Process

In plasma nitriding, the parts to be treated are mounted on a cathodicfurnace charge and are fitted into an anodically-switched recipient (treatment chamber). The recipient is evacuated and then batch-heated convectively with nitride, under a vacuum. The subsequent sputter-cleaning of the parts takes place in an argon/hydrogen plasma. In an atmosphere consisting of nitride and hydrogen plasma, nitriding takes place, whereas via a different mixture of gas, the shaping of the coating layer can be altered. Adding Carbon gas allows nitro-carburizing to take place. As an option, after achieving the highest corrosion resistance, the parts can be oxidized at low friction coefficients. Subsequently, the parts are cooled down in a nitrogen atmosphere.

When the plasma nitriding technique was developed in the 1930´s it could only partly succeed because of the technological shortage regarding control and feedback control systems at that time and had rather a negative image. The break-through for methods was not achieved until hot wall plants and a significant change of generator technology from parallel flow to MICROPULS® technology as well as exact temperature measurement were used.

As particularly suitable modular plasma generator system our MAP 300 to 1200offer you maximum variability.