K. Cherian, D. S. Kumar, D. D. Kumar, M. Dougherty, J. Hudson, D. Brosky, D. Tasch, Dana Corporation, Rochester Hills, MI; D. Combs, Dana Corporation, Ottawa Lake, MI; G. Fett, Dana Corporation, Maumee, OH; B. Binoniemi, Dana Corporation, Kalamazoo, MI

Summary: A new proprietary Atmospheric-pressure Microwave Plasma Technology (AtmoPlasTM) has been developed for heat-treating and materials processing applications. In this process microwaves assist in dissociating gas molecules and ionizing them to create plasma at atmospheric pressure; this can be used to heat up the part to be carburized, in a plasma immersion or plasma jacket configuration. Any carbonaceous gas such as acetylene can serve as the carbon source and, under suitable experimental conditions, uniform carburization of the suitable steel part could be achieved. Results are presented for carburization of 8620H steel. Initial trials were done on coupons and then extended to real industrial parts – gears. The effect of the various experimental parameters on the surface carbon, effective case depth and microstructure on carburization through the new processing route are presented and discussed.