Heat treatment

Achieving best results with solutions for furnace atmosphere gas supply, generation, control and stirring as well as for sub-zero treatment.

A method used to alter the physical, and sometimes chemical, properties of a material.

Heat treatment involves the use of heating or chilling, normally to extreme temperatures, to achieve a desired result such as hardening or softening of a material.

We offer:

  • ● Advanced and safe atmosphere control solutions
  • ● Process optimization and process maintenance services
  • ● Consultancy for process improvements and implementing new products and processes

Heat treatment areas

In annealing nitrogen or hydrogen based atmospheres are required to achieve bright surface finish. We have developed technologies to optimise atmosphere costs, ensure atmosphere uniformity and thus maximise part quality.

Furnace brazing requires atmospheres to facilitate excellent braze joints and better surface quality in mass production. Our technologies enable companies to control and optimise furnace conditions to achieve higher productivity and increased quality.

In thermo-chemical processes precise carbon potential control is essential to achieve the desired specifications. Our systems provide leading atmosphere supply and control functionality for furnaces to address these demanding conditions.

Neutral hardening is the most common method to harden metals through heating and quenching. We offer gases and technologies to avoid oxidation and decarburisation in the most cost-effective way possible.

Nitriding and nitrocarburising can help you increase surface wear resistance. This requires a safe and reliable supply of ammonia in order to achieve excellent process results. In addition to supplying the gases, we also provide you with leading process know-how.

Powder metal sintering requires specific gas atmospheres in order to assist de-lubrication and to avoid decarburisation. In addition to supplying the required gases we offer leading technologies to control the carbon potential and the uniformity of the sintered parts.

Sub-zero treatments using liquid nitrogen help to improve mechanical properties such as hardness and wear resistance. In addition, we also offer cryogenic cooling equipment in various standard and tailored sizes to improve efficiency and lower heat loss.

Atmosphere control is a key success factor in hot isostatic pressing (HIP). We have the experience, engineering capabilities and product portfolio to design and deliver the optimum, customised inerting system with optional argon reuse for maximum cost efficiencies.

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What do customers say?


“We knew from experience that Linde’s CARBOFLEX solution was the most sophisticated technology available and best equipped to give us the granular control over the gases that we needed to meet our customers’ demanding quality requirements.”

Thomas Mende,
Director Corporate Purchasing and Logistics at Mannesmann Precision Tubes

Would you like to learn more or ask for advice about Heat treatment processes?