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Simulation of the Manufacturing Process of Case‐Hardened Powder Metallurgical Components: Carburizing Simulation

The powder metallurgical (PM) route is a near net shape manufacturing process, consisting of the basic steps compacting and sintering. A characteristic feature of such PMcomponents is the porous microstructure affecting the mechanical properties. In order to improve the component behavior, 2/3 of all PM-components are heat treated. However, in contrast to classical melting metallurgy, case hardening is no standard heat treatment technique for PM components. Reason for this is the porous microstructure of these components. In case of an existing open porous structure, the furnace atmosphere can penetrate into the interconnected porosity. As a consequence, the interfacial reaction can occur along the pore cavities below the geometrical surface of the component. Thus, no definite carbon depth profiles can be adjusted and there is the risk to carburize even the core of the component. In such a case, the carburizing rate is controlled by gas diffusion processes. Since the diffusion rate for gas diffusion processes is magnitudes higher than for solid body diffusion processes, the carburizing process is accelerated. With increasing density or isolated porosity, the interfacial reaction is limited to the geometric surface of the component. Consequently, gas diffusion processes are not decisive and the rate of the carburizing process is decreasing. As a consequence the atomic carbon transport is dominated by solid state diffusion processes. However, compared to non-porous structures, the diffusion processes are still faster, since the pore surface is available for diffusion processes. A new approach to avoid such a carburizing to the core is to perform a surface densification prior to the heat treatment. Thus, the open porous structure is transferred into a densified