improve the toughness of the material, reduce the concentration of internal stress generated during the forging process, and reduce the risk of brittle fracture of the forging during use.
2. Improvement of corrosion resistance
Heat treatment has an important impact on the corrosion resistance of 304 Stainless Steel Forgings. During the heat treatment process, especially solution treatment, the chromium element can be more evenly distributed throughout the matrix. Chromium is a key element in the corrosion resistance of 304 stainless steel. Uniform chromium distribution forms a complete and continuous passivation film. When the forging is exposed to a corrosive environment, this passivation film can effectively prevent oxygen and corrosive media from contacting the metal matrix. Without proper heat treatment, chromium may segregate at grain boundaries, resulting in a decrease in local corrosion resistance and thus greatly reducing the service life of the entire forging in a corrosive environment.
3. Guarantee of dimensional stability
The heat treatment process helps ensure the dimensional stability of 304 Stainless Steel Forgings. Residual stresses are introduced during the forging process, which may cause the forging to deform during subsequent processing or use. Most of the residual stress can be eliminated through heat treatment such as stress relief annealing. For example, in precision machinery manufacturing, the dimensional deviation of 304 Stainless Steel Forgings that has been stress-relieved and annealed can be controlled within a very small range after long-term storage or use, meeting high-precision assembly and use requirements and avoiding dimensional changes due to And brought about a series of problems.
4. Optimization of microstructure
From a microscopic perspective, the heat treatment process has an optimization effect on the microstructure of 304 Stainless Steel Forgings. Solid solution treatment can repair microscopic defects that may occur during the forging process, such as dislocation accumulation, grain boundary distortion, etc. The subsequent aging treatment can also precipitate some dispersed second phases. These second phase particles can pin the grain boundaries and further stabilize the structure. This optimized microstructure not only provides the basis for the above-mentioned mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and dimensional stability, but also enables the forgings to maintain good performance in different working environments.
