TC Industries Mill Products Division is the industry leader for Normalizing
Normalizing is similar to full annealing, except that when the heating cycle is complete, the furnace is opened and the metal is allowed to cool in still air. This increased cooling rate results in a more uniform grain structure but one that is generally harder and stronger than with annealing. Normalizing is very common for pressure vessel plate grades like A516, where the uniform structure and higher mechanical properties are desirable. This process is also applied to certain lower carbon alloy grades that would be too soft to machine if annealed.
The Mill Products Division is capable of normalizing bars up to 1750 degrees F. We can handle rounds from 3/8" to 14" in diameter. We can handle flats, squares, hexes, tubes and octagons up to 1000 pounds per lineal foot. We can handle bars and structural steel I-beams up to forty feet in length. If a customer has material longer than forty feet, we ask you to please inquire.
"Normalize and temper" to a hardness range is also available. "Normalize only" to a hardness or hardness range is not available as the final hardness is dependent on the material chemistry alone.
Our normalizing furnaces are continuous roller hearth furnaces and are open fired. There is no atmospheric protection; you can expect the normalized material to exhibit scale and some decarburization.