What is Case Hardening?

Case hardening is a heat treatment process used to increase the surface hardness of materials by adding a thin layer of a harder material to their surface. This process involves heating the material in a carbon-rich atmosphere, such as carbon monoxide or methane. Case hardening can improve the wear resistance and fatigue strength of materials, making them more suitable for demanding applications.

When a material is case hardened, the surface layer becomes harder and more wear-resistant, while the core remains relatively soft and ductile. This is achieved by heating the material in a carbon-rich atmosphere, which causes carbon atoms to diffuse into the surface layer. The material is then quenched to lock in the carbon atoms and form a hard, wear-resistant layer. Case hardening is often used on low-carbon steels and other ferrous alloys.

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