Acetylene carburising
Acetylene carburising
Keywords BOC Gases,Furnaces
In what is thought to be a first of its kind, BOC Gases is supplying acetylene for a carburising process recently installed at GKN Westland Aerospace Transmissions in Yeovil, Somerset,to strengthen the company's comprehensive treatment capability.
The acetylene will be used in a vacuum furnace for a low pressure carburising process (vacuum carburising)which produces a hard, wear resistant surface layer without interfering with the toughness of the core of the components. The GKN WAe vacuum furnace is novel in that it is capable of low pressure and plasma carburising. It will provide greater control over quality during carburising and reduce lead times. The furnace has two chambers: the first a heating chamber used for carburising, and the second a chamber for gas and oil quenching.
As part of the contract,BOC will also be supplying liquid nitrogen, argon, propane and hydrogen to GKN WAe. These gases are also used in the carburising process the nitrogen and argon as a purge and high volume quench gas and the high purity propane as a carburising medium for the plasma process.
The ever increasing demands placed on components by technical advances in such industries as aeronautical and automotive mean that more sophisticated and reliable processes have superseded conventional processes. In many transmission applications,conventional materials or processes cannot meet the need for superior wear and fatigue resistance at higher and higher gearbox temperatures. Vacuum and plasma carburising meet these requirements and are economical, ecologically acceptable and produce optimum results.
BOC Gases has been one of GKN's preferred suppliers for many years, supplying industrial gases for conventional heat treatment processes at Yeovil. Over the past three years, GKN Westland Aerospace Transmissions has been extremely successful in securing contracts in new markets by applying its core helicopter technologies to civil aeroengines. Investments in manufacturing and design technologies have been a major feature of the company's continuing development.
Further information contact The BOC Group. Tel: +44 (0) 1483 244116; E-mail: press@uk.gases.boc.com
