How Much Does Heat Treatment (Hardening) Cost? Price Factors and How to Order

For small parts such as screws, nuts, bolts and springs, hardening is usually priced "per kilogram" or "per lot" rather than per piece, because the parts run in large batches through a continuous mesh-belt furnace.

The main factors that affect price:

• Material type — each steel grade (e.g. S45C, SCM440, SUJ2) needs a different cycle and temperature.
• Required hardness (HRC) — the hardness spec and case depth affect the cycle.
• Quantity and total weight — the larger the lot, the lower the cost per kilogram.
• Follow-on finishing — if you need zinc or phosphate after hardening, it can be combined into one job, cutting extra transport.
• Shape and distortion risk — long, thin parts may need extra distortion control.

Hardening is made-to-spec work, so the fairest price comes from seeing your drawing or a real sample. A generic published price usually means customers overpay, or get a spec that does not match the job.

The fastest and most accurate way is to send a photo, drawing or sample to our engineers — we reply with a quote within 24 business hours.

In short:

• Send a photo, drawing or sample with the material, quantity and target hardness.
• Get a quote within 24 business hours.
• Approve a sample lot before full production.
• Full production with in-house lab inspection and a test certificate on every lot.

Have these five things ready for an accurate, fast quote:

• Material type or grade (if unknown, send a sample to test).
• Target hardness (HRC) or the real application.
• Quantity per lot and frequency (one-off or repeat).
• Whether you need follow-on finishing (zinc / phosphate).
• Your timeframe (we tell you the realistic slot — we never promise beyond our actual capacity).