Hardening is a process aimed at enhancing mechanical resistance and increasing strength through targeted microstructure modification and transformation in the near-surface region. 

Hardening processes at Musashi: 

• Induction hardening
  The area to be hardened is specifically heated by induction. This is followed by quenching to produce a martensitic structure. Tempering reduces the residual stresses still present in the component. Since energy is applied locally, this process can result in a relatively low CO2 footprint. 

• Case hardening
  Case hardening consists of several phases. During carburizing, the area near the surface is first enriched with carbon by diffusion. This is followed by quenching and tempering. In case hardening, the entire component is heated.