The composition of the furnace atmosphere created by an endothermic generator is as follows: CO ~ 20%, CO2 ~ 1.0%, Hydrogen ~ 40%, Nitrogen ~ 35% and 4% methane.

The reason for the metallurgical heat-treatment process of stress relieving is primarily to remove residual, induced stresses from the steel. These stresses will occur as a result of rolling, forging, machining, welding, etc.