What is Plasma Ion Nitriding?
Plasma ion nitriding is an industrial surface hardening treatment for iron-based materials. It is a highly controlled nitriding processes and offers many advantages compared with traditional salt bath and gas nitriding.
A plasma nitrided part most often requires no post-treatment or other finishing operations and can be ready for service directly after treatment.
Greener Alternative to Conventional Nitriding
Avoids the ammonia-based atmospheres used in conventional gas nitriding and the hazardous salt baths used in liquid nitriding.
Environmental & Safety Benefits
Reduces chemical handling and wastes associated with conventional nitriding processes.
Control the Nitrided Surface
The process permits close control of the nitrided surface, allowing precise control compound (white layer) formation.
Process parameters can be controlled to meet product requirements. Nitriding case depth, surface hardness, and compound layer thickness can be optimized.
Case Depth Control
Process parameters can be adjusted to develop nitrided case characteristics around application requirements.
Surface Hardness
Treatment can be optimized around the required surface hardness and material characteristics.
Compound Layer Control
Plasma processing allows control over compound layer formation depending on the desired surface properties.
Selective Hardening
Reusable masking can protect areas that do not require treatment while exposing critical working surfaces.
Low-Temperature Processing
Processing at relatively low temperatures helps minimize growth and dimensional distortion.
Repeatable Processing
Computer-controlled process recipes support consistent treatment across recurring production requirements.
How It Works
Vacuum & Heating
Parts are placed in a vacuum vessel and heated in an atmosphere of specialty process gases.
Ionization
High voltage is applied between the workpieces and furnace wall. As the process gases ionize, a glow discharge (“purple glow”) forms around the surface of the parts.
Ion Bombardment
High voltage ionizes the process gas, creating positively charged ions that accelerate toward and bombard the workpiece surface. This activates the surface and allows nitrogen to diffuse into the material, where it reacts with iron and alloying elements to form nitrides.
Nitriding
Over time, nitrogen diffuses into the material, forming hard nitrides and producing a smooth, hard, and dimensionally stable surface.
Repeatable Recipes
Voltage, gas mixture, pulse frequency, temperature, and time can be combined into custom process recipes and repeated for consistent results.
Benefits of Plasma Ion Nitriding
Extended Part Life
Improves component and tooling service life.
Selective Hardening
“Hard” masking or conventional
Fatigue Strength
Improves performance, endurance, and fatigue strength.
Improved Lubricity
Enhances surface lubricity and sliding characteristics.
Wear Resistance
For optimum wear resistance
Corrosion Protection
Provides improved resistance to corrosion and surface deterioration.
Minimal Distortion
Provides zero to minimal growth and dimensional distortion.
No Post-Machining
Parts generally require no additional mechanical finishing.
Process Control
Computer-controlled processing provides reproducible results.
Controlled White Layer
Compound zone thickness and phase can be precisely controlled.
A Greener Alternative
Avoids the ammonia-based atmospheres used in conventional gas nitriding and the hazardous salt baths used in liquid nitriding.
Typical Applications for Plasma Ion Nitriding
Improve the Performance of Your Parts
Contact JGS Nitriding to discuss your application and learn how plasma ion nitriding can improve hardness, wear resistance, fatigue strength, and service life.