Method for treating plate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9873935-B2
Application number	US-201514727131-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2015
Priority date	May 31, 2014
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

A method for locally treating a plate is disclosed. A pattern formed from a compound containing at least one alloying element is applied onto at least one surface of the plate. At least the surface of a contacting layer including the pattern is covered by adequately heat-resistant material. The plate is subsequently heat treated in order to diffuse the alloying element into the plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for treating a plate comprising:
applying a pattern onto a major face of a first plate, wherein the pattern comprises a compound containing at least one alloying element;
covering at least a portion of the major face having the pattern with a contacting layer of material that is resistant to a heat treatment;
subsequently heat treating of the first plate to diffuse the alloying element into a diffusion region therein; and
diffusing the alloying element so that the diffusion region extends completely through the first plate.

2. The method for treating a plate according to claim 1 , wherein the contacting layer comprises a second plate to be treated.

3. The method for treating a plate according to claim 2 , wherein the second plate is present during the heat treatment in the form of a stack of plate parts of the same geometry as the first.

4. The method for treating a plate according to claim 3 , wherein the plate parts are plate-shaped and during the heat treatment lie flat on one another.

5. The method for treating a plate according to claim 1 , wherein heat treating of the first plate comprises heat treating the first plate while the first plate is in the form of a coil.

6. The method for treating a plate according to claim 1 , wherein applying the pattern comprises printing the compound onto the major face of the first plate.

7. The method for treating a plate according to claim 6 , wherein applying the pattern comprises intaglio printing the compound onto the major face of the first plate.

8. The method for treating a plate according to claim 6 , wherein applying the pattern comprises screen printing the compound onto the major face of the first plate.

9. The method for treating a plate according claim 1 , wherein applying the pattern comprises spraying the compound onto the major face of the first plate.

10. The method for treating a plate according claim 1 , wherein the pattern is applied onto both the first major face and a second major face of the first plate.

11. The method for treating a plate according to claim 10 , further comprising bringing the second major face into contact with the pattern formed on the contacting layer.

12. The method for treating a plate according claim 10 , wherein the pattern is congruently applied onto both the first and second major faces.

13. The method for treating a plate according claim 1 , wherein the compound contains a powder of the at least one alloying element.

14. The method for treating a plate according to claim 1 , further comprising heat treating the first plate in a stationary oven.

15. The method for treating a plate according to claim 1 , further comprising heat treating the first plate in a bell oven.

16. The method for treating a plate according to claim 1 , further comprising heat treating the first plate in an inert gas atmosphere or in vacuum.

17. The method for treating a plate according to claim 1 , further comprising heat treating the first plate in a vacuum.

18. A method for treating a plate that has edges comprising:
applying a pattern onto a major face of a first plate, wherein the pattern comprises a compound containing at least one alloying element;
leaving a region along each of the edges free of the compound;
covering at least a portion of the major face having the pattern with a contacting layer of material that is resistant to a heat treatment;
heat treating the first plate to diffuse the alloying element therein; and
maintaining a region along each of the edges with no diffusion of the alloying element.

19. The method for treating a plate according to claim 18 , further comprising reacting the edges with atmospheric oxygen.

20. A method for treating a plate comprising:
applying a pattern onto a major face of a first plate, wherein the pattern comprises a compound containing at least one alloying element;
covering at least a portion of the major face having the pattern with a contacting layer of material that is resistant to a heat treatment;
heat treating the first plate to diffuse the alloying element therein; and
holding a temperature of the heat treating for 10 to 60 minutes to achieve diffusion of the alloying element from the compound into the first plate, wherein the temperature is between 200° C. and 600° C.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Sanders Ronald
• Baumgart Hartmut

Classifications

• C23C10/04 Primary

  Diffusion into selected surface areas, e.g. using masks · CPC title

• C23C10/30

  using a layer of powder or paste on the surface (using liquid suspensions of solids C23C10/18) · CPC title

• C23C10/28

  using solids, e.g. powders, pastes · CPC title