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What are the Alloy Precision Steel Pipe Heat Treatment Process Specifications
Date:2026-02-26      View(s):54      Tag:alloy precision steel pipe, alloy steel pipe heat treatment, alloy steel pipe specification
First, What are Alloy Precision Steel Pipes?
1. Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: Tubular workpieces made from stainless steel, titanium alloys, cobalt-chromium alloys, etc., through precision rolling, drawing, and other processes. Their dimensional accuracy (outer diameter, wall thickness, roundness, etc.) and surface quality meet high standards. They are widely used in medical devices, aerospace, high-end equipment, and other fields.
2. Heat Treatment: A controlled process involving heating, holding, and cooling to alter the internal structure of alloy precision steel pipes, thereby optimizing their core properties such as hardness, toughness, corrosion resistance, and dimensional stability. This mainly includes annealing, solution treatment, and aging.
3. Process Parameters: Key technical indicators that must be strictly controlled during heat treatment, including heating temperature, heating rate, holding time, cooling method, cooling rate, and protective gas purity.
4. Quality Traceability: By establishing a unique batch traceability code, linking raw material information, process parameter records, test data, operators, equipment numbers, etc., a management mechanism is implemented that allows for traceability and accountability for product quality issues.

Second, what are the requirements for equipment and auxiliary materials for alloy precision steel pipes?
1. Requirements for the production equipment of alloy precision steel pipes
(1) Core equipment for the production of alloy precision steel pipes, including annealing furnaces, solution furnaces, aging furnaces, high-frequency induction heating equipment, etc., which must meet the temperature range and control accuracy requirements of the corresponding heat treatment process. Temperature control accuracy ≤ ±5℃, furnace temperature difference ≤ 10℃.
(2) Supporting equipment for the production of alloy precision steel pipes: equipped with temperature control systems, cooling systems (water cooling, oil cooling, air cooling devices), protective gas supply systems (if required), ultrasonic cleaning machines or laser cleaning machines, workpiece clamping tools, etc. Supporting equipment must match the core equipment and operate stably and reliably.
(3) Safety equipment for the production of alloy precision steel pipes: equipped with high-temperature warning signs, emergency shutdown devices, high-temperature resistant protective equipment (gloves, glasses, protective clothing), first aid kits, and other safety facilities. Protective fences should be set up in the equipment operating area to prevent personnel from being burned or misoperating. 
(4) Calibration and Maintenance of Production Equipment for Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: Equipment must be calibrated before being put into use; a special inspection of the temperature control system and cooling system should be conducted monthly, a comprehensive calibration should be performed quarterly, and a major overhaul should be carried out annually; if any abnormality is found in the equipment during daily use, it should be stopped immediately for repair, and it can only be put back into use after passing calibration.
2. Requirements for Auxiliary Materials in the Production of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes
(1) Cooling Media for the Production of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: This includes quenching water, quenching oil, and cooling gas. Quenching oil must have a flash point ≥200℃ and a viscosity that meets the process requirements. Viscosity and flash point indicators should be tested regularly, and aged media should be replaced promptly. Cooling water must be kept clean, and the water pressure must be stable.
(2) Protective Gases for the Production of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: Protective gases (such as argon and nitrogen) are required for the heat treatment of titanium alloys, cobalt-chromium alloys, etc. Argon purity ≥99.99%, nitrogen purity ≥99.95%, the gas supply system must be leak-free, and the oxygen content in the furnace must be controlled within the specified range (oxygen content in the titanium alloy heat treatment furnace ≤150ppm). 
(3) Cleaning and passivation materials for alloy precision steel pipes: These include cleaning agents, citric acid, and special passivating agents. They must meet environmental and process requirements. Cleaning agents must be residue-free and non-corrosive, and passivating agents must form a dense passivation film to improve the corrosion resistance of the workpiece.
(4) Management of production materials for alloy precision steel pipes: Auxiliary materials must be stored separately, clearly labeled, and include information such as name, specifications, expiration date, and scope of use. Storage areas must be well-ventilated, away from high-temperature equipment, and expired or deteriorated materials must not be stored. A "take-as-needed, return of surplus materials" system must be adopted for requisition, and requisition records must be kept.

Third, what are the core process specifications for alloy precision steel pipes?
