The Technology Team have managed to harden the surface of austenitic steels. Normally this is not possible with this type of stainless steel.

Via a diffusion process, a hard and abrasion resistant film is brought into the material without reducing the corrosion resistance. An additional advantage is also that fatigue strength increases.
This is an FDA- approved treatment and is, for example, used widely in machine building for the food processing industry. 
( see also: www.stainihard.co.uk )