What is tempering?

Career: Tempering

Tempering is a heat treatment process used to improve the toughness and reduce the brittleness of metals, particularly steel. After a metal has been hardened, it is often too brittle for practical use. Tempering involves reheating the hardened metal to a specific temperature below its critical point, then cooling it, which helps to achieve the desired balance of hardness, strength, and ductility. This process is essential in manufacturing tools, blades, and structural components to ensure they perform reliably in various applications.