For many small and mid-sized manufacturers, the default approach to heat treating steel is to send parts out to a commercial facility. On the surface, outsourcing seems simple: no upfront equipment investment, and specialists handle the process for you.
But what’s often overlooked are the hidden costs of exporting your heat treating. Delays, shipping expenses, and lack of quality control can quietly eat away at margins and create headaches for production schedules. For shops that rely on quick turnarounds and consistent results, bringing heat treating in-house with the right heat treat furnace or oven can be the smarter move.
Every time a batch of parts leaves your facility for heat treating, you lose days — sometimes weeks — waiting for processing, shipping, and return. When timelines are tight, these delays can stall downstream operations, pushing out delivery dates and frustrating customers.
Transporting parts for heat treating isn’t free. Between packaging, freight costs, and insurance, the added expenses can significantly increase the true cost per part. And if anything is damaged in transit? More delays and rework.
When heat treating is outsourced, you have limited visibility into the process. Were temperatures and hold times exactly right? Was the atmosphere controlled to prevent scaling? If results don’t meet spec, the parts may need to be scrapped or reprocessed — costing you even more.
Commercial heat treaters often set minimum batch sizes or combine jobs from multiple customers. That can mean paying for more than you need or accepting less control over how your parts are processed.
Investing in your own heat treat furnaces and ovens allows you to take back control of your production:
Precision for your application – Optimize cycles specifically for your steels and parts.
Faster turnaround – Heat treat on your schedule, not someone else’s.
Lower long-term costs – Avoid shipping, handling, and per-part outsourcing fees.
Better quality control – Monitor cycles, atmospheres, and results in real time.
Flexibility – Run small batches, prototypes, or urgent jobs without waiting in line.
For shops that frequently outsource, investing in the right furnace or oven can pay for itself quickly. Smaller box furnaces or tempering ovens are often enough to get started, while more advanced atmosphere and/or high temperature furnaces support higher precision needs.
The bottom line? By bringing heat treating in-house, you’re not just saving money — you’re gaining control over quality, timelines, and your competitive edge.
Outsourcing heat treating might look convenient at first glance, but the hidden costs of lost time, shipping, and inconsistent results can outweigh the benefits. With today’s wide range of heat treat furnaces and ovens available, even smaller shops can take charge of heat treating steel and achieve more precise, reliable results.
Lucifer Furnaces builds durable, high-performance furnaces and ovens designed to help manufacturers of all sizes bring heat treating in-house — and unlock the benefits of quality, speed, and control.