Ferritic Nitrocarburizing

Cincinnati Steel Treating offers ferritic nitrocarburizing services (or FNC) to a large variety of customers and for a number of different applications. CST has five furnaces that are certified to AMS 2750 that can perform ferritic nitrocarburizing. Our FNC process will provide a hard, wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant case with almost zero distortion.

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Ferritic Nitrocarburizing (FNC) Capabilities at CST

Cincinnati Steel Treating (CST) uses a pit-type, retort-style of nitriding furnace to perform ferritic nitrocarburizing. The FNC atmosphere is circulated inside of the retort by a special fan mounted on top of the furnace that forces atmosphere from the top to the bottom and then bottom to top where it

eventually exits through an exhaust port. This circulation results in precise uniformity of case throughout the entire volume of the furnace, giving CST furnaces a unique advantage over other types. Parts are loaded onto Inconel “castles”/mounting fixtures, and these fixtures are then placed into the retort using an overhead crane. CST uses ammonia as the nitrogen source and carbon dioxide as the carbon source for the ferritic nitrocarburizing process (FNC). The dimensions of the five furnaces at CST are shown in the table below.

Table #1 – Dimensions of Nitriding Furnaces used for
Ferritic Nitrocarburizing (FNC) at CST

Furnaces	Dimensions
Small Nitriding Furnaces – 2 of them	57” in Diameter X 70” deep
Large Nitriding Furnaces – 3 of them	57” in Diameter X 107” deep

Applications of Ferritic Nitrocarburizing/FNC

Ferritic Nitrocarburizing/FNC is a process used on finished parts to produce a hard case depth that has both high wear and corrosion resistance. The treatment produces negligible distortion because the parts are not heated above the ferrite range. A typical cycle heats up a part to 900 – 1100°F for

approximately twelve hours. The large size of CST’s furnaces enables high quantities of parts to be treated in a single batch. Examples of parts that are FNC processed include transmission gears, bearing cups, wear plates, thrust buttons, coupling parts, bearing races, and mechanical connector pins. Most parts that are FNC processed are small because the procedure does not yield deep penetration. CST has experience with all of these types of parts. Consult with one of our engineers if you are looking to possibly use ferritic nitrocarburizing/FNC.

The CST Quality Difference

Cincinnati Steel Treating (CST) has state-of-the-art control facilities for our nitriding furnaces that perform ferritic nitrocarburizing/FNC. The cyclone style of atmosphere circulation along with our specially designed castles ensure that temperatures for all parts inside of the furnace are controlled

to within +/- 10°F. The FNC atmosphere is controlled using the latest technology for measuring flow rates of ammonia, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen. Our furnaces are equipped with the latest and most sophisticated flow meters available. CST is certified to multiple quality system standards including IATF 16949, ISO 9001, and ITAR. Precise temperature charts and gas readings are available upon request, and we are also set up to perform metallographic checks on any FNCed part to ensure that the desired penetration has been reached. Let us provide you with solutions for your ferritic nitrocarburizing/FNC needs.

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Cincinnati Steel Reviews

'The Quality Group at CST is very responsive and always willing to accommodate request to give the necessary information for our customers.'

Garrett Ford

Cincinnati Gearing Systems

'Midstate Machine has been doing business with Cincinnati Steel Treating Company for several years. The professionalism and attention to detail exhibited by Cincinnati Steel is of the highest caliber! We rely heavily on our outside vendors to expedite time sensitive materials and they are always happy to accommodate us. The pricing is fair, and our Certifications are always delivered on time. Cincinnati Steel Treating Company is overall a fantastic company to do business with!.'

Lindsey Barrett

McSwain Mfg. - Midstate Machine

'Cincinnati Steel Treating has been a preferred supplier to Ariel for many years. They are able to meet our production needs at a high quality level. We look forward to continuing this partnership well into the future. Thanks for being someone we can count on.'

Kevin Spencer

Ariel Corporation

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