METHOD OF VACUUM ION-PLASMA TREATMENT Russian patent published in 1998 - IPC

FIELD: plasma technologies. SUBSTANCE: preliminarily cleaned parts are placed in chamber, which is then adequately evacuated, and ionic treatment is conducted in inert gas atmosphere by gas plasma source based on arc discharge with incandescent cathode, followed by vacuum ion-plasma hardening. Method is distinguished by that, prior to ionic treatment, part is electronically heated to temperature of onset of vacuum ion-plasma hardening. Ionic treatment time T (in s) is determined from following relationship: T= A*So/(In*U), where A is complex process parameter, constant for given material of part at fixed values of arc current strength and treatment temperature, J/sq.m; In is current arising in support during the ionic treatment, A; U shift voltage in support providing thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, V. EFFECT: increased process productivity, increased wear resistance of part and prevented cracking of supports. 3 cl, 2 dwg