METAL

Any of a class of elementary substances,

such as gold, silver, or copper, all of which
are crystalline when solid and many
of which are characterized by opacity,
ductility, conductivity, and a unique luster
when freshly fractured.

ingot
A mass of metal cast into a convenient shape
for storage or transportation before further
processing.

Bloom
A bar of steel reduced from an ingot to dimensions
suitable for rolling.

blooming mill
A mill for rolling ingots into blooms.

blank
A piece of metal ready to be drawn, pressed,
or machined into a finished project.

billet
A narrow, generally square, bar of steel,
forged or hot-rolled from an ingot or bloom.

Hot-roll
To roll metal at a heat high enough to permit
recrystallization.

hot-rolled finish
The dark, oxidized, relatively rough finish
obtained by rolling metal while hot.

die casting
The process or product of forcing molten

metal into a metallic mold under hydraulic

pressure to give it a particular shape or form.

scale
An oxide occurring in a scaly form on the surface
of metal when brought to a high temperature.

Mill scale
A loose coating of iron oxide that forms on iron or
steel during hot-rolling. Mill scale increases the
bond between steel and concrete in reinforced
concrete or in structural steelwork encased in
concrete for fire protection.

casting
The process or product of forming a material
into a particular shape by pouring it into a
mold in a fluid state and letting it harden.

mold
A hollow form or matrix for giving a particular
shape to something in a molten or plastic
state.

forge
To form metal by heating and hammering.

heat treatment
The controlled heating and cooling of a metal to
develop certain desirable physical or mechanical
properties.

Cold-roll
To roll metal at a temperature below that
at which recrystallization occurs, so as to
increase its tensile strength or improve its surface finish.

anneal
To remove internal stress from metal or glass

by heating to a temperature below that of

recrystallization and then gradually cooling in
a liquid or air, esp. to make the material more ductile.

mill finish
The striated finish that cold-rolling or
Extrusion imparts to a metal surface.

Extrusion
The process or product of forming a metal
Or plastic with a desired cross section by
Forcing it through a die with a pressure ram.

quench
To rapidly cool a heated metal by immersion in
water, esp. to increase its hardness.

temper
To strengthen or toughen a metal by reheating at a
lower temperature and slowly cooling the material.

cold-draw
To draw metal through a set of dies to reduce
Its cross-sectional area without preheating,
As in the fabrication of wire or tubing.

Drawn finish
A smooth, bright finish produced by drawing
Metal through a die.

stress relieving
The tempering of a metal at a temperature high
enough to relieve residual stresses, followed by
slow, uniform cooling.

residual stress
Microscopic stress in a metal resulting from
nonuniform thermal changes, plastic deformation,
or other causes aside from external forces or applications of heat.

Case-harden
To make the outside surface of an iron-based alloy
Hard by carburization and heat treatment, leaving
the interior tough and ductile.

die
A steel block or plate having small conical holes
Through which metal or plastic is extruded or
Drawn for shaping.

Hot-working
The working of a metal at a temperature high
enough to permit recrystallization.

recrystallize
To acquire a new granular structure with new
crystals because of plastic deformation, as
when worked after being heated.

cold-working
The working of metal below the temperature
at which recrystallization occurs, as in
drawing, pressing, or stamping.