Low Pressure Carburizing in a Vacuum Furnace

Historically, this carburizing has been performed in an endothermic gas consisting of CO₂, CH₄, CO, etc, but carburizing in low pressure with the proper gas mixture changes the landscape. Using C₂ H₂, the process is no longer endothermic as C₂H₂ is a catalytically decomposable hydrocarbon and dissociates in the presence of an iron catalyst. LPC is a recipe driven in contrast to the constant monitoring of the carbon potential in atmospheric gas carburizing, and with the wide acceptance of simulation programs, recipes are no longer created by trial and error. Introduction of nitrogen to the steel, followed by carbon with higher temperatures, can dramatically reduce cycle times and still control grain growth.