Direct answers, no hedging

What is deep cryogenic treatment?

A one-time thermal process: parts cool to about −300 °F in dry nitrogen vapor, hold through an extended soak, then temper — all within a roughly 72-hour computer-controlled cycle — permanently changing the metal's microstructure through the entire cross-section to extend wear life, with documented gains of 20%–60%+ in the alloy classes and parts listed on the evidence page. Full explainer →

How much does cryogenic treatment cost?

Priced by weight, geometry, and material, and quoted per job. A published mining study put treatment at roughly 10% of part replacement cost. Firm quotes in two business days. Cost & ROI →

How long does deep cryogenic treatment take?

The full cycle — ramp down, extended dwell down to −300 °F, ramp up and in-chamber temper — runs about 72 hours end to end. Door to door, with freight both ways arranged by DCI, plan on about one week once you are on the schedule.

Will treatment change my part's dimensions or finish?

No. Parts come back with the same dimensions, the same fit, and the same surface finish — they install exactly as untreated parts do. It is a microstructural change through the full cross-section, not a coating and not a re-machining step.

Which metals respond best to cryogenic treatment?

Hardened, high-carbon, carburized, tool, and manganese steels — including 13–22% Mn castings and high-chrome white iron. Soft, low-carbon, or pearlitic parts generally see little benefit, and we'll tell you so before treating them. The evidence & limits →

Is the effect permanent?

Yes. The changes run through the entire cross-section and last the life of the part — including after regrinding, where tooling is reground. One treatment, before service, is all it takes.

Do you handle shipping?

Yes, both directions — freight and logistics are part of the service, including mine-site and marshaling-yard pickups.

How do I know the treatment worked?

Every job ships with its unbroken cycle temperature record. In service, measure what you already measure: hours-to-changeout against your baseline.

Does cryogenic treatment work on parts that are already heat treated?

Yes — DCT is usually performed after conventional heat treatment, not instead of it. The two processes complement each other, and the treatment reaches through the full cross-section rather than the surface alone.

Is deep cryogenic treatment the same as sub-zero treatment?

No. Sub-zero ("shallow") treatment reaches about −120 °F; deep cryogenic treatment can reach −300 °F with an extended soak, driving the austenite conversion further and adding fine-carbide precipitation that shallow treatment largely misses. Deep vs shallow →

How should a mine run a trial of cryogenically treated parts?

With a written protocol before parts ship: untreated controls from the same heat lot, alternating positions in the same machine, wear measured the way you already measure it — hours or tons to changeout, wear rate at inspections. DCI can draft it with you. The protocol →

Does deep cryogenic treatment work on austenitic manganese steel?

In the field, yes — but not by the textbook mechanism. Hadfield manganese steel is austenitic by design, so the retained-austenite-to-martensite story doesn't apply. The evidence is field wear data on crusher parts and GETs, DCI's NRC-IRAP manganese research with Innotech Alberta and the University of Alberta, and a co-authored 2026 paper in Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A on twinning-assisted toughening of high-manganese steels after deep cryogenic treatment. The manganese section →

Is cryogenic treatment service a capital expense or an operating expense?

Operating. Treatment is a line expense on castings you already buy — no equipment, no plant change, no new OEM. The return shows up as maintenance cost per ton and availability. Cost & ROI →

Does cryogenic treatment actually work, or is it snake oil?

The old claims often were; the measurements aren't. Customer-measured 2025 validation: >90% longer wear life on shovel teeth versus the mine's average baseline. GET study: 30–40%. Bucket teeth: 26–34%. We publish baselines, methods, and the cases where treatment won't pay. Judge the evidence yourself →