Ferritic Nitrocarburizing Services (FNC)

Our ferritic nitrocarburizing service (FNC) imparts high surface hardness, improved wear resistance and fatigue resistance to a wide variety of carbon steel, alloy steel and cast iron parts. Because the process is carried out at temperatures below 1100 F, retention of core properties and good dimensional control are achieved. In many applications, FNC treatment also improves corrosion resistance through the formation of a continuous compound layer on the workpiece surface which can allow for the elimination of subsequent protective plating operations or application of rust preventive.

Improve surface hardness and wear resistance with ferritic nitrocarburizing

The surface compound layer formed by FNC heat treatment is an epsilon iron-nitride compound and this layer may range in depth from .0002" to .0010" inch depending upon cycle parameters selected and base material being treated. FNC compound layer hardness values will typically range from 55 to 65 HRC depending on the base material being treated. Higher alloy steels with nitride forming elements (Cr, Mo, Ti, W, and Al) will have higher hardness compound layers than plain carbon and low alloy steels and will also benefit from the formation of an underlying higher hardness diffusion zone below the compound layer that gives improved fatigue life and helps to support the surface compound layer.

Ferritic Nitrocarburizing is often selected to replace chrome plating due to environmental concerns with plating. FNC heat treatment also has been used to as an alternative process to solve problems with size change and distortion associated with higher temperature treatments like carburizing or carbonitriding. 

Applications

Ferritic Nitrocarburizing has proven to be a versatile solution, particularly when dealing with size change and distortion issues inherent in higher temperature treatments like carburizing or carbonitriding. By employing FNC heat treatment, we can effectively mitigate these problems and provide an excellent alternative process. This is especially beneficial for components like crankshafts, camshafts, rocker arms, rocker shafts, valves, gears, transmission plates, clutch plates, yokes, bearing cages, wheel spindles, axles, valve guides, windshield wiper arms and components, and hydraulic cylinder shafts.