The Heat Treat Doctor

Daniel H. Herring | 630-834-3017 | heattreatdoctor@industrialheating.com

Atmosphere Gas Carburizing

Case Studies, Lessons Learned (Part 1)

e begin with an interesting tale of what happens

if we naively follow along. Just ask the four
p
young
Oysters who become enthralled with the
y
seemingly
idle chatter of the Walrus and the
se
Carpenter, ending up as the main course at dinner.
The time has come, the Walrus said,
To talk of many things:
Of shoes and ships and sealing wax
Of cabbages and kings
And why the sea is boiling hot
And whether pigs have wings.
The Walrus and the Carpenter, Louis
Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass
and What Alice Found There, 1872.

Atmosphere gas carburizing is a process so familiar to most heat

treaters it is too often taken for granted. We trust our oxygenprobe readings to keep us safe, and we expect the outcome of the
process to never change. But occasionally we get in trouble, and
when we do, valuable lessons emerge. Lets learn more.
We will start by looking at various external and internal factors
that can affect the carburizing process, uncover issues related to
process and/or equipment variability, discover where the pitfalls
might lie and talk about what we can do to avoid them.

a given design is an invaluable aid when things go wrong.

Part geometry and orientation factors. We need to ask ourselves
questions such as, How much space should be left between parts?
and Is random loading (Fig. 1) or nesting possible or even prudent?
For example, bearing races of various diameters a typical
volume-limited load conguration are often nested inside one
another, producing an optically dense workload that is difcult
to uniformly heat in many cases. In this instance, the cycle must
be adjusted to allow enough time for the interior parts to reach
temperature. Here, the furnace fan (type, speed, rotational direction, location) plays a signicant role in the heating process.
Fasteners are another example of where random loading in either
continuous or batch-type (Table 1) units is most often used to
handle the sheer volume of parts to be run. In this case, atmosphere penetration throughout the load, cleanliness of the parts
Table 1. Part surface area to load-size relationship for typical
integral-quench furnaces
Load Size (width length height)
mm (inches)

Maximum Part Surface Area

m2 (ft2)

600 x 900 x 600 (24 36 24)

16.723.2 (180250)

760 x 1200 x 760 (30 48 30)

27.937.2 (300400)

900 x 1200 x 900 (36 48 36)

37.246.4 (400500)

900 x 1800 x 900 (36 72 36)

58.067.4 (625725)

Table 2. Part spacing requirements for typical batch loading

Part Loading
Many times, variation in case depth and other carburizing problems can be traced back to how parts are loaded in baskets and xtures. Loading arrangements generally fall into one of two broad
categories: weight-limited or volume-limited. In either case, when
loading parts in furnace baskets or onto racks, our rst instinct
is to maximize loading efciency. However, as heat treaters must
also be concerned with proper part spacing (i.e. positioning parts
within the load for optimal heat transfer), atmosphere circulation,
temperature uniformity and heat extraction during quenching (to
minimize distortion). And while trial and error is often the most
prudent path, we must also take into consideration:
Furnace-induced factors (often a function of the style of furnace in use). Being aware of the process limitations induced by

Part Diameter

Horizontal Spacing
(inside)

Vertical Spacing
(inside)

mm

inches

mm

inches

mm

inches

) 25

)1

619

0.250.75

1319

0.50.75
0.751

2550

12

1338

0.51.5

1925

5075

23

1957

0.752.25

2538

11.5

75100

34

5775

2.253

3850

1.52

* 100

*4

* 75

*3

* 50

*2

entering the furnace and allowing adequate time at temperature

are considerations that must be factored into the process. If parts
are not bulk loaded, a good rule of thumb is that the gap around
a part should be no less than 25% and no greater than 75% of the
parts envelope diameter (Table 2).

This month we begin a podcast conversation called the IH Monthly Prescription with The Heat Treat Doctor. Every month,
Dan Herring sits down with IHs editor, Reed Miller, to talk technical. If you have a topic you would like
them to discuss, drop us an e-mail at reed@industrialheating.com. Find the podcast on our website
or use the Mobile Tag on page 26. IH Monthly Prescription is sponsored by SECO/WARWICK Corp.

24 September 2012 - IndustrialHeating.com

Possible decarburization
or retained austenite
HRC 60
Required

Hardness

HRC 50

Case too lean or

tempered too high
Case depth

Fig. 1. Example of random loading of fasteners on

a mesh belt prior to carbonitriding

Fig. 2. Internal furnace contamination sodium

deposits in the form of a glassy coating

Part Cleaning
Although atmosphere gas carburizing demands only a moderate
level of cleanliness (compared to many other processes or industries), contamination, such as cutting oils and residues left on
parts, can cause signicant problems both in our equipment (Fig. 2)
and on the parts themselves. Carburizing and carbonitriding tend
to be far more forgiving with respect to the amount of contamination (e.g., oils, water, cleaning residues, etc.) that can be tolerated
without interfering with case development and the quality of the
resultant microstructure. Still, it is important to remember that
cleaning must be done to at least a level appropriate for the intended application.
Carburizing Process Problems and Their Solutions
Inadequate Case Depth
Not achieving the desired case depth (Fig. 3) can be due to a number of factors, some of which are carburizing at too low a carbon
potential (i.e. too lean a furnace atmosphere), partial or complete
decarburization of the part surface from air inltration due to a
leaky furnace, processing at the wrong temperature perhaps due
to malfunctioning or improperly located thermocouples, retained
austenite in the case region or a slack quench.
Steps that can be taken to correct these maladies include increasing the carburizing potential of the furnace atmosphere (particularly if boost/diffuse carburizing is being performed), changing

