New method for strengthening surfaces of heat treated steel parts

Abstract

There is described a method for strengthening surfaces of heat-treated steel parts, which includes technological procedures of carburizing by electroerosive alloying process (CEEA) and also nitriding processes. The nitriding process is simultaneously carried out with the CEEA operation for a period of time sufficient to saturate the surface layer of a part with nitrogen to the depth of a heat-affected zone. Thus, the process of so-cold nitro-carburizing process performed by the EEL method (NCEEA) takes place. To reduce a surface roughness, the NCEEA process is carried out in at least two stages, with a decreasing a discharge energy value at each subsequent stage.