APPLICATION: Cost-effective nitriding
Canadian Plastics
While the process of nitriding to enhance wear and corrosion properties of parts and tools has been actively used for well over 50 years, it has only been in the past decade that a new commercial proc...
While the process of nitriding to enhance wear and corrosion properties of parts and tools has been actively used for well over 50 years, it has only been in the past decade that a new commercial process for “fine tuning” nitriding called Nitreg has become more widely used by molders and moldmakers for plastics molds.
Offered in Canada by Nitrex Metal Technologies (St.-Laurent, Que. and Burlington, Ont.), Nitreg offers a number of advantages in comparison to other nitriding processes, such as conventional gas nitriding, says Michael Larson, NMT Ontario sales manager. One advantage is that molds or parts treated by the Nitreg method have an outside surface or “white” layer which is less sizable and much less brittle than parts treated by conventional nitriding, notes Larson. This in turn means less secondary grinding and cleaning after treatment and lower costs. Also, the Nitreg process results in reduced part distortion in comparison to other nitriding processes.
“With Nitreg we load the furnace at ambient temperature and ramp up slowly,” says Larson. “This allows for equal heating, which reduces thermal shock and avoids embritllement.”
Larson says the Nitreg process is ideal for any mold in which wear-resistance or corrosion protection is a concern. Typical turn-around time after Nitrex receives a mold is two to four days, says Larson.
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