The cast cranks were replaced with forged versions providing running for 20, 000 hours, but initially they suffered from low surface hardness; this problem was solved by nitriding the surface, and by locally heating the surface with a CO 2 laser ( see annealing ).
32.
Plasma nitriding can thus be performed in a broad temperature range, from 260 �C to more than 600 �C . For instance, at moderate temperatures ( like 420 �C ), stainless steels can be nitrided without the formation of chromium nitride precipitates and hence maintaining their corrosion resistance properties.
33.
FCIPT has developed technologies related to waste remediation and recovery of energy from waste, surface hardening and heat treatment technologies such as plasma nitriding and plasma nitrcarburizing, plasma-assisted metallization technologies using magnetron sputter deposition, plasma-enhanced CVD for functional coatings on substrates, plasma Smelting and melting, plasma diagnostics, space-related plasma technologies, etc.
