Nitriding cost, relative

Thermal spray is a well-established, relatively low-cost, industrial processes which is used widely for the deposition of metals and compounds, including the refractory carbides and nitrides. Examples are coatings of tungsten carbide with a cobalt binder which are of major industrial importance. PI... 

It is often difficult to assess and compare the industrial importance of refractory carbides and nitrides. In some cases, the analysis is relatively straightforward. A case in point would be a silicon-nitride blast nozzle. The cost of producing such a part can be exactly determined and its advantages over a metal unit in terms of wear resistance and useful life accurately plotted. 

I his appendix contains price information for the set of materials for which Appendix B gives the properties. The collection of valid cost data for materials is an extremely difficnlt task, which explains the dearth of materials pricing information in the literature. One reason for this is that there are three pricing tiers manufacturer, distributor, and retail. Under most circumstances, we cite distributor prices. For some materials (e.g., specialized ceramics, such as sihcon carbide and silicon nitride), it is necessary to use manufacturers prices. In addition, there may be significant variation in the cost for a specific material. There are several reasons for this. First, each vendor has its own pricing scheme. Furthermore, cost depends on quantity of material purchased and, in addition, how it was processed or treated. We endeavored to collect data for relatively large orders—that is, quantities on the order of 900 kg (2000 Ibm) for materials that are typically sold in bulk lots—and also for common shapes/treatments. When possible, we obtained price quotes from at least three distributors/manufacturers. 

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