Abstract: A method of forming metal parts or components from strip stock or roll stock without yielding is accomplished by first placing the part/components into fixtures that hold the stock in a non-yielding position therein. The fixture and metal stock parts are placed in a liquid, gas, or pack carburizing heat treatment process. Once the carburization process is complete, the part is released from the fixture with little or no spring back, maintaining the shape it was held in while in the fixture, resisting returning to its original shape, and optionally imparting spring-like qualities not associated with the stock before treatment.

Abstract: Components, such as gears and other power transmission components, are formed by near-net-forging a high strength, high toughness ferrous metal alloy, surface processing metal alloy to form a hardened surface region (28), and coating the surface region with a lubricious coating (84) as shown in FIG. 9.

Abstract: A conventional aluminum killed alloy steel for case hardening of gear(s) and/or shaft components consisting of 0.10 to 0.30 weight % Carbon, 0.15 to 0.35 weight % Silicon, 0.8 to 1.5 weight % Chromium, 0.6 to 1.5 weight % Manganese, 0.017 to 0.040 weight % Aluminum, and balance iron including impurities, produced by vacuum degassing and alike routes. Gear(s) and/or shaft components made by the above steel when treated by modified carbonitriding followed by hard shot peening process provide both superior bending fatigue strength and pitting fatigue life, capable of withstanding higher torque levels and speeds.

Abstract: High toughness, high strength alloys are thermochemically processed by performing concurrent bulk alloy heat treatment and surface engineering processing. The concurrent steps can include high temperature solutionizing together with carburizing and tempering together with nitriding.

Abstract: A vacuum carbonitriding method includes: performing a vacuum carburizing process on an object to be treated (a workpiece) in a heat treating furnace under reduced pressures by supplying a carburizing gas into the furnace that has been heated to a predetermined carburizing temperature; stopping supply of the carburizing gas while keeping the carburizing temperature so as to diffuse carbon in the workpiece under reduced pressures; and performing a nitriding process on the workpiece by supplying a nitriding gas into the furnace under reduced pressures after lowering the furnace temperature. Required heat treatment qualities such as surface hardness, effective case depth, toughness and the like can be achieved in a short time with reproducibility even in a case of workpiece made of low-grade steel or case-hardened steel.

Abstract: A rolling element for a continuously variable transmission, including a plurality of rolling members having rolling contact portions that come into rolling contact with each other via lubricating oil. At least one of the rolling contact portions includes an outer surface layer having a surface microhardness of not less than Hv 750, a surface residual compressive stress of not less than 1000 MPa and a residual austenite content of not more than 10% by volume.

Abstract: A method for treating a surface of a first component wherein at least a portion of the surface of the first component contacts a surface of a second component. The method includes forming a compound layer at at least a portion of the surface of the first component by a thermochemical diffusion treatment and isotropically finishing the at least a portion of the surface of the first component that contacts the surface of the second component.

Abstract: A method for high concentration carburizing and quenching of steel is provided which is carried out by a treatment process including the steps of carbonitriding the steel at temperatures of from about 800 to about 880° C., and subsequently quenching the steel at a temperature higher than the carbonitriding temperature. In the carbonitriding step, the steel is treated with carbon concentrations in a carburizing atmosphere taken as about 0.7 to about 1.2% and with 3 to 8% of ammonia gas (NH3) being added, for example. This dissolves network-like carbide in austenite and, when the austenite is transformed into martensite by quenching, distributes the dissolved carbide in the form of granules approximately uniformly in the martensite.

Abstract: A method for treating a surface of a first component wherein at least a portion of the surface of the first component contacts a surface of a second component. The method includes forming a compound layer at at least a portion of the surface of the first component by a thermochemical diffusion treatment and isotropically finishing the at least a portion of the surface of the first component that contacts the surface of the second component.

Abstract: For the purpose of improving wear-resistance and anti-seizing property of slide surfaces of machineries, such as outer slide surfaces of piston pins of vehicle engines, slide surfaces of iron or steel base materials of machineries are first processed by carburizing, then the carburized surfaces are plated with chromium, and next the chromium-plated surfaces undergo impulses by shot peening to produce lubricant-retaining cavities on the slide surfaces, which include fine cavities in the form of depressions in the chromium-plating layer and relatively large cavities produced by exfoliation of the chromium-plating layer.

Abstract: Multi-layer material for die cast tooling component includes a low to medium carbon steel with alloying amounts of vanadium, manganese and molybdenum, quenched to at least 10 Bar and nitrocarburized to achieve a multiple layer structure with at least an outside lubricious layer, retaining hardness in the core. The method for producing the multi-layer material includes alloying the core material, forming into desired net shape, quenching and nitrocarburizing. A high endurance die cast tooling component for use in tooling applications includes a core material of at least 80 percent by volume martensite with no more than 15 percent by volume of retained austenite with at least two surface layers for lubricity and endurance. The tooling components may include shot sleeves, plungers, plunger tips, bushings, and core pins.

