A vacuum furnace is helpful for a wide range of applications. For instance, these furnaces are useful for processes that cannot be completed without using a vacuum or for processes that are better performed in vacuums from a metallurgical viewpoint. Furnaces from vacuum furnace manufacturers are also indicated for processes that are more effective to do in vacuums from surface finish and economic perspectives.
What is a Vacuum Furnace?
All common heat treatment processes—and many uncommon ones—can be completed in a vacuum, including tempering, brazing, sintering and annealing. Some companies outsource their heat-treating, but establishing this capability at one’s own facility can be more convenient. Furnaces come in various sizes, feature configurations and production capabilities. A majority of furnaces’ lifespans are between 40 to 50 years, so deciding exactly which furnace is critical both short-term and long-term.
Vacuum Furnace Options
One common type of furnace is a single-chamber option. These furnaces consist of a heating chamber that uses a process of alternately injecting a neutral gas and hydrocarbon for the purpose of low-pressure carburizing. The process of carburizing is used to make a surface wear-resistant while still enabling it to be strong and tough. It is often applied to high-alloy steel components such as gears and bearings along with low-carbon steel parts following machining.
There are also two-chamber furnace options, which feature the type of heat chamber mentioned above and then a quenching cell. This quenching cell may be a gas cell whose maximum pressure is 20 bars or a cold or hot oil cell. You may also choose a multiple-chamber furnace, which can include up to 10 heating cells along with quenching cells. This type of chamber features a higher production capacity and thus can meet high standards for part quality and productivity.
What to Look for
The best furnace is one that is helpful for your specific application and has the greatest degree possible of uptime productivity along with uncompromised quality. Today’s vacuum furnace manufacturers use the most cutting-edge furnace designs to guarantee that both your operating and your performance needs. The right company will help you fully explore and understand all of your options before you make your purchase.
If you’re interested in purchasing a vacuum furnace, turn to EMC USA, Inc. Visit their website at http://www.ecm-usa.com to learn more.