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Precipitation Hardening: The Orowan Mechanism

Interactive 3D model of precipitation (age) hardening in metal alloys: watch a dislocation either cut through small precipitates or bow around larger ones and leave an Orowan loop behind, with live yield-strength readouts from the real strengthening equations.

Materials Science3DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted

This simulator visualises how a gliding dislocation interacts with a row of second-phase precipitates in a heat-treated metal alloy — the mechanism behind precipitation (age) hardening in structural aluminium alloys and nickel superalloys. Set the precipitate radius, volume fraction, and applied resolved shear stress, and watch the dislocation either cut straight through small particles or bow around larger ones until it snaps free, leaving a residual Orowan loop behind. Live readouts compute the real cutting stress, Orowan bypass stress, and the governing yield strength from the standard strengthening equations, showing exactly why alloy strength peaks at an intermediate precipitate size and falls again on over-ageing.

⚙ Under the hood

Watch a dislocation cut through small precipitates or bow around larger ones and leave an Orowan loop behind, with live yield-strength readouts from the real cutting and bypass equations.

metallurgyprecipitation-hardeningdislocationsalloysmaterials-scienceorowan

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install