Tempering is a process applied to change or adjust the properties of a material with the aim of achieving a desired condition. This process is often referred to as heat treatment and is used to enhance or modify the strength, hardness, durability, or other characteristics of materials such as metals, glass, ceramics, plastics, and more.
The tempering of metals typically begins with a heating process. The metal is first heated to a high temperature and then cooled at a specific temperature or cooling rate. This process restructures the crystal formations within the metal, creating a more stable structure and enabling it to attain the desired mechanical properties. Tempering is especially common in the case of steel, significantly impacting its hardness and durability.
Tempering plays a crucial role in materials engineering and the manufacturing industry, with various tempering methods for different materials. The process is applied with different temperature and cooling rates depending on the intended use and desired properties of the material.