Areas without case

Fig. 4. Damaged gear teeth due to lack of adequate carburization

26 September 2012 - IndustrialHeating.com

Fig. 3. Low case hardness[3]

the carburizing process (e.g., carburizing and slow cooling followed by a subcritical anneal prior to reheat and quench), subzero
treatments and selecting the proper tempering temperature.
Shallow Case or No Case Depth
Producing shallow case depth or areas where there is no case development points to incomplete surface preparation prior to carburizing, the presence of surface contaminants or possibly the misapplication of selective carburization methods (i.e. stop-off paints or
poorly adhering copper plate). Another area of concern is how the
parts are being received from upstream operations. Dirty dunnage
and suspect transport methods may add a level of contamination
(e.g., rust) that is unacceptable to the carburizing process.
Solutions to these problems include controlling the cleaning
process, cleaning the parts washer as well as replacing its solution
on a frequent basis, and handling parts with clean gloves.
Coming Up
In part 2, we will discuss problems associated with retained austenite, decarburizing/de-alloying, intergranular oxidation, case
leakage, case cracking/separation, case crushing, untempered/
tempered martensite effects and other issues. IH
References
1. Herring, D. H., How to Load Parts in Furnace Baskets, Heat Treating
Progress, November/December 2003.
2. Herring, D. H., Its Time to Clean Up Our Act!, Industrial Heating,
January 2008.
3. Weires, Dale J., Gear Metallurgy, Effective Heat Treating and Hardening of Gears Seminar, SME Short Course, 2007.
4. Mr. Darwin Behlke, Twin Disc, Inc., private correspondence.

Go directly to this months podcast

by using this Mobile Tag.

The Heat Treat Doctor

Daniel H. Herring | 630-834-3017 | heattreatdoctor@industrialheating.com

Atmosphere Gas Carburizing

Case Studies, Lessons Learned (Part 2)

e continue the discussion started last month on

aatmosphere carburizing, namely the problems
w
we encounter in the heat-treat shop and the
so
solutions
that must be implemented to achieve
f l outcome. Lets learn more.
a successful

Carbides and Carbide Necklaces

The formation of grain-boundary (i.e.
massive) carbides and carbide necklaces
(Fig. 1) has been the subject of a great deal
of study but one that is directly related to
process variables that are out of control.
These include too high a carbon potential
of the atmosphere during the boost portion
of the cycle, insufcient diffusion time,
too short a soak time at temperature and
hardening from too low a temperature, to name a few.
Fortunately, the formation of carbides can be minimized by steps
such as controlling the carbon potential, adding more diffusion
time to the recipe and changing the hardening temperature (or
time). This is one of the reasons metallurgists are so concerned
about verifying the oxygen (carbon) probe readings by use of a
three-gas analyzer to determine the actual CO value, performing
shim-stock testing to determine actual surface carbon and taking
dew-point measurements to compare with historical information.
Retained Austenite
Austenite that does not transform to martensite upon quenching
is called retained austenite (RA). RA occurs when steel is not
quenched to its M f (martensite nish) temperature (i.e. low
enough to form 100% martensite). Since the M f drops below

Fig. 1. Bearing race corner exhibiting

retained austenite (white areas)

room temperature in alloys containing more than 0.30% carbon,

signicant amounts of untransformed (retained) austenite may be
present, intermingled with martensite at room temperature (Fig. 2).
Causes for high percentages of RA include a carbon potential
that is too high and direct quenching from carburizing
temperature. Leaning out the carbon potential, slow cooling
followed by a sub-critical anneal (optional), and reheating and
quench from a lower hardening temperature are solutions as well
as introducing a subzero treatment, typically in the range of -62
to -100C (-80 to -150F).
RA is problematic because it is metastable. Stress, elevated
temperature or time will cause RA to transform into untempered
martensite. In addition, a volume change (increase) accompanies
this transformation and induces a great deal of internal stress in a
component, increasing the likelihood of cracking.
Decarburization and Dealloying
If a steel part is exposed to elevated temperatures in the presence
of air (Fig. 3), carbon will be depleted from the surface of the part
(i.e. decarburization) and/or alloying elements such as manganese
and chromium will be oxidized at the surface (i.e. dealloying).
These effects generally occur when air leaks are present in the
equipment, an improper carbon potential (too low) is used during
the hardening process for the alloy in question, when preheating
in air prior to loading into a protective atmosphere furnace is
done above 370C (700F), or when parts are hardened without
adequate atmosphere protection.
Proper furnace maintenance, including checking radiant
tubes for pinhole leaks and periodic pressure testing, combined
with proper atmosphere control typically eliminate equipment
variables related to this problem. Copper plating or selective

Fig. 2. Bearing race corner exhibiting

retained austenite (white areas)

Fig. 3. Total decarburization on a steel part

surface

This month we begin a podcast conversation called the IH Monthly Prescription with The Heat Treat Doctor. Every month,
Dan Herring sits down with IHs editor, Reed Miller, to talk technical. If you have a topic you would
like them to discuss, drop us an e-mail at reed@industrialheating.com. Find the podcast on our
website. IH Monthly Prescription is sponsored by Praxair.

