European Conference on Heat Treatment

29 - 30 April 2010

The AWT also cooperates closely with other European associations such as A3TS  in France, SVW in Switzerland, VWT in the Benelux and AZTK in the Czech Republic, ASMET in Austria and AIM in Italy. This cooperation has its expression in the common arrangement from European conferences on current problems in research and development. The next European Conference on Heat Treatment will take place from 29 - 30 April 2010 in Aachen, Germany. The tittle of the conference is: "Nitriding and Nitrocarburising."

Since several decades nitriding and nitrocarburising are well established thermochemical heat treatment processes, diffusing nitrogen and, depending on the variant, additionally carbon into the surface of iron based steel grades for hardening. These processes are environmentally compatible and well established for low distortion surface hardening. Primary applications are able to reduce wear and to enhance strength. In the last years this surface hardening process has been stimulated by new expertise and innovations.

Applications in saving energy and other resources by recyclable lightweight construction and replacing chromium (VI)-compounds in corrosion protection by nitriding and post oxidation show how up-to-date this thermochemical process is. It is also a central issue with respect to enhancing components and properties for (wind) energy production, transportation and mechanical engineering.