Nitriding Furnaces

Nitriding is a surface hardening process that is typically used to enhance wear or corrosion properties to some steel grades. Common uses are for sprockets, bearings, gears or extrusion dies for the aluminum extrusion markets. Nitriding creates a hard case on treated metal and is performed at temperatures lower than the transformation temperature of alloy steels, so the process causes little or no distortion to the treated piece. Quenching, a rapid cooling process, is not necessary with nitriding.

The nitriding process is performed in a heat treat furnace that uses dissociated ammonia, which is an atmosphere of hydrogen and nitrogen. Nitriding furnaces expose parts to active nitrogen at carefully controlled temperatures, creating a high strength product that is resistant to wear and improves fatigue strength. Lindberg/MPH offers both single and two-stage nitriding systems with fully automated controls and companion ammonia gas generators.