This article reviews the developments that have taken place, particularly for surface treatments, within the heat-treatment processing industry.

Bodycote completed the acquisition of Mason, Ohio-based Ellison Surface Technologies to create one of the largest providers of thermal-spray and engineered-coating surface technology services in the world. Ellison’s business is an excellent strategic fit with Bodycote’s existing Surface Technology business. The expanded Surface Technology business can offer additional technologies and added resources to consolidate its leadership in surface-coating solutions and specialist processes, including thermal-spray coating, liquid coating, thermal processing and diffusion coating.

Advanced Heat Treat Corp. (AHT) installed three new gas nitriding units at its corporate headquarters in Waterloo, Iowa. The investment doubles their gas nitriding capacity at this location and allows the company to expand its UltraGlow gas nitriding and UltraOx surface-treatment solutions. The three units vary in size, allowing for the accommodation of industries and applications including agriculture, automotive, construction, aerospace, firearms and oil and energy. One unit will be operational this month, and the additional two units will begin operation in February. AHT also plans to design and build an additional unit later this year.

An advanced cleaner has been designed to replace solvents in precision cleaning applications.

This article will focus on ion/plasma nitriding and its troubleshooting. We will also discuss some general nitriding concerns.

Advanced Heat Treat Corp. (AHT) will install several pieces of new equipment in the near future, increasing the surface-treatment capabilities at each of its four U.S. locations.