Carbonitration of a tool for pressing stainless steel pipes

Abstract

To upgrade the operational stability of the tool at LLC “Karbaz”, Sumy, Ukraine, carbonation of tools and samples for research in melts of salts of cyanates and carbonates of alkali metals at 570–580 °C was carried out to obtain a layer thickness of 0.15–0.25 mm and a hardness of 1000–1150 НV. Tests of the tool in real operating conditions were carried out at the press station at LLC “VO Oscar”, Dnipro, Ukraine. The purpose of the test is to evaluate the feasibility of carbonitriding of thermo-strengthened matrix rings and needle-mandrels to improve their stability, hardness, heat resistance, and endurance. If the stability of matrix rings after conventional heat setting varies around 4–6 presses, the rings additionally subjected to chemical-thermal treatment (carbonitration) demonstrated the stability of 7–9 presses due to higher hardness, heat resistance, the formation of a special structure on the surface due to carbonitration in salt melts cyanates and carbonates. Nitrogen and carbon present in the carbonitrided layer slowed down the processes of transformation of solid solutions and coagulation of carbonitride phases. The high hardness of the carbonitrified layer is maintained up to temperatures above 650 °C. If the stability of the needle-mandrels after conventional heat treatment varies between 50–80 presses, the needles, additionally subjected to chemical-thermal treatment (carbonitration) showed the stability of 100–130 presses due to higher hardness, wear resistance, heat resistance, the formation of a special surface structure due to carbonitration in melts of salts of cyanates and carbonates.

Keywords

• needle-mandrel
• matrix ring
• pressing
• heat treatment
• carbonitration