Kolsterising® improves the wear resistance of austenitic stainless steel parts, without affecting the corrosion resistance. Austenitic stainless steels which contain molybdenum, e.g. 316, even show enhanced corrosion resistance after Kolsterising®.

Kolsterising® is a low temperature diffusion process which adds carbon to the outer surface of a component. A carbon increase of up to 4% dissolved in the steel matrix increases hardness and induces compressive stresses in the surface. As carbide formation is surpressed the corrosion resistance of the base material can be fully maintained.

• No change in shape or size
• No change in surface roughness
• No change in colour
• Increase surface hardness to 1000 - 1200 Hv
• No elements are added which were not already present prior to treatment
• The non-magnetic behaviour of austenitic materials is not altered
• Resists to "galling"
• Highly resistant to wear (e.g. by cavitation-erosion)
• Uniformly hardened also at sharp edges and even inside bores, cavities and gaps measuring just a few microns
• Corrosion resistance unchanged or even improved in case of a stainless steel containing molybdenum