Abstract: High surface pressure resistant steel parts and their producing methods are disclosed. These steel parts are useful as gears, cams, bearings and similar high-strength compact steel articles which are required to have wear resistance and strength to withstand fatigue in rolling or rolling-slipping applications. In a steel part formed according to the invention, a fine nitride and/or carbonitride having at least an average grain size of 0.3 &mgr;m or less is dispersed in the contact surface structure; a multi phase structure composed of martensite, which is divided into extremely fine pieces, forming a disordered shape, by the nitride and/or carbonitride, is formed; and a carbide having a grain size of 3 &mgr;m or less is dispersed to increase the hardness of the surface.

Abstract: A roller bearing which can sufficiently ensure an endurance life of rollers even under conditions where debris contamination and temperature rise are large. As the material for an outer ring, inner ring and tapered rollers, a steel in which the Si and-Mn contents are increased is used, and after it has been treated to carbo-nitriding, it is quenched to adjust the amount of retained austenite in the carbo-nitrided layer formed on the surface layer of each part to 20-50 vol %. Thus, it is possible to prevent surface peeling resulting from initiation and propagation of cracks,. thereby greatly improving the endurance life of the rolling bearing under conditions in which debris contamination or temperature rise at bearing portions is large.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating a free standing thin film of shape memory alloy material, and products made by the methods. A sacrificial layer of a metallic material is deposited onto the surface of a substrate. Then an amorphous shape memory alloy is sputter deposited onto the outer surface of the sacrificial layer. The sacrificial layer is etched away, leaving the thin film free standing, that is separated from the substrate. The thin film is annealed by heating into a crystalline state, with the annealing step carried out either after the film has been separated from the substrate, or while remaining attached to it.

Abstract: For easily producing a toothed material for high-strength gears etc. with a plastic working technique, deformation resistance occurring in plastic working is reduced and stable high precision plastic working is enabled at lower temperatures. One or more types of heat treatment selected from carburization, carbonitriding and nitriding and a hardening process are applied to an alloy steel material containing: iron as a main component; at least 1.0 to 4.5 wt % Si; 0.35 wt % or less C; and balance Fe and unavoidable impurities, whereby a rolling element is obtained which has a surface layer mainly composed of martensite containing no &agr;-Fe phase and of residual austenite and an inner structure cooled from an (&agr;+&ggr;)-Fe two phase region.

Abstract: The present invention is a unique sequential process for treating carbon and alloy steels to improve resistance to tribological stresses while reducing conventional processing time required to obtain articles having a similar hardness. This process comprises carburizing or carbonitriding the article, tempering the carburized or carbonitrided article, net-shaping (machining) the tempered article, and plasma (ion) nitriding the tempered article for a significantly reduced period of time versus conventional plasma (ion) nitriding.

Abstract: A method for improving the corrosion resistance, increasing the hardness, providing superior ductility, and reducing surface-cracking of a diffusion coating by nitriding and heating-treating the diffusion coating is disclosed. The nitriding and heat-treating may occur subsequently or simultaneously. Further, the disclosed method may be practiced subsequent to or incorporated as an intergral part of any known diffusion coating process which utilizes a heating step in a furnace having a cover gas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a power roller used for a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission. This power roller has on its first side a groove for receiving a bearing, and the surface of the groove (bearing surface) has a carbon concentration which is not lower than that of the back surface of a second side opposed to the first side. The power roller has a hardened outer layer having first and second portions which are respectively defined by the bearing surface and the back surface. The first portion of the hardened outer layer has an effective depth which is not shallower than that of the second portion thereof. The power roller is prepared by the sequential steps of surface-hardening, quenching, and grinding. The surface-hardening process is one of carburizing and carbonitriding.

Abstract: A method for shot peening a hard metal product that has a hardened surface. The method includes projecting shot on the hardened surface of the hard metal product. The ratio of the Vickers hardness of the shot to that of the hardened surface is 0.8-1.6, and the diameter of the shot is 30-250.mu..

Abstract: The adhesive strength and hardness of chromium nitride(CrN) film deposited on SKD 61 tool steel was significantly enhanced by a nitriding process on the surface the tool steel before coating with a CrN film. These nitriding processes included nitrocarburing, gas nitriding, and plasma nitriding, respectively. After nitriding, the surface of tool steel was repolishing with grits #600, #1000, #1800 of SiC grinding paper, as well as #1000 grinding paper and diamond paste, respectively. After repolishing, the CrN film was deposited by the cathodic arc ion plating deposition process at low temperatre of 200.degree. C. The present invention was related to the process modification for enhancing the adhesive strength and surface hardness of CrN film deposited on tool steels. This method included a nitriding process and a repolishing followed by the cathodic arc ion plating deposition.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing precision gears (10) including an initial step of providing a shaped workpiece (30.sub.S) defining a plurality of gear teeth (12) and, furthermore, defining a tooth space surface (68) defined by and between adjacent gear teeth (12). Next, a masking tool (60) is assembled in combination with the shaped workpiece (30.sub.S), which masking tool (60) includes a flexible back-plate (64) and plurality of compliant masking segments (62) bonded to and integrated by the flexible back-plate. Each of the compliant masking segments (62) defines a surface geometry (66) which is substantially complementary to the tooth space surface (68), and adjacent compliant masking segments (62) define an open-ended channel (70) therebetween. As assembled, the compliant masking segments (62) are forcibly urged into superposed engagement with the tooth space surfaces (68). In a subsequent step, a layer of masking material (28) is deposited on exposed surfaces of the shaped workpiece (30.sub.

