Metal Terminology V

VACUUM DEGASSING
(See Degassing Process)

VANADIUM
(Chemical Symbol V) - Element No. 23 of the periodic system; atomic weight 50.95. Gray-white, hard metal, unaffected by atmospheric influences or alkalies but soluble in most strong acids; melting point 31190癋.; boiling point about 61500癋.; specific gravity 5.87. It cannot be electrodeposited. Its principal functions as an alloy in the making of tool steels. (1) Elevates coarsening temperature of austenite ( promotes fine grain). (2) Increases hardenability (when dissolved). (3) Resists tempering and causes marked secondary hardening.

VIBRATED WOUND
(See Oscillated Wound Coils)

VIBRATOR REED STEEL
Hardened, temper and white polished extra precision rolled. Carbon content about 1.00%. Steel must withstand great fatigue stresses.

VICKERS HARDNESS (TEST)
Standard method for measuring the hardness of metals, particularly those with extremely hard surfaces: the surface is subjected to a standard pressure for a standard length of time by means of a pyramid-shaped diamond. The diagonal of the resulting indention is measured under a microscope and the Vickers Hardness value read from a conversion table.

VIRGIN METAL
Metal obtained directly from ore and not used before.

Metal Terminology W

WMB, WHB and EXTRA WHB GRADES
Spring steel wires produced from acid open-hearth steels (see notes at M B GRADE).

WASTERS
Sheets that have prohibited defects, for example seams and buckled plates. Generally fit for re-melting purposes only.

WATCH MAIN SPRING STEEL
Usually supplied cold rolled and annealed in large widths and cut and hardened by the spring manufacturers. Carbon content about 1.15% and Tungsten .17%, extra precision rolled.

WATER HARDENING
Process of hardening high carbon steels by quenching in water or brine after heating.

WAVY
Not flat. A slight wave following the direction of rolling and beyond the standard limitation for flatness.

WEDGE
A hardwood stick used as a forming tool in spinning.

WELDING
A process used to join metals by the application of heat. Fusion welding, which includes gas, arc, and resistance welding, requires that the parent metals be melted. This distinguishes fusion welding from brazing. In pressure welding joining is accomplished by the use of heat and pressure without melting. The parts that are being welded are pressed together and heated simultaneously, so that recrystalization occurs across the interface.

WORK HARDENING
Increase in resistant to deformation (i.e. in hardness) produced by cold working.

WORKABILITY
The characteristic or group of characteristic that determines the ease of forming a metal into desired shapes.

WORMS
(See Stretcher Strains)

WROUGHT IRON
Iron containing only a very small amount of other elements, but containing 1-3% by weight of slag in the form of particles elongated in one direction, giving the iron a characteristic grain. Is more rust-resistant than steel and welds more easily.

Metal Terminology X

X-RAYS
Light rays, excited usually by the impact of cathode rays on matter, which have wave lengths between about 10-6 cm, and 10-9 cm; also written X-rays, same as Roentgen rays.

Metal Terminology Y

YIELD POINT
The load per unit of original cross section at which, in soft steel, a marked increase in deformation occurs without increase in load.

YIELD STRENGTH (YS)
The stress (load/area) at which the metal changes from elastic to plastic in behavior, i.e., takes a permanent set.

YOUNG’S MODULUS
The coefficient of elasticity of stretching. For a stretched wire, Young’s Modulus is the ratio of stretching force per unit cross-sectional area to the elongation per unit length. The values of Young’s Modulus for metals are of the order 10 12 dynes per square cm. (See Modulus of Elasticity)

Metal Terminology Z

ZINC
(Chemical Symbol Zn) - Element No. 30 of the periodic system. Atomic weight 65.38. Blue-white metal; when pure, malleable and ductile even at ordinary temperatures; melting point 7870癋., boiling point 16650癋., specific gravity 7.14. It can be electrodeposited and is used extensively as a coating for steel (See Galvanizing) and sheet. Zinc finds many outlets, such as dry batteries, etc. Zinc-base alloys are of great importance in die casting. Its most important alloy is brass.

ZIRCONIUM
(Chemical Symbol Zr.) - Element No. 40 of the periodic system. Atomic weight 91.22. Specific gravity 6.5 and melting point at about 3200?+/- 1300癋. Because of its great affinity for oxygen and combines readily with nitrogen and sulfur, it is used as a deoxidizer and scavenger in steel making. It is used as an alloy with nickel for cutting tools and is used in copper alloys.