- CARBURIZING -

Carburizing is a process of controlled diffusion of carbon into the surface of a component, followed by quenching and tempering, with the objective of increasing a component’s surface hardness. The process is generally applicable to low carbon and low alloy steels. There are two carburizing process types available commercially – vacuum carburizing and conventional carburizing.

In Conventional Carburizing, ferrous alloys are heated to above their transformation temperature and exposed to carbon rich atmosphere. Processing temperatures in conventional carburizing typically are in the 1450°F – 1900°F (790°C – 1040°C) range. The diffusion of carbon into the part and the subsequent quench leads to a part with a hard, wear resistant surface and a tough, shock resistant core.

Vacuum carburizing is a state-of-the-art thermal process where carburizing is achieved under very low pressures. First the parts are heated in vacuum to above the transformation temperature of the alloy. Then they are exposed to carbon-carrying gas, or gas mixtures, under partial pressure.