Thermal cementation treatments
Cementation is the formation of carbides on the surface of steel following the absorption of carbon present in the furnace atmosphere. The aim of these thermal treatments is to increase the surface hardness and so resistance to fatigue and wear.
The mixtures most commonly used industrially to produce carbon are based on carbon monoxide such as endothermic mixtures or use nitrogen and methyl alcohol, or acetylene for low-pressure cementation. SOL follows customers in the application of the various mixtures supporting them in all process phases, with:
- the supply of all technical gases, for example the nitrogen needed for the process (which may be mixed with methyl alcohol) or acetylene for vacuum furnaces;
- generators for producing on-site endothermic mixtures with SolMix® controlled carbon potential technology;
- Plant for stockage, distribution, mixing and injection of the mixtures in the furnace (e.g. lances for methyl alcohol);
- systems for analysing carbon potential and control of atmosphere;
- chemical analysis and metallography services.