Active screen plasma nitrocarburizing (ASPNC) increases the surface hardness and lifetime of austenitic stainless steel without deteriorating its corrosion resistance. Using an active screen made of carbon opens up new technological possibilities that have not been exploited to date. In this study, the effect of screen power variation without bias application on resulting concentrations of process gas species and surface modification of AISI 316L steel was studied. The concentrations of gas species (e.g., HCN, NH3, CH4, C2H2) were measured as functions of the active screen power and the feed gas composition at constant temperature using in situ infrared laser absorption spectroscopy. At constant precursor gas composition, the decrease in active screen power led to a decrease in both the concentrations of the detected molecules and the diffusion depths of nitrogen and carbon. Depending on the gas mixture, a threshold of the active screen power was found above which no changes in the expanded austenite layer thickness were measured. The use of a heating independent of the screen power offers an additional parameter for optimizing the ASPNC process in addition to changes in the feed gas composition and the bias power. In this way, an advanced process control can be established.

No presente trabalho foi avaliado o efeito da microestrutura e da capacidade de suportar carregamento de camadas nitretadas produzidas em aços ferramenta AISI H13 e AISI D2 sobre a aderência e a resistência ao desgaste microabrasivo de revestimentos de TiN-PVD. Em cada um desses aços, foram produzidas camadas nitretadas de diferentes estruturas e espessuras, e foram determinadas experimentalmente as curvas potencial início de formação de camada branca, para a nitretação a 520oC. Para o aço ferramenta AISI H13, o emprego de tempos de pré-tratamento de nitretação mais prolongados ( aproximadamente 11 h) foi necessário para aprofundar a camada nitretada e, conseqüentemente, aumentar a capacidade de suportar carregamento dos revestimentos, evitando a formação de bordas que provocam o lascamento e a escamação das camadas de TiN. Observou-se que esse tipo de falha persiste se a zona de endurecimento for pouco profunda, uma vez que a transição de propriedades mecânicas da camada de TiN para o núcleo não nitretado continua abrupta e a capacidade de suportar carregamento da camada nitretada ainda é baixa. Por outro lado, curtos tempos de nitretação (aproximadamente 42 min.) foram suficientes para aumentar a aderência das camadas de TiN ao aço ferramenta D2, pois o núcleo não nitretado desse aço possui uma capacidade de suportar carregamento razoável. Observou-se que a resistência ao desgaste microabrasivo e a aderência dos revestimentos são prejudicadas com a presença de uma camada preta na interface camada de TiN/camada nitretada. Quando a superfície dos revestimentos é carregada, falhas do tipo “casca de ovo" facilmente ocorrem. / In this work, the influence of both the microstructure and the load-bearing capacity of nitrided layers, formed on top of AISI D2 and AISI H13 tool steels, on adhesion and wear resistance of PVD-TiN coatings was studied. The threshold nitriding potential curves for the above mentioned steels and the optimum conditions of the pre-treatments which increased the adhesion as well as the wear resistance of the PVD-TiN were determined experimentally. By using longer nitriding times (about 11 h) and lower nitrogen contents in the gas mixture (about N2-5%vol.), it was possible to minimize the pile-up degree of the TiN/H13 nitrided substrates and, consequently, the occurrence of coatings chipping. This flaw persists when the nitrided layer is thin, due to an abrupt transition of mechanical properties at the TiN coating / steel core interface. Shorter nitriding times (about 42 min.) and lower nitrogen contents (about N2-5%vol.), on the other hand, are sufficient to guarantee a better adhesion of TiN coatings on AISI D2 tool steel, as the core of such steel possesses relatively better load-bearing capacity than the AISI H13 tool steel. The presence of a black layer at the TiN/nitrided layer interface was observed in all coatings deposited over nitrided layers produced above the threshold nitriding potential curves. This layer affects adversely the wear resistance and the adhesion of the TiN coatings. When higher loads are applied on the coated surface, “egg shell" type flaws easily occur.

