Kolsterising®, a revolutionary fastener treatment, is redefining standards for clean-critical applications across various industries. The process involves diffusing carbon into the material’s surface without forming carbides, which enhances the surface hardness of the fastener material without altering its inherent properties. Kolsterising® offers a unique solution for environments where cleanliness, corrosion resistance, and material integrity are paramount. This advanced treatment extends the lifespan of fasteners and ensures reliable performance in the most demanding conditions, making it an essential process for industries that cannot afford compromise.
One of the key advantages of the Kolsterising® process is that it increases surface hardness significantly without introducing brittleness. The diffusion layer created by Kolsterising® is extremely hard and dense; the treated fasteners can achieve a surface hardness of up to 1,200 HV (Vickers Hardness). This significant increase in surface hardness is achieved without compromising the corrosion resistance of the underlying material. The exact hardness can vary depending on the specific material treated and the process parameters used. However, achieving around 1,000 to 1,200 HV is typical for austenitic stainless steels and similar alloys.
In industries and applications where cleanliness, durability, and long-term reliability are non-negotiable, such as semiconductor, medical, food processing, vacuum processing, optics, cleanroom, and aerospace, Kolsterising® is an attractive finish for fasteners due to several key benefits, including:
- Enhanced Surface Hardness: As detailed above, Kolsterising® significantly increases the surface hardness of treated fasteners without compromising their corrosion resistance. This hardening helps prevent wear, galling, and surface deformation, which is critical in high-precision and high-cleanliness environments.
- Corrosion Resistance: Unlike other surface treatments that may reduce the corrosion resistance of the treated fastener, Kolsterising® maintains or even enhances the material’s inherent corrosion resistance. This makes it suitable for use in environments where both cleanliness and resistance to corrosive elements are essential.
- No Dimensional Changes: The Kolsterising® process does not cause dimensional changes to the fasteners, which is crucial in applications where tight tolerances must be maintained. This ensures that the fasteners fit perfectly in their intended applications without the need for post-treatment machining.
- Chemical and Thermal Stability: The process creates a layer that is stable at high temperatures and resistant to a wide range of chemicals. This makes it ideal for use in semiconductor manufacturing and other high-temperature or chemically aggressive environments.
- Low Particulate Generation: In cleanroom and vacuum processing environments, particulate generation can be a significant issue. Kolsterising produces a smooth, hard surface that minimizes particulate shedding, helping maintain the cleanliness standards required in these critical applications.
- Biocompatibility: For medical applications, Kolsterising® is attractive because it can enhance the surface properties of stainless steel implants and instruments without introducing toxic elements or compromising biocompatibility.
- Non-Magnetic Properties: The process preserves the non-magnetic properties of austenitic stainless steels, which is vital in applications like medical devices and specific aerospace components where magnetic interference must be avoided.
In demanding, clean-critical environments where even the slightest contamination or material failure can have serious consequences, Kolsterising® provides a superior, durable, and reliable solution.
Fasteners and O-rings explicitly designed for your clean-critical applications
We offer a variety of standard and vented screws, washers, hex nuts, and O-rings in multiple materials and sizes. We offer numerous finish options, specialized venting designs, complete custom product development, and Class 100/ISO Class 5 Cleanroom cleaning & packaging. View our online parts catalog to find the components you need, request a quote, or contact us for more assistance or additional information.
Customer-Centric Service at UC Components, Inc.
Please get in touch with us if you do not see what you need listed in our standard products. We may not stock what you are looking for, but we can acquire or manufacture just about any fastener or O-ring required for your application. When you call, email, live chat on our website, or fill out one of our site’s RFQ or contact forms, you will get a response from one of our live fastener specialists, not an order taker, AI, or machine. Your partnership is not just a transaction; it’s a relationship built on trust, and we are committed to ensuring that your voice is not only heard but deeply valued. We say what we do, and do what we say, RediVac® counted, cleaned, consistent. Contact UC Components, Inc. today: 408-782-1929 or www.uccomponents.com.
