EMM2312 - Surface Hardening

SURFACE HARDENING
EMM 2312– PHYSICAL METALLURGY II

Introduction
 Many engineering applications require very hard wear resistant surface and
a relatively soft and tough core to resist impact damage. Example gears.
 Surface Hardening is a process by which steel is given a hard, wear

resistant surface, while retaining a ductile but tougher interior.
 Surface hardening is usually done for the following reasons:

 To improve wear resistance
 To improve resistance to high contact stresses
 To improve fracture toughness
 To improve fatigue resistance
 To improve corrosion resistance

Introduction
 Components that usually require surface hardening include
- cams - bearings - valves
- Gears - hand tools - rolls
- Shafts - machine tools - bearing races
 Surface hardening techniques can be classified into two major categories:
 Processes that change the surface chemical composition (case hardening or

thermochemical processes).
 Processes that do not change the surface chemical composition (selective

surface hardening or local thermal surface hardening).
Case hardening
Case hardening methods include:
Carburising
Nitriding
Carbo-nitriding
Cyaniding
Carburising
Carburising is a hardening process in which carbon is
introduced into the surface layer of the steel.
 Steel is heated in contact with a substance that has a high
carbon content.
 The steel is held at elevated temperatures (850 –950oC) for a
suitable period of time.
 Then quenched rapidly to produce a hardened surface layer or
“case” over a softer and tougher core.
 The steel is then tempered to the desired hardness.
Carburising
 Carburising processes can be divided into:
1. Pack carburizing
2. Gas carburizing
3. Liquid carburizing
 Carburising is done on low C steel (< 0.25 %) .
 The carburising time varies between 4 – 70 hours.
 The length of time the steel is left in the furnace
determines the depth of carburizing.
 Case depths ranging from 0.08 mm - 6.4 mm may be
specified, depending on the service requirements of the
product.
Carburising
1. Pack carburizing
 In pack carburising, the steel piece is
packed in a steel container and
completely surrounded with charcoal.
 The charcoal is treated with BaCO3,
which promotes the formation of CO2.
 CO2 reacts with the low carbon steel
surface to form C, which diffuses into
the steel.
 Quenching is difficult in pack
carburising. Usually the part is allowed
to cool slowly and then tempered.  Carburising time: 4 – 10 hours
 carburising depth: no limit (< 1.3 mm)
Carburising
2. Gas carburizing
 Carburising is done with carbonaceous gases, such as: methane,
ethane, natural gas or propane at around 930oC.
 The advantage of gas carburising is that the steel can be quenched
directly from the carburising temperature.
3. Liquid Carburising
 Carburising is done in liquid salts, which contain cyanide compounds
such as NaCN.
 Shorter carburising time compared to pack and gas carburizing.
 Environmental hazards of the salts used.
Nitriding
 In nitriding, the steel piece is heated in a furnace
between 500 – 600 oC and at the same time is
exposed to ammonia gas (NH3).
 The heat from the furnace causes the ammonia
to decompose into hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen
(N2).
 Nitrogen reacts with elements in the steel to
form nitrides in the outer layer of the steel
providing high hardness and wear resistance
 Nitriding times range between 1–100 hours
depending on steel composition and depth of
hardening desired.
 Since nitriding does not involve austentizing the
steel and subsequent quenching to form
martensite, it can be carried out at comparatively
low temperatures and thus produce less
distortion and deformation.
Carbonitriding
 This process involves both the diffusion of C
and N into the steel surface
 Nitriding is performed in a gas atmosphere

furnace using a carburizing gas such as propane
or methane (source of C) mixed with several
vol% of ammonia (NH3) (source of N).
 Carbonitriding is performed at temperatures

above the UCT (700 – 800 oC).
 Quenching is done in a gas which is not as severe

as water quench (the result is less distortion on
the material to be treated).
Cyaniding
 This process also involves both the diffusion of
C and N into the surface layers of the steel.
 In cyaniding, the steel is heated in a liquid bath
of cyanide – carbonate – chloride salts and then
quenched in brine, water or oil.
Selective Surface Hardening
 These processes are also called localised heat treatment because only the surface is
austenitised and quenched to produce martensite.
 The basic requirement for these processes is that the steel must have sufficient
carbon and hardenability to achieve the required hardness at the surface (medium
carbon steels are usually suited for these processes).
 Selective surface hardening are classified according to the heating source into:
1. Flame hardening
2. Induction hardening
3. Laser hardening
4. Electron-beam heat-treating
 Selective hardening is applied because of one or more of the following reasons:
 Parts to be heat-treated are so large as to make conventional furnace heating

and quenching impractical and uneconomical - examples are large gears, large
rolls, and dies.
 Only a small segment, section, or area of the part needs to be heat treated.
Typical examples are ends of valve stems and push rods, and the wearing
surfaces of cams and levers.
 Better dimensional accuracy of a heat-treated part 4. Overall cost savings by

using inexpensive steels to have the wear properties of alloyed steels.
Induction Hardening
Flame Hardening
Induction hardening
 Process:  Advantages:
 No scaling effect.
 Induced current.  Reduce distortion.
 Metal is surrounded in  Consistent surface texture.
 Disadvantage
a quickly changing  High cost
magnetic field.  Applications
 Crankshafts.
 Heating temperature:  Gears.
750OC – 850OC  Automotive components
which require high core
 Quench in water. strength
Flame Hardening
 Process:  Advantages:
 No scaling effect.
 Steel is heated  Cheap and portable.
with ‘oxyacetylene’  Disadvantage

 ‘Overheating’ can
flame damage components.
 Applications
 Thin surface
 Crankshafts.
hardening.  Gears.
 Automotive components
 Thickness controled which require high core
by temperature and strength
time.
How to select the right surface hardening method
 Carburizing is the best method for low carbon steel.

 Nitriding is a lower distortion process than carburizing but it can
be used for certain type of steel such as chromium molybdenum
alloy steel.
 Flame hardening is preferred for heavy cases or selective
hardening of large machine components.
 Induction hardening works best on parts small enough and suitable
in shape to be compatible with the induction coil.
Thank You !!

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SURFACE HARDENING

EMM 2312– PHYSICAL METALLURGY II

 Surface Hardening is a process by which steel is given a hard, wear

 Surface hardening is usually done for the following reasons:

 To improve resistance to high contact stresses

 To improve fracture toughness

 To improve fatigue resistance

 To improve corrosion resistance

- cams - bearings - valves

- Gears - hand tools - rolls

- Shafts - machine tools - bearing races

 Surface hardening techniques can be classified into two major categories:

 Processes that change the surface chemical composition (case hardening or

 Processes that do not change the surface chemical composition (selective

 Nitriding is performed in a gas atmosphere

 Carbonitriding is performed at temperatures

 Quenching is done in a gas which is not as severe

 Parts to be heat-treated are so large as to make conventional furnace heating

 Better dimensional accuracy of a heat-treated part 4. Overall cost savings by

with ‘oxyacetylene’  Disadvantage

 Carburizing is the best method for low carbon steel.

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