Martempering
Martempering (also known as marquenching) is a modified quenching process in which steel is austenitised and then quenched into a bath held just above the martensite start (Ms) temperature. The part is held until temperature equalises throughout the section before being air-cooled to complete martensitic transformation. This interrupted quench dramatically reduces thermal and transformational stresses, yielding high hardness with significantly less distortion and cracking compared to direct oil quenching.
Our process advantage
Our martempering process is especially suited to precision tooling, dies, and intricate components where achieving maximum hardness without cracking or warping is critical. Controlled bath temperatures and soak times ensure uniform transformation and repeatable results across production batches.
Why choose Martempering?
Minimal distortion
Interrupted quench equalises temperature before martensite forms
High hardness
Full martensitic hardness achieved without the cracking risk of direct quenching
Crack prevention
Reduced thermal shock protects complex sections and tooling
Batch consistency
Uniform results across entire loads of precision components
Process specifications
| Quench medium | Molten salt bath (above Ms temperature) |
| Resulting microstructure | Martensite (low-stress) |
| Applicable materials | Tool steels, Alloy steels, Medium-carbon steels |
Industries served
- Automobile
- Defence
- General Engineering
- Oil & Gas