When deciding which metal to use, hardness is one of the most important factors to Aluminum Extrusion take into account because wear resistance and indentation resistance are very important properties that metals possess. Surface hardening is a process that is frequently used to alter the surface hardness of metal products in order to ensure that the products have the correct level of hardness. In that case, what exactly is surface hardening?Surface hardening is a treatment method that refers to the process of hardening the surface layer of metal parts through the use of appropriate methods, while the core of the material still retains its strength and toughness.

The level of a part's wear and fatigue resistance can be significantly improved through the process of surface hardening. In today's lesson, I'll go over a few of the more common surface hardening processes. The process of quenching involves first heating the metal to extremely high temperatures and then rapidly cooling it. This is typically accomplished by submerging the material in oil or water or exposing it to a stream of cold air. The extremely rapid cooling, which follows the rapid heating, locks in the microstructural changes that take place as a result of the heating of the material, resulting in parts that are extremely hard.

The manufacturing of modern machinery makes extensive use of the quenching process due to its low cost, straightforward nature, and adaptability, all of which contribute to its popularity. The quenching process is used on almost all of the machinery's important components, particularly the steel components used in automobiles, airplanes, and rockets. The effect of quenching is readily apparent in steel or iron that has a sufficient amount of carbon content. When the amount of carbon in the material is low, additional processes such as nitriding and carburizing can be performed.

The term "nitriding treatment" refers to a chemical heat treatment process that involves penetrating the surface of a metal with nitrogen atoms while the metal is subjected to a specific temperature and medium. The process of nitriding, in which a layer of nitride with high hardness and resistance to corrosion is formed on the surface of the material, is typically carried out in a nitriding furnace. In general, there are three types of nitriding: ion nitriding, gas nitriding, and liquid nitriding. The shallowness of the hardened layer and the relatively low amount of heat lock cylinder machining treatment deformation are two of the most notable characteristics of the nitriding process. It is appropriate for use in components, such as shafts, that function under cyclical loads. When compared to quenching, there is a significantly lower chance of the material deforming.

Carburizing is when steel parts with a low carbon content are heated in a carburizing medium. This causes carbon atoms to penetrate the surface of the steel, which, after being quenched, results in an increase in the carbon content of the surface layer as well as an increase in the steel's hardness. The external carbon source can take the form of a gas, liquid, or solid depending on the specific requirements of the application. Carburizing is most commonly utilized for components that are subject to wear, bending stress, and impact load. Some examples of these components include shafts, gears, camshafts, and other similar components. These components call for a high level of hardness on the surface, in addition to adequate strength and toughness throughout the core.

In a manner analogous to nitriding, the heating temperature is typically Medical CNC Machining lower, which decreases the likelihood that the material will become deformed. Surface hardening causes the metal to produce a surface that is resistant to wear and tear; as a result, the wear resistance and fatigue resistance of the parts are significantly improved. At the same time, the soft core is maintained so that it possesses good toughness and strength and is resistant to the impact loads that are applied to it.

Processing precision mechanical parts using vibration has a number of advantages.

One type of CNC machining is called vibration cutting, and its benefits include a reduced amount of cutting force, a lower cutting temperature, simplified chip removal, and an extended life for the cutting tool. The tool life can generally be extended by several times to dozens of times if the vibration parameters are properly selected. This is something that is difficult to achieve in materials and processing operations that are difficult to machine. The ultrasonic vibration cutting test performed on stainless steel with carbide tools revealed that the test produced a tool life that was 20 times greater than that produced by conventional cutting methods. By extending the life of the tool, one can save on tool materials, cut down on auxiliary time, cut down on the cost of processing precision mechanical parts, improve production efficiency, and improve processing quality.

When the blade is being used for normal cutting, it is continually pressed against the inclined surface of the tool, creating a zone that is both high in temperature and high in pressure. Because it is difficult for the cutting fluid to enter the cutting area, its role in cooling the tool is limited to being indirect and can only take place around the tool. During a process known as vibratory cutting, the tip of the tool is cooled and lubricated by cutting fluid while the cut itself is intermittent and the tool is kept at a distance from the precision part. The cavitation that is caused by ultrasonic vibration cutting, in particular, emulsifies the cutting fluid to form particles that are uniformly emulsified. This takes place during the cutting process. On the other hand, the cutting fluid is able to easily penetrate the cracks in the material, which further improves the use effect of the cutting fluid and chip removal conditions, and ultimately results in an improvement in the processing quality of precision mechanical parts.

During the process of vibration cutting, the tool vibrates in accordance with the sinusoidal law. This causes it to leave behind on the machined surface a pattern of small tool marks that are analogous to the fancy pattern left behind during the second round of reprocessing. On the processing surface of precision mechanical parts, a variety of patterns are evenly distributed, which is conducive to the formation of a thick oil film during operation and improves the wear resistance of sliding friction. This film helps to prevent wear and tear on the part. When using vibration cutting, there is very little residual stress, the processing conversion layer is very thin, and there is very little processing deformation close to the cutting edge. Tests for corrosion and cutting have demonstrated that the wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the surface of the workpiece that is processed by vibration cutting is close enough to the ground to ensure that the processing accuracy of precision mechanical parts is not compromised.