What is the soak time to properly stress relieve something that is 1 inch thick?

What is the soak time to properly stress relieve something that is 1 inch thick?

• A. 30 minutes
• B. 1 hour
• C. 2 hours
• D. 4 hours

Answer: (B)

Stress relief requires heating to the specified soak temperature and holding long enough for heat to penetrate the material so internal stresses can relax. A widely used rule in welding practice is about one hour of soak time per inch of thickness, with a minimum of one hour. For a part that’s 1 inch thick, this means about one hour at the stress-relief temperature. Shorter times may not allow the heat to reach the core and relieve stresses fully, while longer times aren’t typically necessary for this thickness and could risk over-tempering or grain changes depending on the material.

Stress relief requires heating to the specified soak temperature and holding long enough for heat to penetrate the material so internal stresses can relax. A widely used rule in welding practice is about one hour of soak time per inch of thickness, with a minimum of one hour. For a part that’s 1 inch thick, this means about one hour at the stress-relief temperature. Shorter times may not allow the heat to reach the core and relieve stresses fully, while longer times aren’t typically necessary for this thickness and could risk over-tempering or grain changes depending on the material.