Process Temperature Effect on Surface Layer of Vacuum Carburized Low-Alloy Steel Gears

Gears, due to their complex shape, carried load and required accuracy are ones of most complex aircraft engine parts. Single tooth damage usually breaks the power transmission and causes failure of the entire gear system. Adequate sustainability and guarantees of transmission is therefore a condition for secure operation of whole device. Particularly high requirements for reliability are put to transmissions used in the aerospace industry. Due to the loads which are transmitted through the gears, the materials used by the manufacturer must have not only high strength but also show the abrasion resistance of the surface layer and the ductility of the core. Thermo-chemical treatment of industrial gears is a fundamental process, which gives them adequate mechanical properties regarding loads they carry and the surface conditions of work. The most promising method in the discussed field is vacuum carburizing, which by its specification of work significantly reduce the emission of CO2 and the duration of the process, without reducing the quality of the final product. The main aim of the paper is to present criteria for selection of carburizing parameters (mainly temperature increase) as a part of thermo-chemical treatment process performed using vacuum methods. Proper (higher to compare with conventional methods) carburizing process temperature is crucial in programming of carbon diffusion process meaning in process time and final carburized layer characteristics as carbon profile and homogeneity of the carburized layer.