The present invention relates to a method of case hardening a Group IV metal or a Group IV metal alloy and to components hardened in the method. The method comprising the steps of: providing a workpiece of a Group IV metal or a Group IV metal alloy, the workpiece being in its final shape; nitriding the workpiece in a nitriding atmosphere comprising NHs as a nitriding species at a first temperature in the range of 450? C. to 750? C. for a nitriding duration of at least 16 hours to provide a hydrogen containing diffusion zone; removing hydrogen from the hydrogen containing diffusion zone at a second temperature of up to 750? C. and a partial pressure of H.sub.2 of up to 10.sup.?4 mbar over a hydrogen removal duration of at least 4 hours to provide a hydrogen depleted diffusion zone. The method and the component are useful for implants, in particular dental implants.

The present invention relates to a method of case hardening a Group IV metal or a Group IV metal alloy and to components hardened in the method. The method comprising the steps of: providing a workpiece of a Group IV metal or a Group IV metal alloy, the workpiece being in its final shape; nitriding the workpiece in a nitriding atmosphere comprising NHs as a nitriding species at a first temperature in the range of 450? C. to 750? C. for a nitriding duration of at least 16 hours to provide a hydrogen containing diffusion zone; removing hydrogen from the hydrogen containing diffusion zone at a second temperature of up to 750? C. and a partial pressure of H.sub.2 of up to 10.sup.?4 mbar over a hydrogen removal duration of at least 4 hours to provide a hydrogen depleted diffusion zone. The method and the component are useful for implants, in particular dental implants.

Methods of modeling metal alloys and forming those alloys are provided. The method involves comparing the strain accommodation and cleavage energies of a base alloy comprising a first metal and a chemical element different from the first metal. If a predetermined difference between those energies would be achieved, the base alloy will be sufficiently ductile. If that predetermined difference would not be achieved, the base alloy will not be sufficiently ductile, and the base alloy is modified (e.g., by adding a ductility component) until the predetermined difference in energies would be achieved, at which point, the alloy can be formed using conventional methods or further modified to achieve the desired degree of ductility.

Methods of modeling metal alloys and forming those alloys are provided. The method involves comparing the strain accommodation and cleavage energies of a base alloy comprising a first metal and a chemical element different from the first metal. If a predetermined difference between those energies would be achieved, the base alloy will be sufficiently ductile. If that predetermined difference would not be achieved, the base alloy will not be sufficiently ductile, and the base alloy is modified (e.g., by adding a ductility component) until the predetermined difference in energies would be achieved, at which point, the alloy can be formed using conventional methods or further modified to achieve the desired degree of ductility.

Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

The present disclosure relates to a titanium or titanium alloy member and to a surface hardening method for the titanium or titanium alloy member. The titanium or titanium alloy member includes a base material of titanium or titanium alloy, and at a surface of the base material, a hardened layer formed by diffusion of oxygen into the surface. The method includes: a heating step of heating the titanium or titanium alloy base material of the member to a predetermined temperature under an inert gas atmosphere; a hardening step of introducing (i) a mixed gas including an inert gas, and (ii) oxygen gas as a hardening treatment gas, to perform hardening treatment of the surface of the base material; and a cooling step of cooling the base material down to room temperature under the inert gas atmosphere.

The present disclosure relates to a titanium or titanium alloy member and to a surface hardening method for the titanium or titanium alloy member. The titanium or titanium alloy member includes a base material of titanium or titanium alloy, and at a surface of the base material, a hardened layer formed by diffusion of oxygen into the surface. The method includes: a heating step of heating the titanium or titanium alloy base material of the member to a predetermined temperature under an inert gas atmosphere; a hardening step of introducing (i) a mixed gas including an inert gas, and (ii) oxygen gas as a hardening treatment gas, to perform hardening treatment of the surface of the base material; and a cooling step of cooling the base material down to room temperature under the inert gas atmosphere.

Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

To provide a titanium sheet excellent in formability and a method for manufacturing the same. A titanium sheet, wherein, when a carbon concentration of a base material is C.sub.b (mass %) and a carbon concentration at a depth d m from a surface is C.sub.d (mass %), the depth d (carbon concentrated layer thickness) satisfying C.sub.d/C.sub.b>1.5 is 1.0 m or more and less than 10.0 m or less, wherein a Vickers hardness HV.sub.0.025 at a load of 0.245 N in the surface is 200 or more, a Vickers hardness HV.sub.0.05 at a load of 0.49 N in the surface is lower than HV.sub.0025, and a difference between HV.sub.0.025 and HV.sub.0.05 is 30 or more, wherein a Vickers hardness HV.sub.1 at a load of 9.8 N in the surface is 150 or less, and wherein an average interval between cracks generated in the surface when a strain of 25% is given in a rolling direction in a bulging forming process is less than 50 m and a depth thereof is 1 m or more and less than 10 m.