1. Pre-treatment process for alloy precision steel pipes
(1) Surface cleaning of alloy precision steel pipes: Before heat treatment, oil, scale, metal debris, rust, and other impurities on the workpiece surface must be removed. Ultrasonic cleaning or laser cleaning processes are preferred. After cleaning, the residual particle size on the workpiece surface should be ≤5μm, with no visible oil or scale. 
(2) Placement of workpieces for alloy precision steel pipes: After cleaning, workpieces should be placed on dedicated trays to avoid collisions and scratches. The trays must be clean, dry, and free of impurities. Workpieces of different materials and specifications should be placed separately and clearly labeled.
(3) Furnace preparation for alloy precision steel pipes: Before loading, check that the furnace chamber is clean and free of slag, and that the temperature control system, cooling system, and protective gas system (if necessary) are operating normally, and that safety devices (alarms, emergency shutdown) are sensitive and effective. Determine the loading density according to the workpiece specifications and process requirements to ensure smooth airflow and uniform temperature within the furnace, and that there is no contact or adhesion between workpieces. Overloading is strictly prohibited. 
2. Heat Treatment of Stainless Steel Precision Pipes (Taking 316L and 304 Stainless Steel as Examples)
(1) Annealing Treatment of Alloy Precision Pipes (Applicable Scenarios: Eliminating Work Hardening, Restoring Plasticity, Stabilizing Dimensions)
1) Process Parameters of Alloy Precision Pipes: Heating temperature 900-950℃, heating rate ≤10℃/min; holding time determined according to workpiece wall thickness, 30-60min for wall thickness ≤0.5mm, 60-120min for wall thickness >0.5mm; cooling method is slow cooling with the furnace, cooling rate ≤5℃/min, and the workpiece can be removed from the furnace only when cooled to below 200℃.
2) Key Points of Operation for Alloy Precision Pipes: Monitor the temperature uniformity in the furnace in real time during heating, and record the temperature data every 15min; keep the furnace sealed during the holding period to avoid temperature fluctuations; clean the oxide scale on the surface of the workpiece in time after removal from the furnace, and place it in a clean and dry area to cool to prevent secondary contamination. 
(2) Solution Treatment of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes (Applicable Scenarios: Improving Corrosion Resistance, Refining Grain Size, and Improving Microstructure Uniformity)
1) Process Parameters: Heating temperature 1050-1100℃, heating rate ≤10℃/min; holding time 30-60min (adjusted according to workpiece wall thickness; for every 0.5mm increase in wall thickness, extend the holding time by 10min); cooling method is water cooling (cooling rate ≥20℃/min), thin-walled parts can be air-cooled.
2) Key Operating Points: During water cooling, ensure the cooling medium evenly coats the workpiece to avoid localized rapid cooling leading to deformation; immediately dry the workpiece surface after water cooling to prevent rust; when loading the furnace, the workpiece must not directly contact the furnace wall to avoid localized overheating. 
3. Heat Treatment of Titanium Alloy Precision Steel Pipes (Taking Ti6Al4V Titanium Alloy as an Example)
(1) Solution Treatment of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes (Applicable Scenarios: Improving Strength, Refining Microstructure, and Improving Mechanical Properties)
1) Process Parameters of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: Heating temperature 920-960℃, heating rate ≤8℃/min; holding time 60-90min; cooling method is water cooling, cooling rate ≥20℃/min.
2) Key Points of Operation for Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: Argon gas is introduced throughout the heat treatment process to prevent oxidation of the workpiece. The argon gas flow rate is adjusted according to the furnace volume to ensure that the oxygen content in the furnace is ≤150ppm. During water cooling, direct impact contact between the workpiece and cold water is avoided. Gradient cooling is adopted to prevent cracking of the workpiece. Handle the workpiece gently when loading and unloading from the furnace to avoid collision and deformation. 
(2) Aging Treatment of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes (Applicable Scenarios: Optimizing Strength and Toughness Matching, Improving Dimensional Stability)
1) Process Parameters for Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: Heating temperature 500-550℃, heating rate ≤8℃/min; holding time 2-4h; cooling method: furnace cooling or air cooling, furnace cooling rate ≤5℃/min.