Volvo Powertrain, VPT, i Köping tillverkar idag växellådor för tunga fordon. Till medeltunga fordon köper Volvo växellådor från bland annat underleverantören ZF. Volvo vill undersöka scenariot att ta fram AMT - växellådor för medeltunga fordon. I-shift modellen AT2412, som är dimensionerad för en max belastning på 2400 Nm och anpassad för tunga lastbilar, skulle kunna fungera även i medeltunga fordon men är då överdimensionerad och onödigt tung. Med tanke på kommande utvecklingsprojekt behöver Volvo öka sin kunskap hur val av tillverkningsmetoder påverkar vikt och tillverkningskostnader. Det behövs för att öka förståelsen för hur olika prioriteringar ska göras med avseende på vikt och tillverkningskostnader. Examensarbetets syfte var att ge denna förståelse för hur olika tillverkningsprocesser påverkar en transmissions utformning med avseende på mått och vikt utifrån ett givet momentområde. Målet med examensarbetet var att påvisa samband mellan valet av tillverkningsmetoder för enskilda artiklar och hur mycket det kan påverka den kompletta transmissionens vikt samt tillverkningskostnad. Arbetet var avgränsat till att analysera modifierade kugghjul i baslådan. Första delen av arbetet bestod av att dimensionera nya kugghjul anpassade för max belastning på 1600 Nm, detta utifrån samma produktionsupplägg som för befintliga kugghjul som återfinns i bland annat AT2412. Den andra delen bestod av att ta fram faktorer för hur olika tillverkningsmetoder påverkar dimensioneringen och för varje enskilt kugghjul beräkna vikt och tillverkningskostnad då åtta kombinationer av tillverkningsmetoder används. Avslutningsvis gjordes en summering för att visa vilka varianter som ger en optimal växellåda utifrån minimal vikt respektive minimal tillverkningskostnad. Resultatet visar att valet av tillverkningsmetoder leder till att vikten på kugghjulen kan reduceras mer eller mindre. Generellt visar beräkningarna att kugghjul som slipas, kulpenas och manganfosfateras får lägst vikt och blir dyrast att producera. Lägsta tillverkningskostnad uppnås genom att vissa tillverkningsprocesser som kulpening och manganfosfatering utesluts men detta måste då kompenseras med ökad kuggbredd vilket leder till högre vikt. Om VPT väljer att ta fram en ny variant av I-shift där kugghjulen är dimensionerade för 1600Nm så kan växellådan göras 6-11 kg lättare och tillverkningskostnaderna för kugghjulen kan minska med ca 10 procent. / Volvo Powertrain, VPT, in Köping currently manufactures transmissions for heavy-duty vehicles. For medium-duty vehicles Volvo purchase transmissions from their parts supplier ZF. Volvo wants to investigate the scenario to develop AMT - gearboxes for medium-duty vehicles. The I-shift model AT2412, which is designed for a maximum load of 2400 Nm and adapted for heavy-duty vehicles, would be able to function even in the medium-duty vehicles, but would be oversized and excessively heavy. In view of future development Volvo need to increase their knowledge in how the choices of manufacturing methods affect the mass and the manufacturing costs. They need to increase the understanding to make the optimal priorities with respect to mass and manufacturing costs. This study aimed to provide this understanding of how different processes affect a transmission design with respect to mass and measures from a given torque range. The aim of the study was to demonstrate the influence of the choice of production methods for individual items and how much it can affect the complete transmission's mass and manufacturing cost. The work was limited to analyzing the modified gears in the base unit. The first part of the work consisted of designing new gears designed for a maximum load of 1600 Nm, based on the same list of operations as the existing gears, which are found in AT2412. The second part consisted of revealing the factors for the different processes affecting the design regarding to fatigue and structural strength. For eight combinations of manufacturing processes the mass and manufacturing cost was calculated for each gear. Finally, a summary was made to show which combination of manufacturing methods that would give the optimum transmission based on minimum mass and minimum manufacturing cost. The results show that the choice of production methods leads to more or less reduction of mass of the gears. Generally, the calculations show that the gear that is ground, shootpeened and manganese phosphated get the lowest mass and become the most expensive to produce. On the other hand, lower manufacturing cost can be achieved by excluding certain manufacturing operations as shootpeening and manganese phosphate, but this must be compensated by increased facewidth of the gear, leading to increased mass. If VPT decide to develop a new variant of the I-shift in which the gears are designed for 1600Nm then the gearbox can be 6-11 kg lighter and the manufacturing costs of the gears can be reduced by about 10 percent.

No presente trabalho foi avaliado o efeito da microestrutura e da capacidade de suportar carregamento de camadas nitretadas produzidas em aços ferramenta AISI H13 e AISI D2 sobre a aderência e a resistência ao desgaste microabrasivo de revestimentos de TiN-PVD. Em cada um desses aços, foram produzidas camadas nitretadas de diferentes estruturas e espessuras, e foram determinadas experimentalmente as curvas potencial início de formação de camada branca, para a nitretação a 520oC. Para o aço ferramenta AISI H13, o emprego de tempos de pré-tratamento de nitretação mais prolongados ( aproximadamente 11 h) foi necessário para aprofundar a camada nitretada e, conseqüentemente, aumentar a capacidade de suportar carregamento dos revestimentos, evitando a formação de bordas que provocam o lascamento e a escamação das camadas de TiN. Observou-se que esse tipo de falha persiste se a zona de endurecimento for pouco profunda, uma vez que a transição de propriedades mecânicas da camada de TiN para o núcleo não nitretado continua abrupta e a capacidade de suportar carregamento da camada nitretada ainda é baixa. Por outro lado, curtos tempos de nitretação (aproximadamente 42 min.) foram suficientes para aumentar a aderência das camadas de TiN ao aço ferramenta D2, pois o núcleo não nitretado desse aço possui uma capacidade de suportar carregamento razoável. Observou-se que a resistência ao desgaste microabrasivo e a aderência dos revestimentos são prejudicadas com a presença de uma camada preta na interface camada de TiN/camada nitretada. Quando a superfície dos revestimentos é carregada, falhas do tipo “casca de ovo” facilmente ocorrem. / In this work, the influence of both the microstructure and the load-bearing capacity of nitrided layers, formed on top of AISI D2 and AISI H13 tool steels, on adhesion and wear resistance of PVD-TiN coatings was studied. The threshold nitriding potential curves for the above mentioned steels and the optimum conditions of the pre-treatments which increased the adhesion as well as the wear resistance of the PVD-TiN were determined experimentally. By using longer nitriding times (about 11 h) and lower nitrogen contents in the gas mixture (about N2-5%vol.), it was possible to minimize the pile-up degree of the TiN/H13 nitrided substrates and, consequently, the occurrence of coatings chipping. This flaw persists when the nitrided layer is thin, due to an abrupt transition of mechanical properties at the TiN coating / steel core interface. Shorter nitriding times (about 42 min.) and lower nitrogen contents (about N2-5%vol.), on the other hand, are sufficient to guarantee a better adhesion of TiN coatings on AISI D2 tool steel, as the core of such steel possesses relatively better load-bearing capacity than the AISI H13 tool steel. The presence of a black layer at the TiN/nitrided layer interface was observed in all coatings deposited over nitrided layers produced above the threshold nitriding potential curves. This layer affects adversely the wear resistance and the adhesion of the TiN coatings. When higher loads are applied on the coated surface, “egg shell” type flaws easily occur.