The Ohio-based aluminium extrusion die manufacturer Youngstown Tool & Die (YTD) selected NITREX Canada to support their expansion strategy, scaling up value-added nitriding services that the company contributes to its customers.

In the last quarter of 2020, YTD added Nitreg® controlled nitriding with the installation of a Nitrex turnkey gas nitriding system to complement their range of heat-treating services.

The expansion roll-out was initiated in the previous summer when YTD relocated to a larger manufacturing facility and made investments in new production and finishing equipment to expand its manufacturing capabilities and meet the growing demand in the USA. As part of the new production, YTD installed a Nitrex pit-type NX-1015 nitriding system that boasts a 4,400 lbs. (2,000 kg) capacity for treating aluminium extrusion dies.

The installation of a Nitrex system makes it possible for Youngstown Tool & Die customers to obtain greater performance results from treated dies. Since aluminium extrusion dies undergo extrusion cycles in conditions that include high temperatures, abrasion, and wear, periodic nitriding with Nitreg® technology ensures optimum results of the nitrided layer, translating to longer-lasting extrusion dies. Besides improving die quality, Nitreg® also contributes to reduced costs associated with tooling, downtime, corrections, and profile quality.

NITREX was founded in Montreal, Canada in1984 is the lead provider of fully integrated heat-treating solutions and technologies globally.

Jack Kalucki, Account Executive at Nitrex, said: “This is the company’s first purchase of a Nitrex nitriding system and we are glad to be part of their growth strategy.”

“Use of the Nitreg® nitriding technology will ensure that YTD customers optimize their die performance and achieve greater throughput capacities,” Jack added.