EP3243585A1 - Method and device for encoding during heat treatment of a component and an encoding gas for encoding components during the thermal treatment of a component - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the invention, a method for coding during the heat treatment of a component is provided. This procedure includes the following steps: Providing a component, Heating the component with a heat source to heat treat the component. The method is characterized in that at least one predetermined time interval during the heating of the component coding or a coding component containing coding gas is added such that the use of the coding component in the finished object is detectable, wherein the gaseous coding component one or more isotopes at least of a gas and the proportion of the at least one isotope compared to the naturally occurring portion of this isotope in the gas is changed and logging of coding information describing the coding information and their location in the component.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for encoding in the heat treatment of a component and a coding gas for coding components in the heat treatment of a component.

The heat treatment is a method or a combination of several methods for the treatment of a component, wherein the component is subjected to changes in the temperature or the temperature sequence in order to achieve certain material properties. In doing so, surrounding means may include changes, e.g. of the carbon or nitrogen content.

Heat treatment is understood to mean processes for the treatment of materials by thermal, chemical-thermal or mechanical-thermal action in order to achieve optimum performance properties.

In the heat treatment, a distinction is made in principle between processes which bring about a thorough structural transformation and processes which merely cause a transformation on the surface of a component. The former include, for example, annealing and curing, i. H. the thermal process. The second-mentioned methods belong to the diffusion and coating processes or to the thermochemical processes (eg carburizing, case hardening, nitriding, boriding).

Another possibility of classification can be made in production-oriented or stress-oriented methods.

Fabrication-oriented processes include stress relieving, soft annealing, normalizing, coarse grain annealing, diffusion annealing, recrystallization annealing, and tempering.

Annealing is the heating, soaking and cooling of semi-finished products and workpieces to achieve defined material properties. Annealing is a branch the heat treatment and is one of the manufacturing processes by changing the material property.

The annealing process is usually subdivided into at least three phases:

- warming up (also warming up or warming up)

During the warm-up phase, the workpiece is brought to the holding temperature.

- Hold

In the holding phase, the workpiece is kept at a constant holding temperature. It serves for temperature compensation in the workpiece and the equilibration of chemical and physical processes in the material. The duration required for this is called the holding time and, apart from the result to be achieved, also depends on the workpiece geometry and the arrangement of the workpieces in the annealing furnace or the heat treatment plant.

- Cooling down

In the cooling phase, the workpiece is brought back to ambient temperature.

Stress-oriented processes are the thermal heat treatment and the thermochemical heat treatment.

Methods for thermal heat treatment are e.g. hardening, tempering, bainitizing and surface hardening.

The hardening of steel causes an increase in its mechanical resistance through targeted modification and transformation of its structure. It can be done by heat treatment with subsequent rapid cooling. Examples of curing are e.g. transformation hardening, precipitation hardening and strain hardening.

Annealing describes the combined heat treatment of metals, consisting of hardening and subsequent tempering. In general, the material steel is meant here, but even with non-ferrous metals such as titanium alloys, this type of thermal structure formation and modification is common.

Processes for thermochemical heat treatment are z. Carburizing, carbonitriding, nitriding, alumining, siliciding, vanadying, boriding and nitrocarburizing.

Above all, materials such as metals and their alloys as well as plastics are heat-treated for the targeted adjustment of their properties. Heat treatments on ceramics are usually only carried out during the manufacturing process (during sintering).

Sintering is a process for making or changing materials. Here are fine-grained ceramic or metallic materials - often under elevated pressure - heated, but the temperatures remain below the melting temperature of the main components, so that the shape of the workpiece is maintained. It usually comes to a shrinkage, because the particles of the starting material compact and pore spaces are filled. In principle, a distinction is made between solid phase sintering and liquid phase sintering, which also results in a melt.

When sintering mostly granular or powdery substances are mixed and then connected or compressed by heating. In contrast to the pure melt, however, no or at least not all starting materials are melted. The starting materials are thus, colloquially formulated, "zusammengebacken". It is therefore a primary molding process.

During sintering, the individual grains increase, so that the surface energy decreases. At the same time, the proportion of saturated chemical bonds increases, so that the body as a whole solidifies.

Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is a development in manufacturing technology in which powders and solids, especially ceramics and metals, are simultaneously hot pressed and sintered. The component is used in a deformable, sealed container. This container comes in a heatable pressure vessel and the component is compressed at temperatures up to 2000 ° C and pressures of 100 to 200 MPa under inert gas. The gas pressure acts on all sides of the workpiece so that the component obtains isotropic properties. Open pores can not be recompressed because the gas will penetrate into these pores. The recompression can only be done with closed porosity.

An overarching problem in the heat treatment of components is that it is currently not possible to easily and safely distinguish components from counterfeit or cheap copies. It is usually difficult to determine if a component of the Original Equipment Manufacture (OEM)) or whether a component is a copy made by a third party, because of their appearance could be differentiated from each other. However, there may be considerable qualitative differences (strength, elasticity, hardness, porosity, ductility, etc.).

In particular, it is problematic that it allows the generative manufacturing easy to copy or counterfeit components without complex development or production costs or manufacturing processes in small quantities

In industry, there is a need for clear identification of the components in order to be able to clarify the liability issue, especially in the event of damage.

Existing options for coding a component by embossing or engraving are limited in terms of the geometry or the functionality of the component. For example, surface engraving by laser is economically meaningful only if this is integrated into the manufacturing process. In addition, it requires a special positioning of the laser beam with respect to its angle with respect to the component. So-called DNA paintings are easily removable. In addition, it is known to identify components by means of radio frequency method. However, this technology is very expensive and, in particular, it is difficult for us to apply it to individual components. Therefore, manufacturers usually mark a complete device or a machine at a single point and not every single component of this machine. Therefore, such a mark of a complete machine does not protect against counterfeiting, for example, if spare parts are installed in this machine.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a simple, safe and reliable method for coding in the heat treatment of components, if possible without additional work steps.

This object is solved by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the subclaims.

• Bereitstellen eines Bauteils,
• Erwärmen des Bauteils mit einer Wärmequelle, um das Bauteil einer Wärmebehandlung zu unterziehen.

According to the invention, a method for coding during the heat treatment of a component is provided. This procedure includes the following steps:

• Providing a component,
• Heating the component with a heat source to heat treat the component.

The method is characterized in that at least a predetermined time interval during heating, a coding component or coding gas containing a coding component is added such that the use of the coding component in the finished object is detectable, and logging coding information including the coding information and describe their location in the component.

The gaseous coding component may comprise one or more isotopes of at least one gas, wherein the proportion of the at least one isotope compared to the naturally occurring proportion of this isotope in the gas is changed.

The coding component may also comprise gaseous alloying elements, wherein the proportion of the gaseous alloying element is preferably selected such that the gaseous alloying element only insignificantly alters the material properties of the component.

The incorporation of the gaseous alloying elements is so great that the alloying elements in the finished component can be detected, for example, by means of metallurgical and / or chemical and / or magnetic resonance analysis methods.
Logging can be understood to be the component-related storage of the data in electronic form or the printing of the information on a certificate, eg also in machine-readable form.

By means of the method according to the invention, it is possible to encode a component safely and reliably in a simple and cost-effective manner.

In particular, it is advantageous that no additional manufacturing step is necessary for coding the component. The coding takes place in that at least at a predetermined time interval during the heating of the component, the component is at least partially acted upon by a coding component. If this gaseous coding component is chemically active, it will react with the metal and the reaction product (eg, an oxide, nitride, carbide) will be embedded in the metallic structure. But also coding molecules that do not react (eg because the local temperature is too low) can be trapped in the small interstices of the granular structure. This mechanism also works with inert gases, which can remain trapped in their original state in the component.

The coding component can be detected in the finished component, for example by means of chemical analysis methods or by means of a mass spectrometer. This can be done in a laboratory or with mobile devices.

Another advantage is that the production parameters do not have to be changed or adjusted due to coding.

In addition, it is advantageous that the coding requires no additional production step.

Logging of coding information may include, for example, storing coding information in a database, on a chip, etc.

The coding can be introduced via a complete component or only selectively at predetermined locations or areas of the component.

