Regularities in forming hardened layer during electric spark alloying on the mechanized plant EhFI-66

The regularities in erosion and formation of a hardened layer during electric spark alloying by a mechanized installation EFI-66-type have been studied. The heat resisting metals: Ti,Zr,V,Nb,Ta,Cr,Mo,W have been used as material for alloying electrodes. The effect of the thermophysical constants, as well as of the time of treatment and the material nature have been investigated. No direct dependence of erosion on the thermophysical constants was found. The erosion resistance of material, when treated by a mechanized installation, depends on its plasticity. Tantalum appeared to be more erosion-resistant, its cold-embrittlement temperature being the least. The dependence of the erosion on the alloying time is of a linear character. Depending on the nature of material are the most erosive vanadium and chromium, tantalum is the least erosive. The metallographic analysis has shown, that in the electric spark alloying by means of the mechanized installation the hardened layer could be subdivided into a ''white'' layer of high hardness and a layer of transformed structure. The ''white'' layer thickness is practically the same for each of the metals. The largest summary thickness of the layer is observed when alloying with the metals Ti, Zr, Nb, Ta