Advantages of CFC fixtures when case hardening in automotive construction

The usable installed plant capacity and required component quality were the motivation behind the decision of industrial partner Gruppe HEAT Holding GmbH in Herzberg, Germany, to innovate in the contract heat treatment of automotive special drive components, adopting a new approach to charging. The number of case hardened components per furnace campaign is to be increased without changing the existing furnace capacity. On the basis of existing experience with CFC, a CFC fixture was used for case hardening via gas carburizing with oil quenching. The output was almost doubled compared with the cast metal fixture. It is particularly advantageous to have a comprehensive assessment of the added value: from the reduced staff workload and greater process safety to the additional heat treatment capacity obtained