Due to the fact that the coding information is logged and / or stored in a database, it is precisely recorded or recorded at what time which coding component was placed at which point of the component.

The coding information may contain information about the type and / or proportion of the coding component and / or about the position of the coding component in the object and / or about the serial number of the object.

Because of the coding information, it is easy to determine at a later time, namely by examining the area of the component in which the coding component has been inserted, whether it is an original component or not.

Such encoding is almost forgery-proof, since a potential forger the coding information is not available and they are not visible from the outside.

Thus, based on the coding information, the finished object can be detected with regard to its coding component, for example by means of a chemical analysis method or by means of a mass spectrometer.

Under a heat treatment in the context of the present invention, a production-oriented process such as. Stress relieving, soft annealing, normalizing, coarse grain annealing, diffusion annealing, recrystallization annealing and tempering, or a stress-oriented thermal anneal process, such as heat treatment. hardening, tempering, bainitizing and surface hardening, or a stress-oriented for thermochemical heat treatment, e.g. carburizing, carbonitriding, nitriding, alumining, siliciding, vanadying, boriding and nitrocarburizing or sintering or hot isostatic pressing (HIP).

In this regard, reference is made to the heat treatment process mentioned in the introduction to the specification.

The components subjected to the heat treatment may in the context of the present invention consist of materials such as e.g. Polymer, ceramic, synthetic resin, plastic and preferably metal may be formed.

Generative manufacturing, in which a component is built up in layers, is not regarded as a heat treatment in the context of the present invention.

Furthermore, a process gas can be supplied to the component at least during the heat treatment.

The process gas may comprise an inert gas such as argon, helium, neon, krypton, xenon or radon or an active gas such as O ₂ , CO ₂ , H ₂ , and N ₂ , or mixtures thereof.

A mixture of process gas and coding component is referred to below as the coding gas.

As coding component, which can be mixed with a corresponding process gas or used also in pure form, oxygen is preferably 18 carbon dioxide (C ¹⁸ O ₂ ), Carbon 13 carbon dioxide ( ¹³ CO ₂ ), carbon 13 carbon monoxide ( ¹³ CO ₂ ), deuterium (D ₂ ), nitrogen 15 ( ¹⁵ N ₂ ), and oxygen 18 ( ¹⁸ O ₂ ).

The coding component thus comprises, for example, one or more isotopes of a gas, preferably the process gas, wherein the proportion of an isotope is changed compared to the natural proportion of the isotopes in the gas. That means the ratio of isotopes is changed from the naturally occurring ratio. For example, in the case of nitrogen, the ratio of ¹⁴ N (frequency = 99.634) to ¹⁵ N (frequency = 0.366) is changed so that the proportion of ¹⁵ N is increased and the proportion of ¹⁴ N is reduced or vice versa. For example, in the case of carbon, the ratio of ¹² C (frequency = 98.9) to ¹³ C (frequency = 1.1) is changed such that the proportion of ¹³ C is increased and the proportion of ¹² C is reduced or vice versa. For example, in the case of hydrogen, the ratio of ¹ H (frequency = 98.9885) to ² H (frequency = 0.0115) can be changed such that the proportion of ² H is increased and the proportion of ¹ H is reduced or vice versa.

For example, it may be contemplated that the frequency of isotopes versus naturally occurring frequencies may be about or greater than 0.5% or 1.0% or 1.5% or 2.5% or 5.0% or 10, 0% or 25% or 50.0% or 75% or 100% or 150% or 200% or 500% or 1000% is increased or decreased.

Nitrogen 15 and nitrogen 14 and / or carbon 12, carbon 13 and / or carbon 14 and / or also, for example, oxygen-16 and / or oxygen 18 are preferably provided as isotopes. Furthermore, argon -36, -38, -39, -40 can also be provided. Although argon is inert and does not react with the material, it is possible to provide gaseous inclusions for coding, since no 100% component density is achieved, in particular in powder bed processes.

In principle, the use of hydrogen 2 or hydrogen 3 and helium 3 and helium 4 isotopes is also conceivable.

