Crack avoidance in steel piston rings through the optimization of process and gas nitriding parameters

This paper describes research into adequately estimating the main variables of a thermochemical gas nitriding process of stainless steel parts for engine components. The paper lays out an experimental strategy for the nitriding process that optimizes a set of variables that have a bearing on the occurrence of nitriding cracks. The results demonstrate that several factors and interactions are relevant in the occurrence of nitriding cracks. The proposed strategy was found to be effective at achieving continuous improvement and stricter control.