ABSTRACT
After cold working, metals tend to lose their malleable properties and are said to be in a work hardened condition. This condition may be desirable for certain purposes, but if further work is to
be carried out the malleability may be restored by annealing. Annealing, or softening, of the metal is usually carried out before or during curvature work such as raising and hollowing, provided the metal is not coated with a low-melting-point material. However, the quality of the modern sheet metal is such that many forming operations, such as deep drawing and pressing, may be carried out without the need for an application of heat.
