Advantages of Using Plasma Nitriding Furnaces
- Environmentally hazardous and harmful substances are not used: There is no ammonia gas or salt baths.
- No environmentally hazardous waste is produced: There is no waste salt to be disposed of after the process, no waste gases to be incinerated or disposed of. Thus, there are no waste cleaning or disposal costs.
- It offers a clean, safe, and low-noise working environment.
- It has very low gas consumption.
- Optimal cost-effective processes are achieved thanks to the flexible adjustment of parameters such as process time, temperature, pressure, and gas compositions.
- A wide variety of process gases can be used: N2, H2, Ar, CO2, CH4, O2, N2O, etc., different gases can be used, thus improving the desired surface properties of the materials.
- No additional pre-treatment is required for hardening stainless steels.
Application Advantages
Low Processing Temperature
Nitriding, primarily used to increase surface hardness and wear resistance in steel and cast iron materials, differs from other heat treatment methods in that it does not cause phase change (occurring in the ferritic phase). Plasma nitriding, having the lowest processing temperature among nitriding methods, thus offers a significant advantage over other methods. Minimizing the risks of dimensional changes and warping, plasma nitriding also provides wide possibilities in the nitriding of pre-hardened cold-work and high-speed steels.
High range of available gas options
The ability to flexibly adjust the types and ratios of gases available during the process is a significant metallurgical advantage.
The wide range of materials to which it can be applied
It can be applied to steel and cast iron materials, stainless steels, nickel alloys, and titanium alloys.
Flexibility in application time
Depending on the desired nitriding depth, it can be applied to parts of various sizes, from a few grams to several tons, in varying durations from a few minutes to 240 hours.
Advantages Compared to Other Nitriding Methods
The advantages of plasma nitriding compared to other nitriding methods can be listed as follows:
- Applicable to all steel and cast iron materials, including Ti alloys.
- Applicable from 300°C onwards, enabling low-temperature processing.
- Minimizes the risk of warping and dimensional changes.
- High surface metallurgy control.
- Extends fatigue life.
- High white layer control.
- Increases corrosion resistance in low-alloy and unalloyed steels.
- Clean and bright surfaces are obtained.
- Hardness distribution is more homogeneous.
- Optimal adjustment of the hardness-depth profile is possible.
- Areas where hardening is not desired can be fully protected by mechanical masking.
- Does not harm worker or environmental health.
- Repeatable, suitable for automation.
- Can be applied in varying durations from a few minutes to 10 days, depending on the desired nitriding depth.
- Applicable to parts of various sizes, from a few grams to several tons.