Nitrex Metal received a contract from Qatar Aluminum Extrusion Company (Qalex) for the supply and installation of an NX-1015 potential-controlled gas nitriding system. The system is configured for treating various-sized flat and hollow dies used in the production of aluminum extruded profiles for the construction and transportation markets. The NX-1015 furnace has a load capacity of 4,400 pounds (2,000 kg). While this is slightly larger than current production needs, the additional capacity will accommodate future growth when Qalex adds a second extrusion press.

The precise interaction between the furnace and advanced control system allows the atmosphere to be adjusted automatically, according to the recipe and parameters entered. Nitreg technology is customized and pre-tested for extrusion dies to ensure optimum results of the nitrided layer and to obtain higher throughput per die.

Qalex chose Nitrex Metal’s gas nitriding system because die-quality requirements could not be met with the existing fluidized-bed nitrider. Specifically, the company wanted to automate nitriding operations, cut gas consumption and eliminate post-nitriding cleaning operations.