Reading the Heat Treat Requirement on the Drawing
Start with what the print or purchase order calls out. It might say normalize and temper, quench and temper to a hardness range, solution treat and age, or reference a specification such as AMS 2759 for heat treatment of steel parts, or a customer process spec. Each cycle has a different cost profile: a normalize is one furnace pass, while a quench and temper adds a quench step and a second furnace cycle, and solution and age for nonferrous alloys needs tight quench delay and aging time.
Identify whether the requirement applies to the forging or to the machined part, since heat treating before rough machining and after can change both cost and risk of distortion.
- Cycle type: anneal, normalize, quench and temper, solution and age
- Governing spec such as AMS 2759 or a customer document
- Hardness or strength targets that set the tempering temperature
- Whether treatment happens before or after rough machining
Pricing In-House Furnace Time Versus Outside Processing
In-house heat treat cost comes from furnace load capacity, cycle hours, fuel or electricity, labor, quench media, fixtures and the pyrometry upkeep required to keep furnaces compliant if the work demands it. Price it by the load, not by the piece, and estimate how many forgings fit in a load. Outside processors usually charge by weight or by lot with a minimum charge, plus freight both ways and extra handling time that adds to lead time.
Two jobs of 40 pieces can cost far more per piece than one job of 400 if each hits the processor's minimum. Always ask for the processor's current minimum lot charge before quoting small quantities.
- Furnace load size and cycle hours for in-house work
- Processor minimum lot charge and per-pound rate
- Freight, handling and added lead time for outside heat treat
Mechanical Testing, Test Coupons and Prolongations
Testing requirements often live in the material specification. Typical mechanical tests include tensile testing under ASTM E8, hardness under ASTM E10 or E18, and impact testing such as Charpy under ASTM E23. For steel forgings ASTM A370 covers methods for mechanical testing.
Test samples come from the forging itself, from an integral prolongation, or from a separate test coupon, and each option has a cost: extra material, extra machining of the specimens, lab time and sometimes sacrificing a forging. The quote should state the number of tests per lot or per heat and who performs them, because an outside accredited lab adds both cost and days.
- Tensile, hardness and impact tests per lot or per heat
- Prolongation or test coupon material and machining
- Lab fees, shipping of specimens and turnaround time
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Turned Part Secondary Operations Cost Worksheet
Add each secondary operation with setup, per-piece price and vendor minimum charge to get the extended cost, cost per part and total lead time.
NDT, Certifications and Documentation
Nondestructive testing might include magnetic particle inspection under ASTM E1444 for ferromagnetic steels, liquid penetrant for nonmagnetic alloys, or ultrasonic inspection, often to ASTM A388 for heavy steel forgings. The cost depends on method, acceptance criteria, percentage of parts inspected and whether you have certified personnel and equipment or must ship out. Add certification and paperwork time: a certificate of conformance, material certs with heat numbers, test reports, and for some customers a first article report.
If the customer requires NADCAP-accredited special processes, your choice of heat treat processor narrows and prices rise accordingly.
- NDT method, acceptance level and sample size
- Cert packages: CoC, material certs, test reports
- Accreditation requirements that limit processor choices
Where AI Helps and Where It Does Not
A document-reading assistant can pull heat treat, test and NDT notes from an RFQ package and flag specs your shop must route outside, then retrieve the last processor price and lead time from purchase history. It cannot replace a metallurgist deciding whether a spec is achievable in your section size. Use it to make sure no testing line is missed and to attach sources to each cost.
Skip it if your jobs almost always repeat the same spec and cycle: a rate sheet maintained by one knowledgeable person is simpler.
Frequently asked questions
How much does heat treatment add to a forging quote?
It depends on cycle type, load size, alloy and whether it runs in-house or outside. Quench and temper costs more than a normalize, and small outside lots can be dominated by minimum charges. Quote from the processor's actual rate and minimum rather than a flat percentage of forging price.
Do I need prolongations for test samples?
Only if the specification or customer requires them. Some specs allow testing on a forging, a separate coupon or an integral prolongation. Each option has different material and machining cost, so confirm the allowed method before quoting.
What does AMS 2759 cover?
AMS 2759 is the aerospace material specification for heat treatment of steel parts, with companion documents for specific steel families. It sets general requirements for furnace control and cycles, and customers often invoke it on forging drawings, which can also bring pyrometry requirements.
Netray can read the heat treat and test callouts in your RFQs and match them to your past processor costs, on your own network.