Brass undergoes work hardening during processing, which is a phenomenon in which the strength and hardness of a material increase while the plasticity decreases after plastic deformation. Work hardening is beneficial to improving the strength of brass parts, but it may also cause the material to become brittle and difficult to process later. Here are some methods to treat work-hardened brass:

Annealing treatment:
Annealing is the process of heating work-hardened brass to a certain temperature, holding it for a period of time, and then slowly cooling it.
Annealing can eliminate work hardening, restore the plasticity and toughness of the material, and reduce hardness and strength.
Annealing temperatures are usually between 400°C and 650°C, depending on the composition of the brass.
Aging treatment:
Aging treatment is carried out after annealing, heating the brass to a lower temperature (usually between 200°C and 400°C), holding it for a period of time, and then cooling it.
Aging treatment can further increase the strength and hardness of brass while maintaining a certain plasticity and toughness.
Warm processing:
Processing at a temperature below the recrystallization temperature is called warm processing.
Warm processing can partially eliminate work hardening while maintaining high strength.
Shaping and Correction:
For work-hardened brass parts, the shape can be adjusted by cold shaping or correction, but this usually requires greater force and may cause the material to crack.
Use of Lubricants:
The use of lubricants during processing can reduce work hardening and improve the plasticity of the material.
The steps for processing work-hardened brass are generally as follows:

Cleaning: Before annealing, the brass parts need to be thoroughly cleaned to remove oil, lubricants and other contaminants.
Heating: The brass parts are placed in a furnace for heating to ensure uniform temperature.
Housing: After reaching the annealing temperature, hold it for a certain period of time so that the internal structure of the material changes.
Cooling: After the holding temperature is completed, the brass parts are slowly cooled to room temperature to avoid the generation of new internal stresses.
It should be noted that annealing and aging treatments will affect the color and surface quality of brass, and subsequent surface treatments may be required to restore the appearance. In addition, the temperature and time control during the treatment process are very critical and must be determined according to the specific brass alloy type and part requirements.

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