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AssigneeECM Technologies
InventorsPhilippe Lapierre, Jerome Lardinois
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The invention relates to a carbonitriding facility (IC) which includes: a heating chamber (CC), for heating at least one steel part (PA) to a first temperature, in the presence of a neutral gas and under a selected pressure; a first enriching chamber (CE1) for enriching the heated part with nitrogen, by nitriding same in a-phase at a second temperature no higher than the first temperature; a second enriching chamber (CE2) for enriching the nitrogen-enriched part with carbon, by carburising same at a third temperature higher than the second temperature; a quench chamber (CT) for quenching the nitrogen- and carbon-enriched part under pressure; a transfer airlock (ST) communicating with the chambers and suitable for temporarily receiving the part in a controlled atmosphere; and transfer means (MT) for transfer-ring the part from one chamber to another chamber via the transfer airlock (ST).
A method for carbonitriding at least one steel part, wherein the method comprises a first step in which said at least one steel part is heated to a first selected temperature in an environment containing an inert gas and under a selected pressure;
A facility for carbonitriding steel parts, wherein the facility comprises i) at least one heating chamber suitable for heating at least one steel part at a first selected temperature in an environment containing an inert gas and under a selected pressure, ii) at least one first enrichment chamber capable of nitrogen enriching the at least one steel part by nitriding in a-phase at a second selected temperature less than or equal to the first temperature, iii) at least one second enrichment chamber capable of carbon enriching said at least one steel part (PA) by carburizing at a third selected temperature appropriately higher than the said second temperature, iv) at least one quenching chamber suitable for quenching said at least one steel part under pressure, v) a transfer lock communicating in a controlled manner with each of said chambers and adapted to temporarily accommodate said at least one steel part in a controlled atmosphere, and vi) a transfer means adapted to transfer said at least one steel part from one chamber to another chamber via said transfer lock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.