Measures to Reduce Softening of Steel Plates: Anti Softening Characteristics of Steel

It mainly depends on its chemical composition, microstructure, and processing method. For thermally cut components, the smaller the component, the greater the risk of the entire component softening. If the temperature of the steel plate exceeds 200-250 ° C, the hardness of the steel plate will decrease.
Cutting method: When the steel plate is cutting small components, the heat supplied by the welding gun and preheating will accumulate in the workpiece. The smaller the size that cannot be seen during cutting, the size of the cut workpiece should not be less than 200mm, otherwise there is a risk of softening of the workpiece. The best way to eliminate the risk of softening is through cold cutting, such as water jet cutting. If thermal cutting is necessary, plasma or laser cutting should be chosen. This is because flame cutting provides more heat to the workpiece, thereby increasing the temperature of the workpiece.
Underwater cutting method: An effective method to limit and reduce the range of softening zone, using water to cool the steel plate and cutting surface during the cutting process. Therefore, the steel plate can be cut in water or sprayed with water on the cutting surface. The underwater cutting method can choose between plasma or flame cutting. Underwater cutting has the following characteristics:
Small cutting heat affected zone;
Prevent the hardness of the entire workpiece from decreasing;
Reduce deformation of cutting workpiece;
After cutting, the workpiece can be directly cooled.