Ultra Fast Boriding

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM
Ultrafast Boriding in HighTemperature Materials Processing Industries

Improved Energy Efficiency and Reduced Emissions in High-Temperature Materials Processing Introduction
U.S. manufacturing firms use a variety of heat treatments (such as nitriding, carburizing, carbonitriding, boriding, etc.) and coating technologies (such as physical and chemical vapor deposition, laser-glazing/-cladding, ion-beam deposition, etc.) to improve the performance and durability of machine tools and other mechanical components. However, these traditional technologies can be very time-consuming, expensive, energyintensive, and environmentally sensitive. To improve the competitiveness of companies involved in heat and/or surface treatment practices, there is an imminent need to develop more cost effective, energy-efficient, and more green materials processing technologies. Researchers will develop, optimize, scale-up, and transfer for commercial use an ultrafast boriding (or boronizing) process that can provide much higher energy efficiency, productivity, and near-zero emissions in high-temperature materials processing. Ultrafast boriding could be a transformational and enabling technology with a high potential to displace, and/or complement, many of the very energy-intensive surface treatment processes in use today. When fully developed and implemented, the technology can provide an alternative for high-temperature surface enhancement techniques; improve energy efficiency; help near-net shape manufacturing; and provide a new means for the processing of conventional materials and components. Since the boriding process operates at about 200C cooler, it saves energy and extends the useful life of components.
Cross-sectional image of an ultrafast borided steel part.
Image courtesy of Argonne National Laboratory.
There are several economic benefits of Ultrafast boriding. It can increase productivity and product quality by shortening treatment time and by enabling much deeper and harder surface layers on borided parts (which can prolong life in actual applications). It can also markedly reduce cost due to initial capital investments as well as in-plant operations and maintenance.
Applications in Our Nations Industry

Ultrafast boriding is ideal for the treatment of iron and steelbased materials but it can also be used for the treatment of certain nonferrous metals and their alloys (e.g., titanium, tantalum, zirconium, tungsten, niobium, molybdenum, magnesium, most nickel-based and cobalt-based superalloys, and cobolt-chrome alloys) and cermets. Pre-carburized, nitrided, and carbonitrided steels and non-ferrous alloys can also be treated by the new boriding technique.
Project Description
The main objective of this project is to further develop, optimize, scale-up, and transfer for commercial use an ultrafast boriding (or boronizing) process that can provide much higher energy efficiency, productivity, and near-zero emissions in many of the high-temperature materials processing industries. Other goals of this project are to demonstrate scalability, costcompetitiveness, superior property, performance, and durability characteristics of the ultrafast borided surfaces as well as transferring the optimized technology to an industry partner.
Benefits for Our Industry and Our Nation

This boriding method is very fast, clean, efficient, and has lower cost than more energy-intensive heat treatment and coating methods. Ultrafast boriding could consume only 15% of the energy used in conventional pack boriding.1 From an environmental standpoint, ultrafast boriding does not produce any type of gaseous emissions, nor does it create solid and/or liquid wastes to cause concern.
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM
Barriers
Start-up cost related to capital equipment and/or construction of
Commercialization
After proven successful, the technology will be transferred to Bodycote for full-scale commercialization. Bodycote will obtain a license from Argonne and will build several production units. Bodycote will then start the production of borided parts for commercial sale. Once the technology is fully operational, sales will be expanded to other geographical areas.
a large process cell.
The ability to uniformly boride intricate or odd-shaped samples
or components uniformly in large batches.
The ability for the process to demonstrate dimensional pre-
dictability and minimize distortion from high-temperature processing. result in process predictability and reliability and furnace design
Demonstrating system controls and operating practice that Demonstrating reliability of boriding equipment heating system
Project Partners
Argonne National Laboratory Argonne, IL Principal Investigator: Ali Erdemir E-mail: erdemir@anl.gov Technology Transfer Manager: William D. Ingle E-mail: wingle@anl.gov Bodycote Thermal Processing Americas Melrose Park, IL Principal Investigator: Mario Ciampini E-mail: mario.ciampini@bodycote.com
Pathways
Researchers will mainly focus on the scalability and viability of the new process for a broad spectrum of industrial applications and materials. The team will also perform extensive structural, chemical, mechanical, and tribological characterizations of the borided surfaces using a large variety of microscopic, tribological, and surface analytical tools. Effects of contact pressure, temperature and other test parameters will be studied in detail and appropriate friction and wear maps will be generated. These bench tests will be followed by extensive performance and durability tests in actual or intended applications. Industrial and economic impacts of this new technology will also be assessed.
For additional information, please contact

Stephen Sikirica Technology Manager U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Technologies Program Phone: (202) 586-5041 E-mail: stephen.sikirica@ee.doe.gov
Milestones
This project started in September 2008.
Process development and optimization: design and develop
a medium-size ultrafast boriding unit and demonstrate the feasibility of larger-scale processing using test samples and industrial parts. (Completed)
(end note)
1
Based on data provided by Bodycote Thermal Processing
Technology development and field verification: study technol-
ogy maturation, process validation, and field performance testing of a large number of industrial parts and components. (Completed)
Scale-up, validation, and technology transfer: build, install, and
start-up an industrial-scale boriding system; prove the production of borided parts and components with an industrial partner, resulting in licensing of the technology for commercialization
EERE Information Center 1-877-EERE-INFO (1-877-337-3463) eere.energy.gov/informationcenter

DOE/EE-0470 May 2011
Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper containing at least 50% wastepaper, including 10% post consumer waste.

Ultra Fast Boriding

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ultra Fast Boriding

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ultra Fast Boriding

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM

Ultrafast Boriding in HighTemperature Materials Processing Industries

Applications in Our Nations Industry

Benefits for Our Industry and Our Nation

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM

a large process cell.

The ability to uniformly boride intricate or odd-shaped samples

or components uniformly in large batches.

The ability for the process to demonstrate dimensional pre-

For additional information, please contact

Based on data provided by Bodycote Thermal Processing

Technology development and field verification: study technol-

Scale-up, validation, and technology transfer: build, install, and

EERE Information Center 1-877-EERE-INFO (1-877-337-3463) eere.energy.gov/informationcenter

You might also like

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.