Stress relief annealing

A low-temperature stress relieving process in which the time at temperature is followed by very slow cooling.

Some large components and those with thick and thin sections would cool at varying rates during rapid or uncontrolled cooling. This could result in too high a level of residual stress, even after the stress relieving operation. Controlled, slow cooling gives the lowest level of residual stress.

The term is sometimes used as a synonym for stress relieving.