HEATING PERFORMANCE OF ELECTROLYTIC HEAT-TREATMENT IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTION BY PULSE CURRENT

Conventional surface heat-treatment processes are carried out at high temperature, hence both the equipment and the operation costs are high . However, heat treatment is an important linkage-industry to support other manufacturing industries. This paper introduces an advance surfa ce heat- treatment technique that can be operated at room temperature, with low cost and easy control, which hence improves its competitiven ess. This is an electrolytic heat-treatment method in aqueous solution , especially using pulse current as a new aspect in the area of surfac e-hardening technologies. After a feasibility study, a special high-po wer pulse rectifier and an electrolyte bath system were designed and f abricated to investigate this new technology of electrolytic heat-trea tment The performance of the electrolytic heat-treatment process has b een evaluated. Comparing with direct current, different heating rates under pulse current are easily secured by varying the pulse period, th e ON:OFF ratio and the voltage. More controllable and ideal operating conditions are expected using electrolytic heat-treatment in aqueous s olution to surface harden medium-carbon steel.