What is a common treatment for alloys used in aviation fasteners?

In the context of aviation fasteners, heat treating is a widely used method to enhance the properties of alloys. Heat treatment involves the controlled heating and cooling of metals to alter their physical and sometimes chemical properties. This process significantly improves strength, hardness, and overall performance of the material at various temperatures, making it crucial for components that must withstand significant stress and strain during flight operations.

Heat treating can involve various techniques, such as annealing, quenching, and tempering, which can tailor the mechanical properties to meet the specific demands of aviation applications. Given that fasteners are critical to maintaining structural integrity and safety in aircraft, ensuring they possess the necessary strength through heat treatment is essential for reliable performance.

Other methods, while useful in certain contexts, do not prioritize the enhancement of strength in the same way. Coating for corrosion resistance, for example, focuses on protecting the surface but does not significantly change the strength characteristics of the alloy. Cold working can improve certain properties, but it generally increases hardness and strength through deformation rather than through the structural changes achieved by heat treatment. Drying for moisture resistance is typically not applicable to metallic alloys in the same manner as the other processes, as moisture resistance does not significantly influence the mechanical properties of the fastener itself.