Ipsen真空炉真空泄漏故障分析.doc

Heat Treatment of Stainless Steels Using the SolNit? Process A. Goldsteinas, J. HamidIPSEN Inc., Cherry Valley, Illinois, United States of AmericaM. Rink IPSEN International GmbH, Kleve, Germany Keywords: solution nitriding, case hardening, stainless steel, vacuum furnace, high-pressure gas quenching AbstractSolNit? is a heat treatment process similar to case hardening, but it uses nitrogen instead of carbon as an alloying element. The industrial process SolNit? uses vacuum furnaces with high-pressure gas quenching for nitriding stainless steels. There are two versions of the SolNit? process: SolNit?-M for martensitic and SolNit?-A for austenitic stainless steels. These processes allow low-grade stainless steel to be hardened and used in everything from surgical tools to household appliances. Compared to standard case hardening, the SolNit? process has several advantages for stainless steel: Increases surface hardness without decreasing the corrosion resistance properties Eliminates the generation of metal carbides in the steel Increases resistance against wear, erosion, and cavitation Improves high-temperature strength In addition, the SolNit? process is environment-friendly and safe, because it uses nitrogen as a process gas. Introduction The solution nitriding, process SolNit? was developed in the late 1990s, and led to intense cooperation between IPSEN and H”rterei Gerster AG, Switzerland. This partnership resulted in the development of two robust industrial process for hardening stainless steels - SolNit?-M and SolNit?-A. SolNit?-M (for martensitic steels) improves the surface hardness and associated properties, while retaining a relatively ductile core and increasing corrosion resistance. SolNit?-A (for austenitic steels) creates high compressive stress in the surface zone of a component, which results in increased cavitation resistance. The SolNit? processes allow low-grade stainless steels to be used in applications that extend from the typical m