Annealing is a heat treatment process used to alter the microstructure of a material, typically metals or glass, in order to modify its physical and mechanical properties. By carefully heating and cooling the material, internal stresses are relieved and structural changes occur.
This process is most commonly applied to increase ductility and reduce hardness, making the material easier to work with during subsequent manufacturing steps. It also helps improve toughness, reduce brittleness, and enhance overall stability.
Annealing is widely used in industries such as metallurgy, electronics, and materials science, where precise control over strength, flexibility, and conductivity is required.