Annealing Process of Hypoeutectoid

and Hypereutectoid Steel

What is Annealing?
Any heating operation above a certain temperature, holding at this temperature for
a given length time followed by cooling at a predetermined rate in the furnace to
room temperature
To achieve or restore the desirable properties such as maximum ductility, low
strength and better machinability and cold-workability
The THREE(3) common type of annealing process are Full Anneling, Process
Annealing and Spheroidizing Annealing.

Spheroidizing Annealing
The specimen in heat treatment at just below the
critical line (Ac1).
This process is done to improve its machinability.

Hypoeutectoid Hypereutectoid
0.8 to 1.6% Carbon
content.
Produce a
spheroidal or
Only happening in globular form of a
Figure shows Commonly used temperature ranges for between 0.6 to carbide in a ferritic
annealing plain carbon steel 0.8% Carbon matrix.
Content. "Spheroidite" is
Ac1 - lower critical line/temperature - the eutectoid
temperature of 723oC. form, when pearlitic
Ac3- upper critical line/temperature - the temperature at structure and
which α-iron transform to γ-iron. cementite network
Acm- boundary between the the cementite-austenite completely break up
and the austenite fields.
at elevated
temperature.
Full Annealing
Sample heated to 40℃ above austenite ferrite
boundary, held for necessary time and cooled
slowly.

Hypoeutectoid Hypereutectoid
>0.8% Carbon Process Annealing
<0.8% Carbon content
content
Ac1 + (20-40℃) – To Used for stress relief.
Ac3 + (20-40℃) – To
obtain single phase obtain Austenite + Applied to Hypoeutectoid steel only at
austenite Cementite
eutectoid temperature.
Microstructure Microstructure
consist of consist of Eutectoid
Proeutectoid Cementite and
ferrite and Pearlite Pearlite Carbon content <0.3%C.
Carried out at below eutectoid temperature
(550-650℃).
Soaking (not longer than 30 minutes).
Cooled to near room temperature in the
furnace.