subject: The Advantages Of A Custom Vacuum Furnace [print this page] A vacuum furnace is used for heating various metals and certain other metals in a vacuum environment. This particular type of furnace can be used for almost all the processes that are carried out by a regular or high temperature furnace.
The following are some common processes that can be carried out in such a furnace:
1. Heat treatment: This process is mainly carried out to bring about a change in the physical or chemical properties of a metal. This method is used to manufacture glass, which requires tremendous amounts of heat. Annealing is one of the most common examples of heat treatment. In this process, the metal is heated to a high temperature and then cooled either slowly or rapidly.
2. Sintering and debinding: Sintering involves fusing powders using heat and/or pressure to form a solid object. It is used for manufacturing tungsten carbide balls, among other ceramic objects. The debinding process can also be carried out in one furnace in a vacuum. By doing this, a significant amount of time and labor is saved.
When you are using a vacuum furnace, there are several tight parameters that are to be kept in mind. For instance, your process might need temperatures up to the range of 3000C degree centigrade or you might need vacuum up to 10-6 torr. In some cases, the process might also need partial pressure gas atmosphere in the millitorr or torr ranges. Each of these parameters should be achieved in the furnace. In case you need to undertake high temperature treatments, using graphite line elements for hot zones is recommended. However, if you need a non-particulate hot zone, the use of metals such as molybdenum, tungsten, stainless steel, nichrome among others.
From the quality and safety point of view, it is very important to adhere to industry codes such as the ASME. In fact, there are certain manufacturers that offer a 5-year warranty on the chamber of the furnace. While the market does offer a variety of standard furnaces, opting for a custom furnace is a better decision because it gives you access to specialized features.
There are many materials with which vacuum furnaces can be manufactured. Some of the most common and high-performance materials are mild steel, 304 stainless steel or 316 stainless steel. Furnaces that have a leak rate of 5 microns per hour are suitable for most applications. However, if your application requires calls for a lower leak rate, you could discuss this with your manufacturer. Tighter specifications can be achieved through electro-polishing or with specialty coatings. These are just some of the advantages of opting for a custom furnace.
In addition, you could equip your vacuum furnace with a hydrogen burn-off system or condenser systems if so needed.
