Heat Treat Soak Time Calculator

Inputs

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Sets the customary rate and minimum. Soak time counts from when the SECTION reaches temperature, not from charging.
The governing (thickest) cross-section of the part or the densest part of the load.
mm

Results

Default result
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Soak time(t)
0.984h
Pass

The per-thickness rule governs for this section.

max(minimum, rate × thickness), counted once the section is AT temperature.

Also computed

Per-thickness rule time(r·s)0.984h

Process minimum(t_min)0.5h

Method notes 4 notes
  • Shop-rule screening, not pyrometry: the hour-per-inch family is a customary starting point for plain-carbon and low-alloy steels in adequately powered furnaces. Tool steels, stainless grades and supplier datasheets override it.
  • Soak counts from when the SECTION reaches temperature — add furnace recovery and heat-up time (load thermocouples are the honest way to know).
  • Many tool steels temper twice (some high-speed steels three times) at 2 h minimum each; austenitizing over-soak grows grain, so longer is not safer.
  • Aerospace/critical work follows the adopted pyrometry spec (e.g. AMS2750 furnace classes), which this screen does not model.

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