To provide more complex coding, two or more different isotopes may also be included in the coding component. Accordingly, the coding component may include one or more other than the naturally occurring isotopes of the process gas. For example. For example, oxygen isotopes with nitrogen isotopes or C isotopes in CO _{2 can be combined} with H isotopes in H ₂
As a heat source, a heating device, for example, radiant heater, a convection heater or a contact heater may be provided.

Furthermore, an apparatus for coding components during the heat treatment is provided according to the invention. This comprises a receiving device on which a component can be arranged, and
a heat source for heating the component to heat-treat the component.

The device is characterized in that a
Codierungskomponentezuführeinrichtung is provided which is connected to a control device such that at least a predetermined time interval during melting the component a coding component or a coding component containing coding gas is supplied such that the use of the coding component in the finished object is detectable, wherein the gaseous coding component preferably one or more isotopes of at least one gas and the proportion of the at least one isotope compared to the naturally occurring proportion of this isotope in the gas is changed and / or wherein the gaseous coding component contains gaseous alloying elements.

In addition, a database for storing coding information can be provided.

The advantages of the device according to the invention essentially correspond to the advantages of the method according to the invention.

Furthermore, the coding component supply device may comprise a mixing chamber for admixing the coding component to the process gas, wherein a coding component or a process gas or a mixture of process gas and coding component may be supplied from the mixing chamber to the component at least regionally. Accordingly, the mixing chamber has a first inlet for supplying a process gas and a second inlet for supplying a coding component or a second inlet for supplying a process gas containing a coding component and an outlet connected to a nozzle. Such an external mixing chamber is advantageous because existing systems or devices can be expanded so that a coding of a component is possible.

The coding component supply means may also include a nozzle for locally imparting a component to a component during the heat treatment. This nozzle can, for example, be moved automatically by means of a robot device.

Furthermore, a process chamber can be provided.

The process chamber may also itself have two inlets, one inlet for supplying process gas and the other inlet for supplying a coding component or process component containing a coding component (premix) from corresponding storage containers

The process gas is designed or assembled in such a way that it can ensure the chemically metallurgically desired properties of the component and, in addition, permits unambiguous component identification or coding. Thus, component related process gases with appropriate coding component must be provided. The coding component can thus also be provided as a premix from a gas storage container which contains both process gas and a corresponding proportion of the coding component. This gas storage container containing the premix then forms the coding component supply device.

The coding component supply means may thus be the mixing chamber, the premix reservoir or the reservoir containing the coding component.

The addition of the coding component can be controlled by a control device. This controller may include a closed-loop encoding component controller that controls the addition. By means of a sensor, the coding component control device detects an actual value of one or more volume flows in the process chamber and / or the mixing chamber, compares this with a predetermined desired value of one or more volume flows, and then sets the predetermined desired value via an actuator.

Volume flow or flows are understood to be the values of the corresponding gas flows which are supplied by the coding component supply device to the process chamber.

Furthermore, according to the invention, a coding gas is provided for coding during the heat treatment of a component. This coding gas comprises a process gas and is characterized in that the process gas contains a coding component, wherein the gaseous coding component comprises one or more isotopes of at least one gas and the proportion of the at least one isotope is changed compared to the naturally occurring proportion of this isotope in the gas.

By using such a coding gas subsequent unambiguous identification or identification of a component is possible. The coding component of the coding gas is introduced into the component during the manufacturing process and forms part of the component.

The process gas may comprise an inert gas such as argon, helium, neon, krypton, xenon or radon and / or an active gas such as O 2, CO ₂ , H ₂ and N ₂ or mixtures thereof.

The coding component may preferably comprise oxygen 18 carbon dioxide (C18O2), carbon 13 carbon dioxide (13CO2), carbon 13 carbon monoxide (13CO2), deuterium (D2), nitrogen 15 (15N2) and oxygen 18 (18O2) or mixtures thereof.

The abundance of the isotope may be about 0.5% or 1.0% or 1.5% or 2.5% or 5.0%, or 10.0%, or around 25, as compared to the naturally occurring frequency % or 50%, or 75%, or 100%, or 150%, or 200%, or 500%, or 1000%.

