Why is case hardening used

Finally, the parts are tempered in a similar manner to atmosphere carburizing. Induction case hardening involves heating the steel parts using electromagnetic induction.

The parts are then rapidly cooled using a polymer solution or a spray of water. Unlike vacuum and atmosphere carburizing, induction hardening does not introduce new carbon into the steel. Because of this, induction hardening is only used for steel that already has a carbon content of around 0. The advantage that this method offers is that it is fast and easily automated.

The method of case hardening you use depends on the needs of your company. It is useful to consult the technical requirements of your equipment based on its application. The amount of fatigue will determine which process to use, because you will require a certain thickness in the hardened case to prevent fatigue.

In general, a carburizing process will produce thicker cases, so these are ideal for components that are under a lot of stress. If you need affordable, high-quality industrial gearbox inspection, repair, or maintenance, contact the experts at Amarillo Gear Service in Amarillo, Texas today. Through hardening can, however, make the entire metal mass brittle. One of the key benefits of case hardening is the enhanced durability it provides to steel parts. The mechanical strength and surface hardness developed by case hardening, as well as the retention of the soft core, significantly enhance the wear resistance and fatigue life of components.

Retention of a softer core improves the ability to absorb energy released by impact loads and thus contribute to longevity and economic advantage. Typically, the alloys used for heavy-duty applications have low machinability because they are required to be harder as well as stronger. In this context, the case hardening process enables the use of low carbon steel with precision machinability for weapons and firearms applications and other similar heavy-duty uses that require mechanical strength, fine finishes and accurate geometry.

Subsequent case hardening after machining provides superior wear resistance and hardness on the surface of the precision machined parts. Case hardening leaves a softer core that is advantageous for accommodating a misalignment condition common in taper roller bearings. A strong surface layer with a soft inner core ensures fracture resistance under an extreme operating environment that includes misalignment, vibration and severe shock loads.

Bearing rings and rolling elements are case carburized to ensure their suitability for shock loads and a combination of axial loads with thrust loads. Case hardened steel is well-known for fracture resistance under impact load conditions. Case hardened steels are preferred for engineered components such as camshafts, link components, driving pinions and universal joints. These components are essential for ships, trucks, earth moving machinery and race cars.

Because case hardened steel components can withstand cyclic stresses , they are used to produce turbine gears for hydroelectric and steam power houses. Due to their fatigue strength and superior wear resistance, case hardened steel components are also used in metal rolling mills, heavy-duty cranes, mining machinery and other mechanical engineering applications.

For wind turbine gears, the case hardening process has undergone further technical developments to meet the challenges of extreme loads caused by sudden increases in wind speed and the need to apply hard stops to wind turbines.

Although proper material selection and case hardening improvements aim to significantly reduce the noise produced by gear box operation, the noise level inherently increases due to abrasive wear of the gear teeth.

Therefore, alloy steels with deep-hardening ability are chosen for increased abrasion resistance and higher fatigue life. Increasing the steel's molybdenum content improves its hardenability. We can change the mechanical properties of metals through the manufacturing process. In this process, the metal surface is reinforced through the addition of a thin layer of another metal alloy that increases durability and hardness.

Sometimes, this process is called surface hardening. It has many applications, such as producing cooking utensils, reinforcing metal girders and enhancing the functionality of firearms. There are many advantages of the metal case hardening process. There are many types of case hardening processes. Which one is used will be determined by the metals used in manufacturing and the desired properties of the finished product.

In carburizing, the surface hardness of the steel is increased by adding carbon to the component. The component that requires hardening is heated to C and exposed to a carbon environment. The carbon penetrates the surface of the metal and strengthens it. The agent used can be solid, liquid or gas.

The initial investment costs are generally higher than other processes. In liquid carburizing, it is difficult to control the depth of hardness and it may not be uniform throughout the object.

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The history of case-hardening and its processes. Describing the various processes of case-hardening. The origins of case-hardening Around BC, hardening methods began to appear in armouries around the world. Industrial processes Case Hardening is a technique used to improve the durability and often the appearance of a metal surface in which the metal surface is reinforced by the adding of a thin layer at the top surface of another metal alloy.

Diagram to show the process of Carburising Case Hardened Steel. Image courtesy of Tec-Science. The process of anodization and its early applications in aviation through to modern day consumer electronics Richard Storer-Adam explains how metals are altered through anodizing and the anti-corrosive benefits and coloring options this process provides to product manufacturers.

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