16 October 2012 - IndustrialHeating.com

Intergranular Oxidation
Intergranular oxidation (IGO) and intergranular attack (IGA) are commonly associated
with oxygen present during the carburizing
portion of the cycle. In atmosphere carburizing,
some IGO/IGA is unavoidable, typically 0.013
mm (0.0005 inches) or less, but can negatively
affect mechanical properties such as bending
fatigue life.
Corrective action involves improved
atmosphere control, being sure that the furnace
is leak-free and/or switching to an alternative
carburizing method such as low-pressure
"vacuum" carburizing. Post-heat-treatment
solutions often involve grinding of the surface
to remove this effect.
Low Case Hardness
Low hardness in the carburized case (Fig. 4)
is often caused by carburizing with a carbon
potential that is too lean, higher than normal
amounts of RA, partial decarburization, a slack
quench or over tempering. The surface-hardness
drop can typically be corrected by using one of
the following methods: increasing carburizing
boost time (e.g., higher carbon potential in the
atmosphere); carburizing, slow cooling, subcritical annealing (optional), reheating and
quenching from a lower hardening temperature;
introducing a subzero treatment; and/or
selecting the correct tempering temperature.
Selected Carburization and Case
Leakage
During carburizing, a variety of stop-off paints
and/or copper-plating methods (i.e. masking
techniques) may be used to selectively carburize
certain component areas. If these techniques
prove faulty, the carburizing atmosphere can
leak under the protective layer. Causes include
surface contamination or improper surface preparation (i.e. oils, greases, dirt remaining on the
surface) leading to blisters or irregularities; inadequate drying time; attempting to paint in too
high a relative humidity atmosphere; improper
copper-plating methods (e.g., adherence issues
such as aky surfaces, too thin a layer of copper); and overly aggressive blasting after plating.
Selecting the proper stop-off technique and
material for the job, preparing surfaces properly,
18 October 2012 - IndustrialHeating.com

HRC
60

Possible decarburization or
retained austenite
Required

HRC
50
Hardness

stop-off paints (if used) must be adherent and

properly applied.

Case too lean

or tempered
too high

Case Depth

Fig. 4. Low case hardness

Fig. 5. Case/core separation in a gear tooth

allowing adequate drying time, performing a low-temperature bake at 150C (300F),

using controlled cleaning (after and prior to carburizing) and baking of parts after
copper plating will ensure a proper outcome. When post-nital-etch checking of gears,
for example, suspect areas appear as irregular, dark-gray indications in an area that
should be light gray in appearance.
Case Cracking/Case Separation/Case Crushing
Occasionally, cracks (Fig. 5) are found to occur within the case (typically originating
in the sub-surface). This phenomenon is known as case/core separation (or case
cracking/case separation) and often leads to case crushing (Fig. 6) the inability of
the case to support the applied load. In gears, this is not to be confused with pitting,
a form of surface fatigue failure of a gear tooth. Microcracking near massive carbides
is also reported to cause case cracking.
Case/core separation is often due to improper part geometry (e.g., thin and thick
sections on the same component) and/or carburizing to a case depth that is too deep.
Eliminating high carbon concentrations at edges and in corners, allowing adequate
stock allowance (for possible post-heat-treat material removal) and selecting the
proper carburized case depth are all ways to help eliminate this phenomenon.
Tempering Effects
The question is often asked of a carburized part, should the tempering temperature be
selected to achieve the targeted hardness in the case, the core or both? As it turns out,
the case is much more sensitive to the tempering temperature selected than the core.
Tempering temperature, time at temperature and, in some instances, cooling rate
after tempering are important factors to consider. The goal is to produce a temperedmartensite structure in the carburized-case region while maintaining proper surface
hardness.
Other Issues
For the most part, the problems with atmosphere carburizing are well known as are
their solutions. It is the enemy we know, which is somehow a comforting thought.
Control of process- and equipment-induced variables combined with a robust qualityassurance program will avoid the problems discussed here as well as others that might
arise.
So, there you have it. Enough information about carburizing problems/solutions
to avoid the pitfalls of taking the process for granted and assuming nothing can
go wrong. Remember, the old oyster in the oyster bed remained where he was and
didnt wander off with the Walrus and the Carpenter. Experience kept him off the
dinner table. IH
References and Fig. 6 available online