NORMALIZING

Normalizing is a process of heating about 30–50°C above higher critical point for the time duration of 15 min and cooling in still air. The purposes of the process normalizing are: (a) to reduce grain size of steel, (b) to remove internal stress caused by working, and (c) to improve some of the mechanical properties. The products obtained are ferrite and pearlite for hypoeutectoid steel and pearlite and cementite for hypereutectoid steel. The normalized structure of these two steels consists of sorbite and ferrite. The properties of normalized steel are higher yield point, ultimate tensile strength, impact strength, and lower ductility. It is advantageous for low and medium carbon steel. For alloy steel it is possible with time duration of 2 h cooling in furnace.