Advanced deep case nitriding for aerospace and power generation applications

Controlled gas nitriding offers a unique capability to combine hardness, wear resistance and tribological qualities of a uniform case depth. Thanks to diffused nitrogen and the presence of nitrides formed with alloying elements, nitrided layers increase toughness which is essential in many applications such as industrial tooling or gears.

Advanced controls allow for extremely precise atmosphere and temperature control fundamental for complex component and specifications. In very deep case nitriding - at times exceeding 0.055’’ – specified for precision gears and pinions, process and temperature control is essential to avoid nitrogen oversaturation, intergranular nitrides and other defects such as distortion.

This presentation will focus on metallurgical specifications typical of deep case nitriding, the types of steels used for gears and pinions in aerospace and power generation, specifically in wind turbines and steam turbines found in nuclear power plants as well as marine propulsion.

We will also examine case depths, hardness curves and the process control aspects, along with several case studies of processes that last between 250 and 350 h.