Heat Treatments for splined shafts

Arcoprofil steel heat treatments: medium frequency induction hardening, carburizing, nitriding, quenching, tempering and many more.

Heat treatments are essential processes that involve the controlled heating and cooling of steel components to modify their mechanical and performance properties, including strength, hardness, ductility, toughness, and resilience.

Arcoprofil’s in-house production process fully integrates the heat treatment phase, allowing direct and flexible management of treatment cycles based on the component type and its intended application. This approach enables the delivery of customized services, enhanced quality control, and high repeatability of results, ensuring reliable and high-performance components even in demanding industrial applications.

Medium frequency induction hardening

The department is equipped with induction hardening systems, ideal for enhancing the performance of steel and improving the ability of components to withstand high loads and mechanical stresses.

Arcoprofil operates three medium-frequency induction hardening systems (1 to 30 kHz), two of which are fully automated with robotic loading and unloading, with a power capacity of up to 200 kW. These systems can treat components up to 2,000 mm in length and are equipped with supporting fixtures to minimize dimensional distortions during the hardening process.

Case hardening & tempering

The heat treatment department is also equipped with a pit case-hardening furnace, used to achieve high surface hardness on steel components, with case depths ranging from 0.3 to 2.8 mm. The case-hardening process enriches the component surface with carbon, providing elevated surface hardness without compromising the overall mechanical strength of the part. This treatment is particularly suitable for components subject to wear and cyclic loads, such as drive shafts.

For stress-relief treatment, Arcoprofil uses a batch chamber furnace, designed to reduce residual stresses generated by previous heat treatments. This process helps improve dimensional stability and the long-term reliability of the component.

Automatic straightening

Arcoprofil is equipped with 4 CNC automatic straightening machines, all fitted with QASS in-process crack detection systems and integrated with loading and unloading robots to ensure maximum efficiency and operational safety.

Some machines are also equipped with post-process UT (ultrasonic testing), enabling the detection of internal defects that are not visible during the straightening process.

To ensure the highest component reliability, additional inspections can be performed using magnetization and liquid penetrant testing (Magnaflux), providing comprehensive quality control and compliance with the most stringent industrial standards.

Washing

Following heat treatment, the parts are thoroughly washed to remove residues and contaminants. When required, parts are also shot-blasted or sand-blasted in-house to eliminate surface oxidation and achieve the desired surface condition, ensuring optimal preparation for subsequent manufacturing stages or final assembly.

To further enhance process efficiency and environmental sustainability, Arcoprofil has recently installed a new washing plant equipped with a vacuum washing machine.

This advanced system operates without the use of water, relying instead on modified alcohols and hydrocarbons to ensure effective and consistent cleaning of components after heat treatment.

The introduction of this innovative washing technology has already delivered measurable results within the first nine months of operation, including a water saving of 30,000 liters and a 99% recovery rate of material waste. These outcomes highlight Arcoprofil’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing, resource efficiency, and environmentally responsible industrial processes, without compromising on product quality or cleanliness standards.