The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) recently developed a new technology of plasma heat treatment, the official KCNA news agency reported on Friday.
The technology ensures required hardness and rational composition of metal by using air instead of argon gas, the report said.
On the basis of the technology, various kinds of plasma heat treatment devices for machine parts were designed and manufactured, it said.
The devices make it possible to lower the electricity consumption by one-twentieth and the heat treatment cost by one-thirtieth, while sharply raising the actual processing rate, doubling the serviceable life of the processed parts and improving the environment of production, it said.
The technology can be applied to heat treatment of various parts, including locomotive wheels, crankshafts, rollers, large gears and cutting tools.
It is also reported that more than 20 units have introduced the devices to heat-treat large machine parts on a high level.