gas quenching
Gas quenching is a type of heat treatment in which metals are cooled rapidly with the aid of gaseous medium like nitrogen or helium or argon, instead of quenching mediums like oil or water. It is a hardening of metals but with reduced distortion and decreased oxidation.

Key Features:

  • The Gases are:  Nitrogen - Cost-effective and widely available gases. Helium & Argon- The best cooling rates available and thus require great accuracy.
  • Advantages of Gas Quenching Over Liquid Quenching: Distortion and cracking, for example, when treated thin or complex components, are minimized. Oxidation and surface development are reduced, eliminating or minimizing the need for post-quench cleanup. Better process control permits the same hardness and mechanical properties to be achieved.
  • Applications: Aerospace and automotive industries, tool manufacturing. Steels, titanium alloys, and nickel-based superalloys used.

Gas quenching is much more modern controlled than liquid quenching in that it provides high-quality hardened components with much less risk of warpage or surface degradation.