Harvey process

proper noun

A process for hardening the face of steel, involving the additional carburizing of the face of a piece of low-carbon steel by heaping a solid carbon-rich fuel (such as charcoal) on the face of the steel and then subjecting this to very high heat at high pressure for a prolonged period of time, followed by a violent chilling, as by a spray of cold water. This results in a thick surface of extreme hardness supported by material gradually decreasing in hardness to the unaltered soft steel at the back.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A process for hardening the face of steel, involving the additional carburizing of the face of a piece of low-carbon steel by heaping a solid carbon-rich fuel (such as charcoal) on the face of the steel and then subjecting this to very high heat at high pressure for a prolonged period of time, followed by a violent chilling, as by a spray of cold water. This results in a thick surface of extreme hardness supported by material gradually decreasing in hardness to the unaltered soft steel at the back.

Origin

Invented by Hayward A. Harvey of New Jersey.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish Harvey-prosessi
  • Harvey-prosessiTranslations
German Harvey-Verfahren
  • Harvey-VerfahrenTranslations
Polish proces Harveya
  • proces HarveyaTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

Harvey process. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Harvey%20process

MLA

“Harvey process.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Harvey%20process. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Harvey process,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Harvey%20process.

Source: Harvey process on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.