Examples of specific requirements for increasing or decreasing the isotope ratios are given in the table below. Type of coding element Type of isotope used to enrich a base gas to provide coding Naturally occurring concentration of isotopes Possible molecules Range of isotopes dosing to a base gas Inert isotopes, for storage in microporosities of a component Ar ³⁶ Ar ³⁶ Ar: 0.337% N / A Between 1.1 times and 10 times the naturally occurring fraction of the isotope or less than 0.9 times the natural fraction ³⁸ Ar: 0.063% ⁴⁰ Ar: 99.6% He ³ Hey ³ He: 0.000137% N / A Between 1.1 times and 10 times the naturally occurring fraction of the isotope or less than 0.9 times the natural fraction Rest: ^{4 he} H ² H ² H: 0.012% ² H ₂ ² H ₂ : Between 1 ppm and 10 ppm Remainder ¹ H ² H ¹ H ² H ¹ H: Between 1.1 times and 10 times the naturally occurring fraction of the isotope or less than 0.9 times the natural content N ² H ₃ N ² H ₃ : Between 1 ppm and 10 ppm Kr ⁷⁸ Kr ⁷⁸ Kr: 0.35% N / A ⁷⁸ Kr and ⁸² Kr: Between 1.1 times and 10 times the naturally occurring portion of the isotope, or less than 0.9 times the natural portion. ⁸² Kr ⁸⁰ Kr: 2.25% ⁸⁴ Kr ⁸² Kr: 11.6% ⁸⁶ Kr ⁸³ Kr: 11.5% ⁸⁴ Kr: 17.3% Others: Between 1.001 times and 1.1 times the naturally occurring fraction of the isotope, or less than 0.99 times the natural content ⁸⁶ Kr: 17.3% ne ²⁰ Ne ²¹ Ne ²² Ne ²⁰ Ne: 90.48% N / A ²¹ Ne and ²² Ne: Between 1.001 times and 1.1 times the naturally occurring fraction of the isotope, or less than 0.99 times the natural content ²¹ Ne: 0.27% ²² Ne: 9.25% Xe ¹²⁴ Xe ¹²⁴ Xe: 0.095% N / A 124Xe, 129Xe: between 1.1 times and 10 times the naturally occurring portion of the isotope, or less than 0.9 times the natural portion. ¹²⁹ Xe ¹²⁶ Xe: 0.089% ¹³¹ Xe ¹²⁸ Xe: 1.91% ¹³² Xe ¹²⁹ Xe: 26.4% ¹³⁴ Xe ¹³⁰ Xe: 4.07% Others: Between 1.001 times and 1.1 times the naturally occurring fraction of the isotope, or less than 0.99 times the natural content ¹³⁶ Xe ¹³¹ Xe: 21.2% ¹³² Xe: 26.9% ¹³⁴ Xe: 10.4% ¹³⁶ Xe: 8.86% Reactive isotopes that form suitable connections for coding with the material of the component C ¹² C ¹² C: 98.8% ¹² CO ¹³ CO, ¹³ CO ₂ : Between 1.1 times and 10 times the naturally occurring fraction of the isotope or less than 0.9 times the natural fraction ^{13C 13} C: 1.1% ¹³ CO ¹³ CO ₂ O ¹⁷ O ¹⁶ O: 99.76% ¹⁸ O ₂ ¹⁷ O ₂ , ¹⁸ O ₂ , C ¹⁸ O ₂ : between 1.1 times and 10 times the naturally occurring fraction of the isotope or less than 0.9 times the natural fraction of the two oxygen isotopes ¹⁸ o ¹⁷ O: 0.039% ¹⁷ O ₂ ¹⁸ %: 0.201% C ¹⁸ O ₂ N ¹⁵ N ¹⁴ N: 99 634% ¹⁵ N ₂ ¹⁵ N ₂ , ¹⁵ NH ₃ : Between 1.01 and 1.1 times the naturally occurring fraction of the isotope or less than 0.99 times the natural content of the 15N isotope ¹⁵ N: 0.366% ¹⁵ NH ₃

The coding component may contain at least one isotope of an active gas which reacts with the material of the component to be produced such that it remains in the component.

