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Decarburization
The depletion of carbon from the surface layers of steel resulting from high-temperature chemical reactions with the surrounding furnace environment.
Decarburization happens when steel gets hot and the carbon on the surface reacts with oxygen in the air and burns off. This makes the surface softer and loses strength, which can cause trouble during welding or hardening. When you anneal or weld steel, make sure it doesn't stay too long in the hot zone and protect the surface if you want to keep it hard and wear-resistant. For critical parts, you have to grind off the decarburized layer after annealing or welding before continuing.
MetallurgieSchweißtechnik