Abstract: A method of producing a bevel gear is provided. The method comprises the steps of forging, from a case hardened and heated blank, a rough shaped bevel gear intermediate product having a toothed portion, outer burrs at a larger diameter end thereof and between adjacent teeth of the toothed portion, and a ring-shaped inner burr in a center hole thereof, setting the rough shaped bevel gear intermediate product in a trimming die during the time the rough shaped bevel gear intermediate product remains in an elevated temperature condition due to heat left therein after the step of forging, and trimming the outer burrs, and moving, after the step of trimming, the rough shaped bevel gear intermediate product from the trimming die to a sizing die in the vicinity of the trimming die and warm sizing the toothed portion in succession to the step of trimming.

Abstract: A nitrocarburization treatment for steel components, such as steel balls or ball bearings is disclosed. In the process, the balls are treated in a nitrocarburizing environment and then reoriented, either inside or outside of that environment to form an epsilon iron nitride layer having some thickness over the entire surface of the ball and no bare spots. The reorientation process minimizes superficial metal flow at the surface of the balls and achieves consistent corrosion resistance of at least 96 hours in salt fog tests. Further, components that are cooled in a non-oxidizing environment and then reoriented prior to being returned to the nitrocarburizing environment develop a greater porous layer depth, which provides excellent oil retention for tribological applications.

Abstract: Improved corrosion, wear and fatigue resistance is provided for pieces formed of medium alloy, low carbon steel by subjecting the piece to a treatment process which includes a step of carburizing, followed by nitriding. The process is especially useful for producing durable and low-cost steel parts, for example for certain automotive and marine applications, pumps (especially positive displacement pumps), chemical or food processing equipment, power tools, and the like. The blade-carrying reciprocating shaft for a reciprocating power saw is a specific example.

Abstract: The process serves for the manufacture of an erosion-resistant turbine blade which is preferably used in the low-pressure stage of a steam turbine and is made of a vanadium-containing (.alpha./.beta.)-titanium base alloy. This involves the formation, by remelt alloying of a blade section which is situated in the region of the blade tip and comprises the leading edge of the blade, in a boron-, carbon- and/or nitrogen-containing gas atmosphere, with the aid of a high-power energy source, of an erosion-resistant protective layer made of a titanium boride, titanium carbide and/or titanium nitride. The remelt alloyed blade section is subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature between 600.degree. and 750.degree. C. with the formation of a vanadium-rich .beta.-titanium phase.

Abstract: A cyaniding process, operating in a molten cyanide salt, and a nitriding process, operating in a Tufftride salt bath, can be utilized to modify the near-surface microstructure of Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The surface-hardened layers have been characterized with respect to their hardness and microstructure. The corrosion and wear performance can be both improved by cyaniding and nitriding.

Abstract: The present invention provides a steel sheet for press working that exhibits excellent stiffness and satisfactory press workability. The steel sheet for press working includes: a composition of C+N+B=0.007 to 1.0 wt % in a region from the surface of the steel sheet to a position of 5% of the thickness in a direction of the thickness in at least either of the surface layers; a pole intensity of [{321}+{211}]/{100}.gtoreq.1.2 in a vertical direction to the sheet surface realized at a 3% thickness position in the direction of the thickness from the surface; and a composition of C+N+B=0.010 wt % less than in the central portion 40% except for two 30% portions of the two surface layers in the direction of the thickness.

Abstract: In order to improve the corrosion resistance, carbonitrided components formed of ferrous material are treated, after an oxidation treatment, with a solution of a heat hardenable organic synthetic resin and heat-treated at 80.degree. to 200.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for nitrocarburizing ferrous materials, and the product thereof is described. Material to be treated is packed in a container with a triazine polymer, preferably melone, melem or melam and heated to 500.degree.-900.degree. C. for up to 120 minutes. After treatment the material can be oil quenched to produce a product having a diffusion layer and or a relatively thick hard nitrocarburized (outer) layer which is 40-200 3/4m thick and has a hardness in the range HV 400-1500.

Abstract: A method of hardening and flattening a viscous coupling plate generally combining a heat treatment process followed by roller leveling is disclosed. The heat treatment process produces an epsilon iron nitride surface layer of the desired hardness on the plate. Subsequent to the heat treatment, the plates are passed through a series of leveling rolls to produce a sufficiently flat plate. The flat rolling process can incorporate a single pass or multiple passes through the leveling rolls. The method of the present invention eliminates any distortion in the plates and brings them within any required flatness specifications, as well as producing viscous coupling plates that exhibit improved resistance to permanent deformation under operating conditions.