Plasma nitriding is the technological peak of the nitriding procedure and provides considerable advantages as compared to the salt bath and gas nitriding. Since plasma nitriding is normally performed at lower treatment temperatures, it is the heat treatment with the lowest risk of deformation. Due to the large variability of the process control, the steel characteristics, the customer demands and the restrictions posed by the respective pre-treatment can be considered during plasma nitriding in a very good manner. The nitriding cast depth, the surface hardness and the compound layer thickness can be well achieved over a broad range of the steels.
