Heat Number
Glossary · Inspection & Quality
At a glance
- Category /
- Inspection & Quality
- Related /
- 1 terms
- Source /
- Written in the shop
A heat number identifies the specific batch of molten metal a piece of material was poured from, linking the physical stock back to its material test report.
In practice
It is stamped, etched or painted on the bar or plate and carried forward through cutting and machining. When a bar is cut, the heat number is transferred to the offcut so the identity is never lost.
Why it matters
Losing the heat number turns certified material into uncertified material. It cannot be recovered by testing at reasonable cost, so a moment of carelessness at the saw can write off a whole bar.
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