Carburizing heat treatment
Carburizing is the formation of carbides on the surface of steel following the absorption of carbon present in the furnace atmosphere. The aim of such treatment is to increase surface hardness and thus resistance to fatigue and wear.
The mixtures most commonly used industrially to produce carbon are based on carbon monoxide, such as endothermic mixtures, or employ nitrogen and methyl alcohol, or acetylene for low-pressure treatment. SOL follows customers in the application of the various mixtures, supporting them through all phases of the process through:
- the supply of all technical gases, for example the nitrogen needed for the process (which may be mixed with methyl alcohol) or acetylene for vacuum furnaces;
- generators for producing on-site endothermic mixtures with SolMix® controlled carbon potential technology;
- plant for the storage, distribution, mixing and injection of the mixtures in the furnace (e.g. lances for methyl alcohol);
- systems for analysing carbon potential and monitoring the atmosphere;
- chemical analyses and metallography services.