Pindkõvastamist

Pindkõvastamist refers to a group of surface hardening heat treatment processes used to increase the hardness, wear resistance, and fatigue strength of a metal's surface while maintaining a softer, more ductile core. This differential hardening is achieved by altering the composition or microstructure of the surface layer.

There are several methods of pindkõvastamist. Case hardening, such as carburizing and nitriding, involves diffusing elements like carbon or nitrogen into the surface of a steel part. Carburizing introduces carbon at high temperatures, which then reacts with the iron to form hard carbides. Nitriding involves exposing steel to ammonia gas at elevated temperatures, leading to the formation of hard nitride compounds. Induction hardening and flame hardening are methods that use localized heating to rapidly raise the surface temperature to the critical point, followed by quenching. This rapid heating and cooling creates a hardened martensitic structure on the surface.

The choice of pindkõvastamist method depends on the material being treated, the desired surface properties, and the intended application. These processes are crucial in manufacturing for components like gears, shafts, bearings, and cutting tools, where high surface durability is essential for performance and longevity.