Tempering

Tempering is a heat-treating process that improvers the toughness and ductility of a previously hardened workpiece.  Tempering is accomplished by a controlled reheating of the workpiece to a temperature below its lower critical temperature.

Process Characteristics

Improves ductility and toughness
Reduces cracking
Improves machinability
Increases impact resistance

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Information provided is from Manufacturing Processes Reference Guide by Robert H. Todd, Dell K. Allen, and Leo Alting.--1st ed. Published by Industrial Press Inc., 1994.