Beyond Quenching: Martensite From Mechanical Stress Explained

By Malabou Ltd – Experts in Castings, Metallurgy, Materials Engineering & End-to-End Testing Management.

We often think of martensite as something formed by heat-quenching austenite, but did you know it can also happen through mechanical means?

 Hadfield manganese steel—used in mining and crushing—starts soft but work-hardens under impact, transforming its surface into a regionalised martensite structure as it wears.

 Cold-rolled Austenitic stainless steels like 316 stainless pick up magnetism after deformation because it, too, forms tiny regions of martensite. This magnetism can be detrimental, especially around precision measuring and control equipment.

Implications:

You don’t always need heat to change steel—mechanical stress can be enough.

This can be a design feature (as in Hadfield wear parts) or a quality concern (when stainless should stay non-magnetic).

At Malabou, we understand these transformations—so when you select us for your wear-resistant castings, you’re choosing a partner who can tailor microstructure and mechanical properties precisely to your needs.

Learn more at www.malabou.com