The ability of parts to resist indentation can be crucial - to resist damage from applied loads - especially when the design engineer is seeking to reduce thickness and weight. The part must keep its designed shape within many unlikely scenarios - and react in predictable ways.

Specific hardness profiles indicate the capability of Nitrotec treated components to resist indentation from point contact surface loading.

With different substrate metals, it is possible to achieve hardness at depth which means that distortion and indentation become less likely - unless the part is put under duress far in excess of its design capability.