ATLAS CRYO

CRYOGENIC Treatment by makers of ATLAS KNIVES

Cryogenics is the method of Ultra Low Temperature Processing of materials to enhance their metallurgical properties.

This process involves Cooling the Tools, Knives & Blades to Temperatures as low as (-) 196^o C or (-) 310^o F in precise computer controlled programmed cycles, keeping the material at low temperature for a specified time and then getting them back to room temperature in a controlled fashion.

The deep Cryogenic Treatment has been developed and perfected over the years. It has now been proven that knives and blades treated with this process increase the durability & resistance to wear by substantial.

Cryogenic Treatment increases the performance of the tools by converting soft retained Austenite into stable abrasion resistant Martensite. The metal matrix develops into a high density microstructure with very low porosity. The dense microstructure is supported by equally distributed ETA carbides. The homogeneous microstructure with minute well distributed carbides means there are negligible internal stresses on the tool and the tool is much tougher, much more ductile ( up to 300%) less brittle and with no soft areas. All this directly increases the life of the tool.

Such Cryogenic Treated tools or Parts do not easily develop micro cracks, which is the primary cause of edge failure.  Even when the micro cracks finally develop, the homogeneous molecular structure, means that they are minor in nature and the chipping can physically be measured under a microscope to be minimum and therefore

a)      the blade wear out much less

b)      the stock that has to be removed at the time of grinding is also much less & which means more regrinds on the tools.

Another advantage of Cryogenic Treatment of the tools specially in comparison to Surface Coated tools is that this treatment works throughout the life of the tool and does not need repeated re-coating at every regrind, since the Complete Mass is treated. Also, the treatment does not really affect the hardness of the tools and it does not become brittle on the surface and there is no danger of chipping or breaking. In fact the finer and well-distributed microstructure makes the tool much more ductile and yet tougher.