September 7, 2010

The Process of Nitriding in Relation to Wear Resistance, and Corrosion Resistance

The process of nitriding is one of the ‘youngest’ of the Surface Modification techniques, being 105 years old since the first patent was issued to Adolph Machlet of Elizabeth New Jersey.

The process of nitriding is perhaps the simplest of all of the surface treatment chemistries. However it is not the most understood of the surface treatments and its applications.

The process can be completed both under a controlled atmosphere condition or it can be accomplished under partial pressure conditions.

The process of nitriding has pioneered the structure of wear resistant surfaces and yet more importantly, the process will significantly enhance the corrosion resistance of the steel surface.

It is the intention of this presentation to demonstrate both the wear resistance and the corrosion resistance. It will further begin to open the doors for further low temperature diffusion techniques to once again improve corrosion and wear resistance.

Bio

David Pye is the president of Pye Metallurgical Consulting located in Meadville, Pennsylvania. He has been involved in heat-treatment since 1958 and has managed captive and commercial heat-treatment shops, developed heat-treatment facilities and metallurgical laboratories as well as being involved in furnace engineering. His early education and industrial experience was gained in the field of heat treatment and metallurgy in the British aircraft industry. He founded the Heat Treatment Specialist Division of the South African Institute of Foundrymen. (Now known as the South African Institute for Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering)

David relocated to the United States to work for Seco Warwick Furnace Company. He developed a technical center for plasma nitriding, metallurgical evaluation as well as sales of Plasma Nitriding equipment, vacuum furnaces, and was involved finally in plasma carburizing with high-pressure gas quenching (20bar) (using helium and nitrogen as the quench medium).

He is presently published in 12 books, contributed to the publication of Smethells Metals Reference book, authored ‘Practical Nitriding and Ferritic Nitro Carburizing’ (published by ASM), currently writing Practical Carburizing and Carbonitriding (to be published by ASM), authored a number of ASM training courses, and produced approximately 100 online presentations for the Metal Treating Institute in Florida. David is currently writing another 6 modules for The Metal Treating Institute in Florida to embrace Guidelines for Training and certification of Heat Treaters, for Compliance to ARP 1962 and AMS 2750.

He is an associate Professor at the Institute of Precision Mechanics in Warsaw, Poland on the subjects of surface treatments, including carburizing and nitriding.

David travels extensively, both domestically and internationally for Education, Consulting, Failure Evaluation, Material Selection, Surface Treatments, Brazing and all aspects of heat-treatment.