METHOD OF THE PLASMA JET REMELTING OF A SURFACE LAYER OF A FLAT METAL WORK HAVING PARALLEL SIDE EDGES AND APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT THE METHOD

An apparatus for the plasma jet remelting of a surface layer of a flat metal work having parallel side edges, the apparatus comprising a sealed chamber, a mold for receiving the work, arranged within the sealed chamber and having two cooled beams lying in a horizontal plane and being parallel to one another, plasma torches arranged within the sealed chamber, sources of a plasma forming gas, electric current, and cooling water, supply lines connecting the plasma torches with the sources of a plasma forming gas, electric current and cooling water, shafts mounting the plasma torches, and each being journaled in a sealing bush installed in the wall of the sealed chamber so that the center line of each shaft is parallel with the beams of the mold; a drive for rotating each shaft about its center line, connected to each shaft, a drive for relatively moving the work and the shafts in a plane parallel with the beams of the mold, connected to at least one of the associated elements. Also disclosed are methods based on use of the apparatus.