Abstract
The paper considers the questions of strengthening of critical joints made from materials and working in complex power, temperature and high-speed operating conditions of friction parts. Production of hardened surface layers is achieved by purposeful formation of specified structural state of metal, i.e. by modification using low-temperature plasma. This method of heat treatment helps to solve the problem of increasing the wear resistance of metal products and materials for their manufacture. Particular attention is paid to the study of the conditions for the formation of the optimal microstructure and phase composition of steel in order to obtain satisfactory hardness and ductility. There are offered modes of hardening treatment, which can be used for plasma hardening of details under conditions of metallurgical production.The conducted thermophysical measurements allowed determining the heating rate of the product surface during plasma heat treatment, which was 2000 K/s. It was found that plasma hardening of a standard high-speed steel tool increases microhardness of its surface to 12000 MPa and creates a hardened layer 1-1.5 mm deep