Beta-Control in carburizing, ways to cut heat treating costs

Let's face the fact, energy costs and gas prices are steadily increasing. Besides labor this is the major factor in staying competitive in heat treating. Relatively small changes to your equipment will provide a way out of this constant pressure. The article will show how a more sophisticated way of controlling the carrier gas composition paired with a carbon potential control based on a mathematical model can cut down both, treatment time and gas consumption, therefore the all over costs will decrease. In addition, modifying the carrier gas composition during a treatment also changes the carbon transfer coefficient, leading to a distinct speed in bringing carbon into and out of the material. This enables faster and easier to reach the desired surface properties in carburizing as well as in neutral hardening and minimizing unwanted effects like intergranual oxidation.