The coding component may comprise at least one inert gas isotope, the isotope being incorporated in the component.

The coding component may contain a plurality of different isotopes (isotopes of different gases) in predetermined proportions, the different isotopes in the component forming the coding.

The isotopes may be isotopes of the gas that forms the main component of the process gas.

The isotopes can also be isotopes that do not occur in the process gas.

Nitrogen ¹⁵ N isotopes may sometimes be inert and sometimes reactive depending on the alloying element, temperature, concentration and / or reaction time.

Hydrogen isotopes can also be incorporated in the gaseous state in microporosities, react with atomic oxygen O ₂ and dissolve or they can form metallic hydrides by adsorption on metallic surfaces and remain in the component.

Carbon isotopes ¹² C and ¹³ C are provided in the form of carbon dioxide, which is then separated in the process.

Some isotopes of H, N, CO may be added to the process as part of a chemical compound such as e.g. B: C ¹⁸ , O ₂ , ¹³ CO ₂ , N ² H ₃ and ¹⁵ NH ₃

The coding gas may be provided for encoding components according to the method described above.

• Figur 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung, und
• Figur 2 eine schematische Darstellung einer weiteren Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. These show in

• FIG. 1 a schematic representation of a device according to the invention, and
• FIG. 2 a schematic representation of another embodiment of a device according to the invention.

Hereinafter, a device 1 for encoding components in the heat treatment will be described. Basically, as already mentioned above, almost every device 1 for the heat treatment of components is suitable for carrying out the method according to the invention.

The invention is explained in general form by way of example with reference to a device 1 for heat treatment ( FIG. 1 ).

The device 1 comprises a receiving device 2 on which a 3 component for heat treatment can be arranged.

In the region of the receiving device 2, a heat source or a heating device 4 for heating the component 3 is arranged.

Furthermore, a gas supply device 5 is provided. The gas supply device 5 comprises a gas reservoir 6. The gas reservoir 6 is connected via a line section 7 with a nozzle 8. The nozzle 8 is movable by means of a robot (not shown).

In the gas reservoir 6, a coding gas or a gaseous coding component is stored.

Furthermore, a control device (not shown) for controlling the addition of the coding component is provided. The controller includes a closed-loop encoding component controller that controls the addition. The encoding component controller may include a P-controller, an I-controller, a D-controller, and combinations thereof, such as a PID controller. The coding component controller detects by means of a sensor an actual value of the one or more volume flows in the process chamber 2 and / or the mixing chamber, comparing this compares with a predetermined setpoint of one or more flow rates and via an actuator then the predetermined setpoint is set.

The device according to the invention will be described in more detail below with reference to a second exemplary embodiment ( FIG. 2 ). Unless otherwise described, this embodiment has the same technical features as the first embodiment.

The device comprises a process chamber 9, which is closed by a chamber wall 10 to the outside and limits a process space 11. In the process chamber 9, the heat treatment of a component is performed.

The receiving device and the heating device are arranged in the process chamber 9.

In addition, a process gas supply device 12 is provided, by means of which the process chamber 9 can be acted upon by a process gas.

The process gas supply device 12 has a process gas reservoir 13 for the process gas, wherein the process gas reservoir 13 is connected via a line section 14 with the process chamber 9.

Alternatively, a mixing chamber (not shown) may be provided. The mixing chamber has an inlet for supplying process gas from the process gas storage tank 13 for process gas, and an inlet for supplying coding component from the gas storage tank 6 for the coding component.

The process gas and the coding component may also be provided as a premix from a gas reservoir (not shown) containing both process gas and a corresponding proportion of the coding component. This gas storage container containing the premix then forms the coding component supply device and is directly connected to the process chamber 2 in addition to the reservoir 7 for the process gas connected or connected to the mixing chamber.

In the following, a method according to the invention will be described with reference to the second embodiment.

In this case, a component is arranged on the receiving device in the first step.

Subsequently, in a second step, the process chamber 9 by means of the process gas supply 12 as the process gas, an inert gas, such. As nitrogen, fed.

In a next step, the component is heated by means of the heating device, in order to subject the component to a heat treatment.

