ISO 15787:2016

Overview

ISO 15787:2016 - Technical product documentation - Heat‑treated ferrous parts - Presentation and indications specifies how the final condition of heat‑treated steel and iron parts should be presented and indicated on technical drawings. The standard ensures consistent communication of material, heat‑treatment process, hardness requirements and measurement points so that design, production and inspection can be coordinated across suppliers and global manufacturing chains.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope and purpose: Defines the manner of presenting heat‑treatment data in drawings (final or immediately after heat treatment), including how to show premachining or post‑machining conditions.
• Material and process identification: Drawings must identify the material and name heat‑treatment conditions in words (e.g., “quench‑hardened and tempered”, “nitrided”) following ISO 4885 vocabulary.
• Hardness and hardness depth: Specifies placement and presentation of surface and core hardness data, including hardness values and depth measures (SHD, CHD, NHD).
• Special layers and depths: Defines indications for carburization depth (CD), compound layer thickness (CLT), oxide layer thickness (OLT) and internal oxidation depth (IOD).
• Measurement points and markings: Requires marking of measuring points and slip zones on drawings, plus keys linking measurement locations to nominal values.
• Graphical representation: Provides rules for showing whole‑part treatments, areas with different requirements, local heat‑treatment, and areas that shall or shall not be heat‑treated.
• Heat‑Treatment Order (HTO)/HTS references: Where detailed process control is required, drawings can reference a Heat‑Treatment Order (HTO) or Heat‑Treatment Specification (HTS) with “see HTO number …”.
• References to test methods: Uses standard hardness test methods and measurement procedures (e.g., ISO 6506‑1 Brinell, ISO 6507‑1 Vickers, ISO 6508‑1 Rockwell, ISO 2639 for case depths).

Applications

• Ensures unambiguous technical drawings for components requiring specific mechanical and surface properties (gears, shafts, bearings, fasteners).
• Facilitates consistent heat‑treatment procurement, quality control and conformance testing across suppliers.
• Helps designers and manufacturing engineers specify machining allowances and inspection points to account for hardness‑depth reduction after post‑treatment machining.

Who uses this standard

• Mechanical and design engineers creating production drawings
• Technical drafters and CAD specialists
• Heat‑treatment shops and process engineers
• Quality inspectors, metallurgists and procurement teams
• OEMs and suppliers engaged in global manufacturing

Related standards

• ISO 4885 (heat‑treatment vocabulary)
• ISO 128‑24 (drawing line principles)
• ISO 2639 (carburized/hardened case depth)
• ISO 6506‑1, ISO 6507‑1, ISO 6508‑1 (hardness test methods)
• ISO 81714‑1 (graphical symbols for technical documentation)

By following ISO 15787:2016, organizations improve clarity in technical product documentation for heat‑treated ferrous parts, reduce errors in production and inspection, and support interoperable, global supply chains.