Cold working is permanent shaping by plastic deformation at a temperature low enough that substantial concurrent recrystallization does not erase the deformed microstructure. The relevant comparison is with the material's thermal response, rather than with a universal room-temperature boundary. Drawing wire and rolling sheet are examples of imposing large controlled shape changes.
In a crystalline metal, cold working changes the dislocation population and can create preferred crystal orientations. Dislocation interactions can increase resistance to further deformation through work hardening, while uneven deformation can leave residual stress. A practical comparison measures the stress-strain curve before and after a fixed amount of shaping, then unloads to identify the permanent strain. Subsequent heating can modify the stored microstructure through recovery or recrystallization, so processing history is part of specifying a specimen rather than a detail recoverable from its chemical composition alone.
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Cold working refers to the process of deforming a material, typically metals or alloys, at temperatures significantly below their recrystallization temperature. This process is commonly carried out at room temperature and is utilized to enhance certain properties of the material, such as strength, hardness, and surface finish, through strain hardening. **Key characteristics of cold working include:** 1. **Deformation:** The material is subjected to mechanical forces that change its shape without heating.