Best Way to Harden Nitronic 1

[BrentonB]

hi there,
how is everyone? I just found the forum, get site!
heres my question,

We have an order to machine a part from Nitronic 50 and further harden them. What is the best way to cold work the steel? It must not deform aesthetically and improve yield strength and corrossion resistance. Im looking at Kolstering. Are there better options out there? Thank you.

Brenton

 

[TVP]

Kolsterising is about your only option, since Nitronic 50 does not respond to other thermal hardening processes, except nitriding. Roller burnishing will locally cold work (strain harden) the surface, so that may be an option too.

 

[BrentonB]

Ive been looking at Plasma Nitriding as well. Will this work well with Nitronic? Whats the difference in strength and wear resistance between kolsterising and plasma nitriding? Thanks TVP!

BrentonB

 

[EdStainless]

You can plasma nitride as well.
But you must take care that any process is at low enough temp that you don't form any Cr carbides in the material. This will seriously reduce corrosion resistance.

Are the parts from bar or sheet? If so try to get cold worked material to start with. It will machine fine.

Your customer should be dictating the hardening process and resulting properties. This should not be guess work.

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Plymouth Tube

 

[unclesyd]

You can purchase two forms of Nitronic 50 (22-13-5) that is standard, annealed, and high strength, cold worked.

I would go with liquid nitriding.

 

[maulidinbastian]

Kolstering and plasma nitriding can be used as both of them can improve the surface hardness and not produce chromium carbide. The best way for both processes is you should make sure the parameter still in the best range way.
Since nitrogen ions are made available by ionization, differently from gas or salt bath, plasma nitriding efficiency does not depend on the temperature. Plasma nitriding can thus be performed in a broad temperature range, from 260°C to more than 600°C. For instance, at moderate temperatures (like 420°C), stainless steels can be nitrided without the formation of chromium nitride precipitates and hence maintaining their corrosion resistance properties.