Low-temperature nitriding of austenitic steel in a vibrofluidized bed

The prospects for use of a vibrofluidized bed (VFB) for low-temperature nit rogen saturation of high-strength austenitic steel based on Cr - Ni - Mn (1 2Kh17N8G2S2MF) are considered. The positive effect of preliminary plastic d eformation on the intensity of nitriding is described. The temperature and rime parameters of nitriding in a VFB for strain-aging austenitic steel 12K h17N8G2S2MF are shown to be adequate for the regimes of the final heat-trea tment operation of aging. This creates the possibility of combining the ope rations of surface alloying and strain aging into a single cycle. This comb ined treatment increases substantially the resistance of the steel to cycli c loads while preserving the strength parameters. It is shown that the pres ented method of low-temperature nitriding in a VFB is expedient for improvi ng the service characteristics of austenitic steel 12Kh17N8G2S2MF used for production of force springs of automobile brake systems.