2) Key Operating Points for Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: Record temperature data every 30 minutes during the holding period to ensure temperature stability; remove the workpiece only after cooling to room temperature to avoid performance fluctuations caused by sudden temperature changes; before aging treatment, confirm that the workpiece has passed the solution treatment and is free of defects such as oxidation and cracks. 
4. Heat Treatment of Cobalt-Chromium Alloy Precision Steel Pipes (Taking CoCrMo Alloy as an Example)
(1) Solution Treatment of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes (Applicable Scenarios: Improving Corrosion Resistance, Reducing Hardness, and Improving Machining Performance)
1) Process Parameters of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: Heating temperature 1150-1200℃, heating rate ≤10℃/min; holding time 90-120min; cooling method is oil cooling, quenching oil temperature controlled at ≤60℃.
2) Key Points of Operation for Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: The quenching oil needs to be preheated to the specified temperature; during oil cooling, ensure the workpiece is completely immersed in the cooling medium; after oil cooling, clean the oil stains on the workpiece surface in time to avoid residual oil stains affecting subsequent processes; monitor the furnace temperature during heating, and strictly prohibit overheating which could lead to performance degradation of the workpiece. 
(2) Aging Treatment of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes (Applicable Scenarios: Improving Hardness, Strength, and Wear Resistance, Optimizing Performance Indicators)
1) Process Parameters of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: Heating temperature 450-500℃, heating rate ≤8℃/min; holding time 3-5h; cooling method is furnace cooling to room temperature.
2) Key Points of Operation for Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: During the holding period, keep the furnace sealed to prevent external air from entering and causing oxidation of the workpiece; after exiting the furnace, perform surface polishing on the workpiece to remove the slight oxide layer and ensure that the surface roughness meets the standard; after aging treatment, the hardness of the workpiece needs to be sampled and tested to ensure that it meets the performance requirements.
5. Post-processing Technology of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes
(1) Cleaning Treatment of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: The workpiece after heat treatment needs to be cleaned again to remove surface oxide scale, oil stains, residual media, and other impurities. Ultrasonic cleaning + high-pressure water gun rinsing can be used. After cleaning, there are no visible impurities on the surface of the workpiece, and the cleanliness meets the standard. 
(2) Passivation treatment of alloy precision steel pipes: Stainless steel workpieces are passivated by immersing them in a 5% citric acid solution at 50℃ for 30 minutes; titanium alloy and cobalt-chromium alloy workpieces are treated with a special passivating agent. The passivation time is determined according to the passivating agent instructions to ensure the formation of a dense passivation film and improve corrosion resistance.
(3) Drying and labeling of alloy precision steel pipes: After passivation, the workpieces must be thoroughly dried, either by hot air drying (temperature ≤80℃) or natural drying. After drying, there should be no residual moisture on the workpiece surface. Workpieces should be sorted and labeled, indicating the material, specifications, heat treatment batch, production date, operator, etc.
(4) Waste liquid treatment of alloy precision steel pipes: Waste liquid and residue generated during the post-processing process must be collected centrally and treated according to environmental protection standards. Random discharge is strictly prohibited to ensure compliance with environmental emission standards.

Fourth, what are the details of quality control and inspection for alloy precision steel pipes?
1. Quality control during the production process of alloy precision steel pipes
(1) Parameter control of alloy precision steel pipes: Strictly record process parameters during heat treatment, including heating temperature, heating rate, holding time, cooling method, cooling rate, and protective gas parameters. Complete process records are kept for each batch of workpieces. Dedicated process engineers conduct daily spot checks on process execution; any abnormalities are immediately addressed by stopping the machine for rectification.
(2) Process control of alloy precision steel pipes: Each process, including pretreatment, furnace loading, heating, cooling, and post-treatment, requires self-inspection and mutual inspection. Only after passing self-inspection can the next process begin. Part-time process quality inspectors conduct a patrol of their shift every two hours, focusing on checking workpiece cleanliness, furnace loading rationality, and compliance with process parameters. 
(3) Abnormal Handling of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: Upon discovering process abnormalities (such as temperature runaway, protective gas leakage) or quality hazards (such as workpiece oxidation, deformation, cracks), immediately stop operations, isolate unqualified workpieces, and report to the dedicated process engineer and quality department; organize analysis of the causes of the abnormalities, formulate corrective measures, and only resume operations after rectification is qualified. Unqualified workpieces are strictly prohibited from entering the next process.
