Heat treatment is a pivotal step in preparing milled or lathed components for use in the medical, aerospace, automotive, and industrial sectors. The process involves superheating metal components to increase their strength and durability for the intended application. Heat-treating baskets are crucial for this process, as they convey these components and must be able to survive repeated cycles of very high heat. The quality of these carriers has a substantial impact on the efficiency and success of the heat-treating process.
Marlin Steel produces custom heat-treating baskets using alloys and coatings selected to meet the demands of your heat-treating projects. As a result, our carriers demonstrate less damage and distortion for a longer period of time. Learn more about our heat treatment baskets.
Heat treat baskets are designed to work in high-temperature environments for multiple production cycles. To meet the demands of your work environment, it's essential to choose carriers that address your working temperature, load on the basket, and the potential for corrosion or scaling. Marlin Steel heat treatment baskets have these essential features to promote a long lifespan for heat treatment applications.
Different basket materials have different temperature tolerances. For heat treating applications, baskets need to withstand extreme temperatures, oftentimes from 1,200 ˚F (649 ˚C) to 1,800 ˚F (982 ˚C). Yet many metal alloys cannot tolerate repeated exposure to temperatures over 1,600 ˚F (871 ˚C), which can cause them to suffer extreme oxidation, breaking down the outer oxide layer that prevents corrosion in stainless steels. This is why material choice is an essential feature in designing a basket that can withstand the heat-treating process.
Some of the best wire mesh materials that can withstand extreme heat include:
Specialized heat-resistant alloys, like nickel alloy 600, can also be ideal for heat treatment baskets. Nickel 600 is mainly composed of nickel, which makes it extremely resistant to oxidation, corrosion, scaling, and other common issues in high-heat processes. In addition, nickel 600 baskets retain their high tensile strength even with repeated use.
Heat-resistant coatings can also be used to eliminate issues like scaling due to oxidation and thermal fatigue. Aluminizing adds a protective aluminum oxide layer to protect baskets and trays used in heat-treating processes. The aluminizing process can improve resistance to corrosion and heat stress, extending the useful life of your baskets.
Every custom metal basket and form that Marlin produces is put through a series of tests to identify any design flaws before full production. To verify that heat treat baskets meet the demands of a client's process, our engineering team tests them using finite element analysis (FEA) software. Tests are conducted on every new design iteration until the carrier meets the specified demands for precision and tolerances.
The entire production process, from start to finish, takes place in Marlin's U.S.-based factory, with each part being manufactured to high "Made in the USA" standards. Our in-house capabilities mean customers never experience delays due to customs processing or overseas shipping delays.
As an ISO 9001:2015-certified organization, Marlin Steel is dedicated to producing the highest quality products with the fastest delivery. Contact us or request a quote today to get started on your solution.
