Scroll compressor and method for manufacturing an oldham ring therefor

A method of manufacturing an Oldham ring for an enclosed scroll compressor comprising:

• a compression mechanism comprising a fixed scroll, an orbiting scroll, an Oldham ring and fixing member, and a motor for driving said orbiting scroll in an orbiting motion for compressing a refrigerant between said fixed scroll and said orbiting scroll,
• said refrigerant including at least one of Hydro-Fluoro-carbon and Fluoro-carbon, each one of said Hydro-Fluoro-carbon and said Fluoro-carbon having less lubricity than a refrigerant including Chloro-Fluoro-carbon and Hydro-Chloro-Fluorocarbon,
• said Oldham ring supporting said orbiting scroll to allow said orbiting scroll to make an orbiting motion without rotating about said fixed scroll when said orbiting scroll is driven by said motor,
• said fixing member supporting said Oldham ring so as to move said Oldham ring, and
• said Oldham ring sliding on both said fixing member and said orbiting scroll,
• said method comprising the steps of:
• reforming the surface of said Oldham ring to form a reformed surface layer on the surface of said Oldham ring with a material that is different than the material used to form said fixing member and said orbiting scroll,
• wherein said step of forming a reformed surface on the surface of said Oldham ring is carried out by steam treating the surface of said Oldham ring to form an oxide film layer on the surface of said Oldham ring, and
• also forming a nitride film layer on said oxide film layer by nitriding said oxide film layer with an ammonia gas.