To subject a steel component to a specific cooling or tempering cycle that creates a tough, fine-grained microstructure. The goal is to maximize ductility and impact resistance while maintaining good strength. The term comes from Henry Clifton Sorby, though the phase it creates is understood to be fine pearlite or tempered martensite.
We need to sorbitize these crane rails to prevent them from fracturing under heavy impact loads.
When an old print tells you to sorbitize a part, you usually need to aim for a high-temperature temper or a controlled air cool that yields fine pearlite.
Related terms
Sorbitization
An older heat treatment process aimed at producing a fine pearlite microstructure.
Pearlite
A layered mix of ferrite and cementite that forms when austenite cools slowly through the eutectoid range.
Tempering
Reheating hardened steel below its lower critical temperature to trade some hardness for toughness.