Vacuum Nitriding Soft Spots

[geoffriong]

I am interested in possible solutions to soft spots that appear after a vacuum-nitriding process. What types of chemical or pre-treatments should be considered and/or avoided? What are other process failure modes that could cause soft spot? Assume that the base metal is within spec before going into the furnace but has gone through a wash operation. Thanks.

 

[metman]

What is the material composition and the specific Nitriding process? Is it possible that the time was cut short so that full coverage of the Nitriding was not accomplished? Typically Nitriding is a very long process. What is the total case depth at the hard spots?

Jesus is THE life,
Leonard

 

[JimMetalsCeramics]

Have you tried plasma nitriding?