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Carburizing is a thermochemical process that enriches the steel surface with carbon to improve hardness, strength and wear resistance. 

Parts are heated above the AC3 temperature in a controlled carburizing atmosphere and maintained for a defined time to achieve the desired case depth.

Carbonitriding is a related process in which both carbon and nitrogen diffuse into the surface. Nitrogen is typically supplied by ammonia, increasing hardenability, heat resistance and wear performance.
After carburizing or carbonitriding, parts are quenched (gas, salt, oil or water) to harden both surface and core. The higher carbon content at the surface improves achievable hardness and increases mechanical resistance.

Nitriding is a thermochemical treatment in which nitrogen diffuses into the surface of steel to increase hardness, wear resistance and fatigue strength.

Nitrocarburizing is a related process that introduces both nitrogen and carbon into the surface by adding propane or methane. 

The Nitrding treatment depth is time- and temperature-dependent, and the process is carried out under a controlled atmosphere. Specific nitriding steels allow the formation of hard nitrides (ε, γ’).

The nitriding process typically produces a two-layer structure: a compound layer and a diffusion layer, whose formation depends on the nitriding potential.

Nitrocarburizing reduces cycle time and allows greater control of layer composition.
Temperature for nitriding processes generally ranges from 490 °C to 560 °C, depending on material and desired layer characteristics.

Tempering is performed after hardening to balance hardness and toughness in steel components. 

Because hardened parts are highly hard but brittle, tempering reduces hardness, increases ductility and stabilizes mechanical properties. Temperature control during tempering is essential to achieve the desired final performance.

The required tempering temperature depends on the steel grade and the target hardness. After tempering, the microstructure becomes tempered martensite, offering the desired compromise between mechanical strength and hardness.
Depending on alloying elements, certain steels—such as maraging steels—can even gain hardness during tempering.

Brazing is a metal-joining process in which components are assembled using a filler metal whose melting point is lower than that of the base materials. 

Unlike welding, the base metal does not melt: only the filler alloy liquefies and flows by capillarity into the joint, creating a strong, sealed and durable bond. Brazing is ideal for precision assemblies requiring mechanical strength and minimal distortion.

Brazing temperatures typically range from 180 °C to 1200 °C, with the most common industrial applications between 450 °C and 1100 °C. Depending on the filler metal and material requirements, the process can be carried out under:

• Neutral atmospheres (N₂, Ar)
• Reducing atmospheres (H₂)
• Controlled multi-gas protective atmospheres

These controlled conditions prevent oxidation and ensure clean, high-quality joints.

Normalizing is a heat treatment used to refine steel microstructures and restore their mechanical balance.

The process consists of heating the material above the AC3 critical temperature, followed by cooling in still air. This transformation converts austenite into a fine ferrito-pearlitic structure with improved mechanical properties.

Normalizing improves grain structure, enhances homogeneity and relieves internal stresses introduced during forming, machining or forging.

Typical normalizing temperatures are approximately 50 °C above AC3, followed by controlled air cooling to achieve a uniform microstructure.

Quenching is the final and critical step of the hardening process.

After heating above the AC3 critical temperature, parts are rapidly cooled below the martensitic finish temperature (Ms). This transformation of austenite into martensite leads to a significant increase in hardness and mechanical strength.

Quenching can be performed in various media—gas, salt, oil, water or air—each offering a specific cooling rate and operating window. Selecting the right quenching medium is essential to obtain a fully martensitic structure while avoiding undesirable mixed phases such as pearlite or bainite.

The vacuum furnace enables high-quality thermal treatments under vacuum or inert-gas conditions. 

Its capabilities include hardening, tempering, brazing, stress-relief, ageing, or solubilization. With precise atmosphere isolation and controlled heating/cooling, parts exit the process bright, clean, and dimensionally consistent.

This solution is ideal for manufacturers, laboratories and heat-treaters working with small to medium batches of high-value components requiring top-tier surface quality, stability, and process traceability — such as tooling, aerospace parts, medical devices, watch components, AM components, and specialty alloys.