Question 141General Subjects - QMED

The correct answer is D) Tempering. Tempering is the process of reheating a hardened component to a temperature lower than the hardening temperature and then cooling it. This process is used to reduce the brittleness of the hardened component and increase its toughness. Tempering is a common heat treatment process used in the maritime industry, including for the maintenance and repair of U.S. Coast Guard vessels. The other options are incorrect because: A) Case hardening is a process of hardening the surface of a component, not tempering. B) Low temperature hardening refers to hardening a component at lower temperatures, not tempering. C) Annealing is a process of heating and slowly cooling a component to reduce its hardness and increase its ductility.