NITRIDING TECHNICAL CONTENT Archives

Carburizing vs Nitriding: Treatment Modeling

December 1, 2016 / CARBURIZING TECHNICAL CONTENT, NITRIDING TECHNICAL CONTENT

The finite element method can provide insights needed by engineers to calibrate thermal processes, whether it’s carburizing or nitriding, and maximize the benefits of the heat treatment.

Carburizing and nitriding treatments have the same goal: increase hardness on the surface while keeping the core ductility. Carburizing is a process where the part is placed in a confined environment regulated by its carbon content. By adjusting the parameters such as temperature and time, the carbon will diffuse into the part to a certain thickness. While the carbon content (%C) is fairly known at the locations where the carbon has diffused, it is harder to anticipate how far the carbon has diffused. The nitriding process uses the same concept but with nitrogen instead of carbon. The simulation of this process is helpful for the engineer to optimize the process. This article presents two examples to illustrate the carburizing and nitriding heat treatment processes.

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Ion Nitriding of Titanium Alloys for Gear Applications

Source: Thermal Processing for Gear Solutions
The advantages of ion nitriding heat treatments in many low-alloy steels and titanium alloy gears used in high-performance applications include resisting wear and fatigue.

Thermochemical surface engineer heat treatments are effective in improving the performance of various gears made of ferrous alloys. The cost of machining typical gears during the manufacturing process often exceeds 55 percent of total cost, especially when there is significant grinding after carburizing the gears. Therefore, improvements in the manufacturing of gears that can lead to a reduction in machining are valuable.

Nitriding produces high hardness and compressive stresses in many low-alloy steels used for gears. It is a nearly distortion-free process, which allows for the treating of finished components, thus minimizing costs. The complex nature of the stresses at the contact area of rotating gears leads to contact fatigue and sliding friction. Nitriding is superior to other surface engineering techniques in resisting wear at gear f lanks. When a high-strength alloy steel suitable for nitriding is used, a nitrided surface layer withstands high contact Herztian stress (contact stress) at gear flanks better than a deeper carburized layer in many instances.

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