Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about heat treating, metallurgical processing, shipping, turnaround times, testing, quality, and working with ABS Metallurgical Processors.
What services does ABS provide?
ABS provides heat treating, surface hardening, passivation, metallurgical testing and inspection, and surface finishing services for manufacturers.
Capabilities include vacuum heat treating, controlled atmosphere heat treating, air furnace processing, carburizing, carbonitriding, gas nitriding, ferritic nitrocarburizing, stainless steel passivation, hardness testing, tensile testing, metallurgical analysis, case depth evaluation, and blasting services.
Does ABS serve customers outside Arizona?
Yes. ABS serves manufacturers throughout the United States.
Customers can ship components directly to our Phoenix, Arizona facility for processing and return delivery.
What industries does ABS serve?
ABS works with manufacturers, machine shops, aerospace suppliers, commercial fastener manufacturers, solar manufacturing companies, and other industrial customers requiring metallurgical processing.
How long does heat treating typically take?
Typical processing turnaround is approximately 5–7 working days.
Actual turnaround depends on the process, material, quantity, part configuration, specification requirements, and current production schedule.
Rush processing may be available for an additional cost.
Does ABS offer rush service?
Rush service may be available for qualifying projects.
Contact our team with your processing requirements and required completion date so we can review availability.
Can I ship my parts to ABS?
Yes. Customers throughout the United States can ship components directly to ABS for processing.
Before shipping, contact our team with your material information, specifications, quantity, required process, and any applicable testing or inspection requirements.
What information do I need to request a quote?
Providing complete project information helps our team review your requirements accurately.
Include:
- Material
- Part description
- Quantity
- Required heat treatment or metallurgical process
- Applicable specifications
- Testing or inspection requirements
- Required completion date
- Drawings or supporting documentation when applicable
What materials does ABS work with?
ABS commonly works with steel, stainless steel, high-temperature alloys, exotic alloys, and non-ferrous metals.
Not every process is appropriate for every material, so contact our team to confirm the correct processing requirements for your application.
Does ABS provide vacuum heat treating?
Yes. ABS provides vacuum heat treating for applicable materials and components requiring controlled thermal processing in a low-pressure environment.
Vacuum processing can help minimize oxidation, maintain clean part surfaces, and provide consistent material properties depending on the application.
Does ABS provide controlled atmosphere heat treating?
Yes. ABS provides controlled atmosphere heat treating using regulated furnace gases to control the environment surrounding components during thermal processing.
Depending on the material and process, controlled atmospheres can help reduce oxidation, control surface chemistry, minimize unwanted decarburization, and support consistent results.
What surface hardening processes does ABS provide?
ABS surface hardening capabilities include:
- Carburizing
- Carbonitriding
- Gas nitriding
- Ferritic nitrocarburizing (FNC)
The appropriate process depends on the material, component requirements, and desired properties.
Does ABS provide stainless steel passivation?
Yes. ABS provides passivation services for stainless steel components.
Passivation removes free iron and certain surface contaminants and promotes formation of the material’s protective passive oxide layer.
What metallurgical testing services does ABS provide?
Known testing and inspection capabilities include:
- Hardness testing
- Tensile testing
- Metallurgical analysis
- Case depth evaluation
- Additional inspection and verification services
Contact ABS if your project requires a specific test or inspection method.
Does ABS provide surface finishing?
Yes. Surface finishing capabilities include:
- Glass bead blasting
- Garnet blasting
- Aluminum oxide blasting
These processes may be used for cleaning, surface preparation, scale removal, or achieving required surface conditions depending on the application.
Is ABS NADCAP accredited?
Yes. ABS is NADCAP accredited.
ABS also maintains additional applicable industry, customer, aerospace, government, and automotive approvals.
If your project requires a specific accreditation, approval, or specification, contact our team to verify that requirement before processing.
Can ABS process large components?
Known ABS processing capabilities include components up to approximately 72 inches and approximately 3,000 pounds.
Actual capacity depends on the specific process, furnace, component geometry, material, and processing requirements.
Contact ABS with your project details so our team can confirm capacity for your specific job.
How long has ABS been in business?
ABS has served manufacturers since 1960.
The company is family-owned and has built its business around dependable processing, competitive pricing, responsive customer service, consistent quality, and reliable turnaround.
Does ABS manufacture parts?
No. ABS is a metallurgical processing company, not a parts manufacturer.
Our customers manufacture or machine components and send those parts to ABS for specialized processing, testing, inspection, or finishing.
How do I know which heat treating process I need?
In many cases, the required process is determined by the material, engineering drawing, customer specification, or desired mechanical properties.
If you’re unsure which ABS capability applies to your project, send our team the material information, drawing, specification, and processing requirements so we can review them.
Can ABS process parts to customer specifications?
ABS processes work according to applicable customer and processing requirements.
Because specifications, approvals, and accreditation requirements vary, contact our team to confirm that ABS can support the specific requirements for your project.
How do I get started?
Send ABS your material information, quantity, required process, specifications, testing or inspection requirements, and any relevant drawings or documentation.
Our team will review the project and provide a quote.