Journal of Material Sciences & Engineering

Evaluation and Diffusion Assessment for Surface Hardening Processes

Abstract

Rajesh A and Venkatesh J

The ability of heat is to change or modify the physical and mechanical characteristics of metals is an important aspect of manufacturing. The heat treatment processes is generally adapted to the processing of carbon steels in the production field. The content of carbon in mild steel is less than 0.3% and it requires sufficient hardness on surface of a component. Because of the lack of carbon, the metals to be processed under the carburizing Process. The carburizing process is diffuses carbon in to the surface of heat treated components in an atmosphere controlled furnace. The purpose of carburizing is to increases the surface carbon content, on the surface region or case depth/layer. Fick’s law describes the instantaneous flow of diffusing atoms in the case layer. This case depth is controlled by the diffusion of carbon atoms through the surface layers of the work piece and achieves maximum hardness during subsequent quench hardening in the surface hardening. The major types of surface hardening processes are: carburizing, carbonitriding and induction hardening. The objective is to improve the surface properties of a component, mainly in the hardness on the surface. These surface/case hardening operations are quite important also to static and dynamic strength with wear and seizure properties. In this article focused to an evaluation of surface hardening and the effects of diffusion layer formation during the heat treatment process are to be studied and analyzed.