Either continuously or at a predetermined time, the process chamber 9 is then supplied with the coding component by means of the gas supply device.

As a rule, process gas is permanently located in the process chamber 9. If the process gas is nitrogen or a nitrogen-containing mixture (same for argon), then a coding gas may also be provided. The coding gas may either be provided as a premix or provided in a mixing chamber as needed. The coding gas comprises the process gas and the coding component such that the proportion of nitrogen-15 and nitrogen-14 isotopes is changed relative to the natural proportion of nitrogen-15 and nitrogen-14 isotopes or their ratio. For example, in the case of nitrogen, the ratio of ¹⁵ N (frequency = 99.634) to ¹⁵ N (frequency = 0.366) is changed such that the proportion of ¹⁵ N is increased and the proportion of ¹⁴ N is reduced (or vice versa).

By the coding component receives a single area of the component, if it is applied directly to the coding component or the entire component a unique isotope signature.

The coding information is stored in a database.

All parameters necessary for the heat treatment of the component are also stored electronically.

The coding component supply means may be connected to an interface of the apparatus such that it is precisely stored at which time or at which predetermined time interval during the melting of the starting material a coding component is associated with the protective gas. In this way, it can be precisely detected or detected where the coding is arranged in the component.

This coding information can advantageously be linked to the serial numbers of the component.

A method according to the first embodiment differs from the method described above only in that it is not performed in a process chamber and preferably only a gas supply means is provided for applying the component with a gaseous coding component or a coding gas.

According to the invention, the isotopes used can be isotopes of the process gas, i. for example, when nitrogen is used as the shielding gas, the ratio of nitrogen-15 to nitrogen-14 isotopes is changed. For example, carbon dioxide containing carbon-12, carbon-13 and carbon-14 isotopes may also be provided.

For example, in the heat treatment of aluminum, argon, oxygen isotopes, and nitrogen isotopes can be combined.

In the heat treatment of stainless steel or nickel-based alloys, a combination of carbon isotopes in CO ₂ and hydrogen isotopes in H ₂ can be used.

Inert isotopes can in principle be used independently of materials, since embedding in the microporosities is a purely mechanical process.

However, it is also possible to add other isotopes of another gas together with a portion of this other gas to the process gas as the coding component.

In a next step, the finished component can be analyzed using a detection device, such as a mass spectrometer (gas chromatograph), and thus check the coding or the originality of the component. An analysis by means of magnetic resonance or chemical analysis methods are possible.

According to a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, a gaseous alloying element is additionally or alternatively provided as the coding component. In this case, it may be provided, for example, to use an inert gas such as argon as the process gas, which contains a small proportion of between 1 ppm and 10 000 ppm of nitrogen-15 as the coding component. The metallic starting material contains titanium. Accordingly, in the production of the three-dimensional component, a small proportion of the titanium reacts with the nitrogen-15 and forms titanium nitride-15. This is indistinguishable from titanium nitride-14 in its chemical and physical properties, and therefore this can not be detected by chemical analysis methods. However, it is possible to analyze the component with a mass spectrometer. It is then found that the component has been produced under a nitrogen atmosphere with an increased proportion of nitrogen 15.

Thus, it is possible by means of the method according to the invention to code a component or specific areas of a component and subsequently to detect this coding.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

contraption

2

recording device

3

component

4

heater

5

gas supply

6

Gas reservoir

7

line section

8th

jet

9

process chamber

10

chamber wall

11

process space

12

Prozessgaszuführeinrichtung

13

Process gas reservoir

14

line section

Claims (15)

