Short answer: Austempering is a heat-treatment that quenches steel or ductile iron from the austenitising temperature into a hot salt bath held in the bainite region, then holds it there; it produces a bainitic structure that gives higher toughness and ductility at equal strength than conventional quench-and-temper, with far less distortion and cracking.
At a Glance
What Austempering Does
Instead of quenching to martensite and then tempering, the part is held just above the martensite start temperature so austenite transforms to bainite — a fine ferrite-carbide mix. The result beats a Stress Relieving Vs Annealing cycle for strength-toughness and avoids the quench stresses behind Metal Residual Stress Guide; relate to Metal Creep Guide only at service temperature.
Where It Pays Off
Ductile (austempered) iron, spring steel such as 65Mn, and safety-critical components gain impact resistance without the cracking seen in deep hardening. Pair the choice with Quenching Media Guide discipline and finish to Surface Roughness Ra Guide tolerance.
QA & Supply
Verify hardness and microstructure by Metal Ndt Guide, document per Mill Test Certificate Guide, and confirm formability against Metal Formability Guide. HXSCO supplies bars and blanks specified for austempered parts.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A heat treatment that transforms austenite to bainite in a hot salt bath, giving high toughness at strength equal to quench-and-temper.
Carbon and low-alloy steels and, most famously, ductile (spheroidal-graphite) iron.
It yields greater toughness and ductility with much less distortion and almost no quench cracking.
Yes — the isothermal bainite hold removes the severe volume change and residual stress of martensitic quenching.
HXSCO supplies bars, wire and blanks in grades selected for austempered components.
Source Austempering-Grade Metal from HXSCO
HXSCO supplies bars, wire and blanks in grades selected for austempered strength-toughness parts. Send your grade and quantity for a quote.