Gas Nitriding Services

Gas nitriding services is a surface treatment process whereby nascent nitrogen (N) is diffused into the surface of steel parts in a heat treating furnace.  The effect is enriched nitrogen content at the surface of the steel, thus a hard exterior case.  The hard exterior case provides increased wear and fatigue life in addition to compressive residual stresses that are induced into the surface of the part.  The wear resistant surface is supported by a relatively ductile shock-absorbing core, capable of withstanding high load bearing applications.  A secondary effect of the Gas nitriding services and nitrogen enriched surface is improved corrosion resistance in harsh environmental applications.

The Gas nitriding services process utilizes an accurate blend of anhydrous ammonia and nitrogen to control the gas nitriding potential, or percent dissociation, affecting the amount of nascent nitrogen available to diffuse into the surface of the steel.   The process is carefully maintained with microprocessor controls and electronic mass flow meters that continuously monitor and adjust the nitrogen to ammonia ratio to a desired nitriding potential throughout the gas nitriding process.

Solar Atmospheres has taken a highly technical approach to the gas nitriding process by using vacuum techniques to more effectively eliminate the air and precisely control the atmospheric composition of the furnace before, during, and after the gas nitriding process.

Compared to other case hardening processes, such as carburizing; gas nitriding services are performed below the AC₁ temperature range of the steel, insuring part deformation is negligible.  Also compared to carburizing, the process does not require a rapid quench at the end of the gas nitriding cycle further reducing any deformation resulting from the heat treating process.  To further minimize distortion, precautious measures should be taken such as stress relieving after rough machining, prior to final machining.  Typically, the gas nitriding process is the final operation in the manufacturing process with minimal or no post part machining or washing required.

Contact a Solar Atmospheres sales representative  to learn more about the vacuum gas nitriding  technology that Solar Atmospheres has pioneered, providing a superior process with a more efficient and effective method of case hardening alloy steel parts.

 

INDUSTRIES SERVED BY GAS NITRIDING SERVICES

• Aerospace
• Power Generation
• Automotive
• Medical
• Military

 

Solar Advantages of Gas Nitriding Services

• Faster work turnaround due to shorter nitriding cycles
• On-site metallurgical lab for complete result evaluation
• Cleaner finished parts as a result of vacuum processing
• Complete single location processing from hardening and tempering to vacuum gas nitriding

Applications and Capabilities*

• Alloy steels (improves corrosion resistance)
• Tool steels
• Mold and die steels
• Stainless steels
• PH steels
• Carbon steels
• Powdered metals
• Nitralloys

Links

• SUMBIT A GAS NITRIDING RFQ
• ASK A TECHNICAL GAS NITRIDING QUESTION
• DOWNLOAD WHITE PAPERS ON GAS NITRIDING