New Plasma Nitriding Capacity
With manufacturing rebounding post-pandemic, demand for plasma nitriding in aerospace, automotive, motorsport, and other industries is surging. To meet this need, Wallwork Group is expanding capacity by adding two new Rübig plasma nitriding furnaces, with the first set to arrive in August.
Wallwork director, Simeon Collins, explained, “This is a further £650K investment by the group, this time in our Cambridge plasma nitriding centre, increasing the existing capacity to six operational plasma nitriders, providing 24/7 processing. We are also adding a new dedicated area for inspection of case depth, structure and other quality aspects of the nitriding process.”
The Rübig Micropuls Everest plasma nitrider is a top choice, featuring three heating and cooling zones with precise component temperature monitoring. Its blast chiller cuts process times, while optimized filling and energy efficiency lower operating costs.
Overview
Nitriding is a heat treatment process enhancing wear resistance in parts like gears, camshafts, valves, aero-engine components, dies, and injectors. Using the advanced Rübig nitrider, plasma-cracked nitrogen penetrates the surface, creating a precisely controlled case-hardened layer tailored to specific requirements. Wallwork also designs and manufactures custom physical masking to protect surfaces not intended for hardening, ensuring optimal precision and quality.
“The process has the major advantage of being relatively cool compared with other heat treatment methods. Importantly, this means the dimensions and characteristics of the base metal are not compromised. Also, it is ideally suited for low temperature plasma nitriding of stainless steels as it minimises potential loss of corrosion resistance in the metal which could compromise its use in harsh environments,” Simeon added.
Plasma nitriding leaves no chemical residues, making it ideal for follow-up PVD coatings to enhance wear resistance in high-load applications. At Wallwork Cambridge, customers benefit from both advanced plasma nitriding and PVD coating technologies under one roof. Supported by a dedicated UK-wide transport fleet for efficient pick-up and delivery, Wallwork ensures fast turnaround and exceptional service.
