Has any one herd of this.
I found an artical in Zoom (issue 61) that states, by freezing metal to below 196 degreez Celsius it can make metel up t 300% stronger.
It does this by disapaiting a substance called austenite from within the metal while the remainder is trasformed to martensite (four times harder than austenite) thus improving the molecular alingnment that relives stress in the metal.

(i almost sounded interlchical then)

If this is as good as they say it would be good for treating parts like my standard gear box is it is the weekest link in my chain at the moment.
I have heard of two places in australia that
do this so far an would like to know of more


more coments on this one would be grate

i just found a link

www.cryogen..com.au

i had some brake rotors cryo'd they were very nice. Didn't keep the car long enough to see how well they worked. It's supposedly well worth the money on a race car.

I've heard it works.

But my material science units at uni makes me question it. Under heat, sure the material crystals move about, forming different 'solid structures' as it cools and this can change the materials properties (tempering). The compession of the shrinking of the material in the cold might make a difference, but I doubt it.

It's like playing a game of tetris with a board-full of blocks already.

I'd have to read more to be convinced.

Giving money to charity (or me) will stop your engine breaking due the forces of Karma...

There was an article about cryogenic anealing in NZ hot rod magazine a few years back.
The process does what you explained in the first post. The difference between cryogenic anealing, and old fashioned anealing by heat treatmants is, that the cryo method doesn't make the metal brittle.
I belive it works, but it's heller expensive. So as much as I like the idea, I'll have to live with out it.

It's called precipitation hardening.....

It's a bit like sugar in a hot cup of tea.
When it's hot the molecules are spaced further apart & allow more sugar to be dispersed.
When you cool the tea down, it "sweats" or precipitates the sugar out.

The problem with this process is that you need material with the correct mix of elements to start with..... This is usually Duplex stainless steel, which is nearly the most expensive steel you can buy.

Basically to high of a spec. for automotive..... Unless you have way too much cash.

Not quite as good but heaps cheaper to go for more traditional hardening techniques like Nitriding & shot peening.

i dont think it is that expensive from between $5 and$10 a kilo but i supose if it was that good every one would be doing it

Now i'm wishing i'd got my 280zx disks treated and slotted.

There's an industry in turning brake disks even when they don't need it just so they can sell you new disks. Now the part i don't understand is many places here in the states have weird lifetime replacement warrantees on brake pads and disks.

So apparently it's getting paid for the labor?

Quote:

The process itself isn't expensive, it's just that you have to have the right material to start with...... That's where the $$$ is.

ok i was in the artical i read it was stating that any metal can be done ferous or non ferous it all just sounds to good to be true to me