Coding gas for coding in the heat treatment of components comprising a process gas
characterized,
that the process gas contains a coding component, wherein the gaseous coding component comprises one or more isotopes of at least one gas and the proportion of the at least one isotope is changed compared to the naturally occurring proportion of this isotope in the gas, and / or wherein the gaseous coding component contains gaseous alloying elements. Coding gas according to claim 1,
characterized,
that the process gas is an inert gas such as argon, helium, neon, krypton, xenon, or radon or an active gas such as O _2, CO _2, H _2, and N _2, or mixtures thereof comprises and encoding component oxygen 18, carbon dioxide ( C ¹⁸ O ₂ ), carbon 13 carbon dioxide ( ¹³ CO ₂ ), carbon 13 carbon monoxide ( ¹³ CO ₂ ), deuterium (D ₂ ), nitrogen 15 ( ¹⁵ N ₂ ) and oxygen 18 ( ¹⁸ O ₂ ) or mixtures thereof , Coding gas according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized
the gaseous coding component preferably comprises one or more isotopes of at least one gas and the proportion of the at least one isotope is changed compared to the naturally occurring proportion of this isotope in the gas, the frequency of the isotopes being greater than 0.5% or more than the naturally occurring frequency more than 1.0% or more than 1.5% or more than 2.5% or more than 5.0% or more than 10.0% or more than 25% or more than 50, 0% or more than 75% or more than 100% or more than 150% or more than 200% or more than 500% or more than 1000% is increased or decreased. Coding gas according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized,
that the coding component comprises at least one isotope of an active gas which reacts in such a manner with the material of the component that it remains in the component and / or that the coding component comprises at least one isotope of an inert gas, wherein the isotope intercalates into the component. Coding gas according to one of claims 1 to 4,
characterized,
that the coding component comprises one or more isotopes of the process gas and / or of another gas, the proportion of an isotope being changed compared to the natural proportion of the isotopes in the process gas, ie their ratio, so that the coding component contains a plurality of different isotopes in predetermined proportions, wherein the different isotopes in the component form the coding. Coding gas according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized,
that the isotopes include isotopes of the gas that forms the main component of the process gas and / or that the isotopes being different to the isotopes of the process gas. Coding gas according to one of claims 1 to 6,
characterized,
that the coding component comprises a gaseous alloying element, wherein the proportion of the gaseous alloying element is selected such that the gaseous alloying element changes the material properties of the component only insignificantly. Method for coding in the heat treatment of components comprising the following steps
Providing a component,
Heating the component with a heat source to heat treat the component,
characterized,
in that at least one predetermined time interval during the heating, a gaseous coding component or a coding gas containing a coding component is added to the component in such a way that the use of the coding component in the finished object is detectable, and
Logging of coding information describing the coding information and its location in the component. Method according to claim 8,
characterized,
in that the gaseous coding component or the coding gas are designed according to one of claims 1 to 7. Method according to claim 8 or 9,
characterized,
that logging coding information comprises storing coding information in a database. Method according to one of claims 8 to 10,
characterized,
that the finished object with respect to its coding component, for example by means of chemical analysis methods or by means of a mass spectrometer, is detected on the basis of the coding information and / or
that the component at least during the heat treatment, a process gas is supplied and / or
that the coding information of the coding component in the object and, or include information on the type and / or the portion of the coding component and / or about the position (location area) via the serial number of the object. Method according to one of claims 8 to 11,
characterized,
that the heat treatment is a fabrication-oriented process such as stress relieving, soft annealing, normalizing, coarse graining, diffusion annealing, recrystallization annealing and tempering, or a stress-oriented thermal annealing process such as hardening, tempering, bainitizing and surface hardening, or a stress-oriented for thermochemical heat treatment such as carburizing, carbonitriding, nitriding, alumining, siliciding, vanadation, boriding and nitrocarburizing or sintering or hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Device for coding components in the heat treatment, comprising a receiving device on which a component can be arranged,
a heat source for heating the component to heat treat the component;
characterized,
in that a coding component supply device is provided, which is connected to a control device such that at least a predetermined time interval during melting, a coding component or coding gas containing a coding component is added to the component such that the use of the coding component in the finished object is detectable. Device according to claim 13,
characterized
a database is provided for storing coding information. Apparatus according to claim 13 or 14,
characterized,
in that the coding component supply device comprises a mixing chamber which is provided for admixing the coding component to a process gas in order to form a coding gas, wherein a coding component or process gas or a mixture of process gas and coding component can be fed from the mixing chamber to the component
that the Kodierungskomponentezuführeinrichtung is a gas storage container containing both process gas and a corresponding proportion of coding component or
in that the coding component supply device comprises a nozzle for applying the component with the coding component in regions.

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