metallurgy questions

[Nick19]

Just wanted to offer my services; I'm a grad student (Ph.D. metallurgist) who wants to answer any questions before we lose all rights to defend ourselves. My email is biery@andrew.cmu.edu, and I will post any answers to this forum. Please vote for GWB so we have some chance of winning. Thanks. Posted on the MIM vs. forged thread, I hope I can make some use of my education.


-Nick19

 

[TEXAS LAWMAN]

I'd be interested in a brief "plain terminology" explanation of 'anneal', 'quench', 'temper', 'ductility', 'forge'. I'm a bullet caster.

 

[Walt Welch]

Nick 19; thanks very much for your kind offer. I am sure that questions will follow.

TL; here is a fairly comprehensive glossary of metallurgy: http://www.metal-mart.com/dictlist.htm

Hope this helps, Walt

 

[Nick19]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TEXAS LAWMAN:
I'd be interested in a brief "plain terminology" explanation of 'anneal', 'quench', 'temper', 'ductility', 'forge'. I'm a bullet caster.[/quote]

The link provided by Walt Welch is a good one; for temper also look at 'tempering'. There is no definition there for forging, so here's mine:

To forge a material is to form it into shape with impact (as a blacksmith would do with his hammer). The metal may or may not be heated during this process. Heating may be done at intervals to anneal the piece (which softens the metal and restores ductility) or the metal may be heated during forging to reduce its strength (most metals get softer as the temperature increases). Working of most metals at low temperature increases strength and reduces ductility, which may or may not be desirable.