PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF ION-IMPLANTATION FOR MODIFYING TRIBOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF METALS

The possibility of applying ion implantation to the reduction of wear has been known and investigated for more than a decade. However, industrial application is still very limited. To evaluate the difficulties of applying published data to practical applications, a varied selection of tools were nitrogen implanted and tested in true industrial working situations. For appropriate applications, tool life was increased by factors in the range 2-9. A preliminary attempt has been made to categorize tool materials, applications and improvement factors. Seven principal factors have been identified which have impeded the propagation of this technology in industry. It is concluded that, before widespread industrial application is realized, more efficient and higher throughput commercial ion implanters must be available, in addition to more extensive data on practical applications.