2. Finished Product Inspection Requirements for Alloy Precision Steel Pipes
(1) Sampling Standard: 5% of each batch of heat-treated workpieces shall be sampled for inspection, with a minimum of 3 pieces; if the batch quantity is less than 10 pieces, full inspection is required.
(2) Inspection Items
1) Dimensional Accuracy: Inspect outer diameter, wall thickness, straightness, roundness, etc. Outer diameter tolerance ≤ ±0.01mm, wall thickness tolerance ≤ ±0.005mm, straightness ≤ 0.2mm/m, roundness ≤ 0.01mm. 
2) Surface Quality of Alloy Precision Steel Tubes: Visually inspected or with a magnifying glass, the workpiece surface is free of oxide scale, cracks, scratches, and dents; surface roughness Ra ≤ 0.8 μm.
3) Mechanical Properties of Alloy Precision Steel Tubes: Hardness, tensile strength, and impact toughness are tested. Stainless steel workpieces have a hardness HB ≤ 200; titanium alloy workpieces have a hardness HRC ≥ 30; cobalt-chromium alloy workpieces have a hardness HRC ≥ 40. Tensile strength and impact toughness meet the corresponding material standards.
4) Corrosion Resistance of Alloy Precision Steel Tubes: A neutral salt spray test is conducted for ≥ 48 hours; the workpiece surface shows no rust or pitting.
5) Special Requirements for Alloy Precision Steel Tubes: Medical-grade alloy precision steel tubes require additional testing for biocompatibility (cytotoxicity, sensitization), meeting ISO 13485 standards. 
(3) Judgment of Inspection Results for Alloy Precision Steel Pipes: 
If all inspection items meet the standards, the batch of products is deemed qualified; if any indicator fails to meet the standards, double sampling and re-inspection are required. If the re-inspection still fails to meet the standards, the batch of products is deemed unqualified, and the quality department will take the lead in handling the matter.
3. Quality Traceability of Alloy Precision Steel Pipes
(1) Establishment of a Traceability System: Each batch of heat-treated alloy precision steel pipe workpieces is marked with a unique traceability code. The traceability code includes information such as material batch, production batch number, heat treatment date, operator, and equipment number, ensuring that the product is traceable from raw materials to finished products.
(2) Record Archiving: Process parameter records, self-inspection records, mutual inspection records, inspection reports, and abnormal handling records must be organized and archived for a period of not less than 3 years; electronic records and paper records are kept simultaneously to ensure the completeness and accuracy of traceability information.

Fifth, what are the safe operation and emergency response procedures for alloy precision steel pipes?
1. Safe operation requirements for alloy precision steel pipes
(1) Operators must wear high-temperature resistant protective equipment before starting work, including high-temperature resistant gloves, protective glasses, protective clothing, and non-slip shoes. Working without protective equipment is strictly prohibited.
(2) During equipment operation, it is strictly forbidden to open the furnace door or protective fence. It is strictly forbidden to touch high-temperature workpieces or high-temperature parts of the equipment with bare hands to prevent burns. It is strictly forbidden to pile flammable or explosive materials in the equipment operating area.
(3) When loading and unloading from the furnace, special tools must be used. Handle with care to avoid collisions and falls, preventing injury to personnel and damage to workpieces. When multiple people are working together, a clear division of labor and coordination is required to avoid misoperation.
(4) During the use of protective gases, quenching oils, and other auxiliary materials, it is necessary to check whether pipelines and containers are leaking. If a leak is found, work must be stopped immediately, surrounding personnel evacuated, and leak-sealing measures taken. Open flames are strictly prohibited from approaching. 
2. Emergency Response Procedures for Alloy Precision Steel Pipes.
(1) Emergency Response to Process Abnormalities: Upon discovering process abnormalities such as temperature runaway, equipment malfunction, or protective gas leakage, immediately stop heating operations, disconnect the equipment power and gas supply, and activate the emergency cooling system; promptly report to the dedicated process engineer and equipment manager, analyze the cause, and formulate corrective measures; unauthorized restarting of the equipment is strictly prohibited.
(2) Emergency Response to Personal Injuries: In the event of burns, cuts, or other injuries, immediately stop operations, provide emergency treatment to the injured personnel, and if necessary, send them to the hospital for treatment, and report the accident.
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