Industrial Furnaces
RUBIG Industrial Furnaces
RUBIG CN
RUBIG US
Plasma Nitriding System - MICROPULS® Everest
DLC Coating System - MICROPULS® Diamond Xtended
The Coating System - MICROPULS® Procoat
Plasma Generator
Gas Nitriding System - GASCON K2
RÜBIG Support
Heat Treatment
RUBIG Heat Treatment
RUBIG Slovakia
Plasma nitriding - PLASNIT®
Hard coating - PLASTIT®
Vacuum hardening - R.VAC+®
Case hardening - R.CARB+®
Gas nitriding - R.NIT+®
Annealing
Automotive
Aerospace
Aluminum
RUBIG ALUMINUM Treatments
Die Forge
RUBIG Die Forge
Forgings
Safety Linchpins
Drive and Conveyor Systems
Leisure products
Machining Technology
Services
2D/3D Data download
Competence Center
Research and Development
Material testing
 

Innovative plasma nitriding by dynamic process control using optical frequency combs

The absolute priority for RUBIG is the continuous further development in order to stay at the cutting edge of technology. Bundling competencies is an excellent way to achieve this goal. With Norbert Lang, Ibrahim Sadiek and Uwe Macherius from INP in Greifswald, as well as Stefan Matern from Menlo Systems GmbH, we have found the perfect partners to carry out a measurement campaign as part of the InPro-F Project (Innovative plasma nitriding by dynamic process control using optical frequency combs). Species generated in the plasma are measured and analysed using lasers.

Details of the research project

Laser absorption spectroscopy in the infrared spectral range is a suitable method for the optical process control of plasma nitriding. Conventional spectroscopy systems would be too complex and expensive to use in industrial plasma nitriding, as many laser sources would be required to measure the process-relevant gas and molecule concentrations. With the help of an optical frequency comb, which replaces many thousands of lasers, concentrations of these species can be detected simultaneously and made available to a process control system. However, the conditions in industrial plasma nitriding have stringent requirements in terms of compactness, robustness and resolution power, among other things. New techniques and innovative components of a frequency comb-based spectroscopy system required for this process will be developed within the framework of the InPro-F joint project.

In the joint project, the SMEs Menlo Systems GmbH and neoplas control GmbH will carry out the necessary developments together with the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Research and Technology e. V. as an academic partner. The company RUBIG GmbH & Co. KG, as a leading manufacturer of nitriding plants, will formulate the corresponding requirements, accompany the developments and provide both the industrial expertise and nitriding plants for development, testing and verification.

The project goal is to demonstrate a compact and robust frequency comb system that can be used in industrial plasma nitriding processes, which will allow in-situ process control, thus making it possible to realise the commercial and ecological savings potential of this process. A new sales market with long-term growth potential will open up for the SMEs, and the associated partner will be able to consolidate its market leadership.

Do you still have questions?
Please contact the RÜBIG colleagues involved.

DI Andreas Gebeshuber +43 664 8169550; 

DI - HTL-Ing. Gerald Eckertsberger +43 7242 29383;

DI Dr. Mario Lessiak +43 664 8524992;

DI Volker Strobl, MSc +43 664 8524973;

 

Related links:

Project presentation

Menlo Systems GmbH

Neoplas control GmbH

Leibniz-Institut für Plasmaforschung und Technology e.V.