Gear Hardening Explained – Why Case Hardened Gears Dominate Heavy Duty Power Transmission
Gear performance is not determined only by geometry – but by metallurgy and heat treatment philosophy.
In this technical guide, we explain the real difference between EN8 (080M40), EN36 (655M13) and EN24 (817M40), and why serious gear manufacturers prefer Case Hardened EN36 for heavy-duty applications.
We compare Case Hardening vs Induction Hardening, analyze torque capability improvements, and explain how surface hardness directly affects wear, fatigue life, backlash stability and long-term gearbox reliability.
Including a real Module 2 gear case study showing how torque capacity increased from 70 Nm to 195 Nm after Case Hardening.





















