Ion Nitriding

Customer Needs

Machine tools such as drills, shapers and cutter heads are often hardened with a process called Ion Nitriding. The tools are placed in a vacuum furnace. A nitrogen gas is introduced and is exposed to an arc, which heats the nitrogen to 14000°F (7760°C). At this temperature the gas becomes ionized. The ions are aimed at the part and when the nitrogen ion strikes the part it is embedded into the surface. This makes the surface very hard.

The advantage of this process is the part is hardened at low temperatures, sometimes as low as 600°F (300°C). This prevents the part from becoming distorted during the hardening process. In addition the hardening does not change the metallurgical properties of the cutting tool because only the surface is affected. It is also much faster than older processes of hardening. The part temperatures are best measured with the Modline 3G or 36 series. Do not use a two color or a 1 micron instrument as the plasma will cause these instruments to indicate the wrong temperature. The window for the vacuum furnace should be quartz not Pyrex. As a side note, infrared thermometers cannot be used to measure the actual plasma temperature. The gas is basically transparent.

Features/Benefits

Product

• Modline 3 IR Thermometer
• Modline 3G or 36 Series.

Application

• Infrared thermometers provide an accurate part temperature, thermocouples, which are often used do not provide the actual product temperature.
• The thermometer prevents overheating the part which affects the metallurgical properties