New Environmental-Friendly Developments and Applications of the Pulsed Plasma Heat Treatment Technology in the Field of Engine, Transmission and Power Train Engineering

The demands of the engine, transmission and power train industries concerning wear and corrosion resistance have increased in recent years. Conventional processes like carburizing and gas nitriding are facing their limits to some extent. Pulsed plasma nitriding is arousing more and more interest in these industries. The lifetime of components can be increased dramatically by the use of this surface treatment process due to the special layer composition it imparts. Pulsed plasma nitriding may also present economic benefits, as in many cases the final, very cost-intensive hard machining can be omitted. Furthermore, pulsed plasma nitriding has considerable environmental advantages compared to other heat treatment processes. It can be easily integrated into mechanical manufacturing, as there is no open flame and nearly no waste gas. This paper will show the essential findings that the Ruebig company has gained in the past few years in a joint testing program with the University of Wels and the Magna/Steyr company. Results concerning fatigue and wear resistance examined on different layer compounds will be presented. These examinations have been made especially for the field of gear and transmission industry.