Characteristics and Application of Vacuum Heat Treatment Furnace Processing Technology

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In the field of modern material processing, heat treatment technology plays a vital role in improving the properties of metal materials. As a new type of heat treatment method, vacuum heat treatment processing technology organically combines vacuum technology with traditional heat treatment technology, showing unique advantages and broad application prospects.

Overview of vacuum heat treatment processing technology

The environment in which vacuum heat treatment occurs is an atmosphere below one atmospheric pressure, covering different levels of low vacuum, medium vacuum, high vacuum and ultra-high vacuum. Essentially, it belongs to the category of atmosphere controlled heat treatment, which means that all or part of the heat treatment process is implemented in a vacuum state, and can realize almost all processes involved in conventional heat treatment while significantly improving the quality of heat treatment.

Process principles of vacuum heat treatment processing technology

1.Phase transformation characteristics of metals in a vacuum state. In a vacuum environment that is only 0.1MPa different from the atmospheric pressure, the thermodynamics and kinetics of solid-state phase transformations of metals remain basically stable. This enables us to fully draw on the principles of solid-state phase transformation and tissue transformation data under normal pressure when formulating vacuum heat treatment process regulations, providing a solid theoretical basis for process design.

2.Vacuum degassing and performance improvement Vacuum degassing is of key significance in the vacuum heat treatment process. By removing gas impurities from metal materials, the physical and mechanical properties of metal materials can be effectively improved, making the internal structure of the material more uniform and dense, thus enhancing its overall performance.

3.Evaporation and surface purification of metal surface elements When heated in a vacuum state, the surface elements of the metal workpiece will evaporate. This process helps to achieve non-oxidation heating of metal. The required vacuum degree can ensure the surface purification effect, reduce the occurrence of oxidation and decarburization, and ultimately achieve the purpose of surface brightening and purification, meeting the requirements for high metal surface quality. Application scenarios.

Characteristics of vacuum heat treatment processing technology

Advantages of vacuum heat treatment processing

1.No oxidation, no decarburization and no pollution

Vacuum heat treatment technology can effectively avoid oxidation and decarburization of steel parts during the treatment process and ensure stable chemical composition and surface quality of the workpiece. At the same time, because it is carried out in a vacuum environment, it reduces the generation of waste gas, waste residue and other pollutants. It is in line with the concept of modern green manufacturing and is a clean production technology.

2.Less distortion of the workpiece

Compared with traditional salt bath heating and quenching, the distortion of the workpiece after vacuum heat treatment is significantly reduced, only one-third of that of salt bath heating and quenching. This is of great significance for improving the dimensional accuracy and shape accuracy of the workpiece, and is especially suitable for heat treatment of parts such as tools and molds with complex shapes and high dimensional accuracy requirements.

Research and simulation of small distortion of process workpieces. In-depth study of the distortion patterns of various materials and parts of different complexity under vacuum heating methods and different cooling conditions, and analysis and prediction with the help of computer simulation technology, is crucial for the promotion of vacuum heat treatment technology. During vacuum heating, normal pressure or high-pressure air cooling quenching, the uniformity of air flow has a great impact on the hardening effect and mass dispersion of parts. Computer simulation of the air flow circulation rules in the furnace can provide scientific basis for improving the furnace structure, further optimizing the vacuum heat treatment process, and improving the stability and consistency of product quality.

Application of vacuum heat treatment furnace

Modern vacuum heat treatment furnaces generally refer to cold-wall furnaces capable of vacuum heating of components and subsequent quenching in oil or quenching in atmospheric and pressurized gases. The research and development of this type of stove involves multiple disciplines and is highly comprehensive. It must not only meet the requirements of the vacuum environment, but also ensure the precise control of heating, cooling and other processes, as well as the reliability and stability of the equipment.

The development trend of vacuum heat treatment of tool and mold materials In terms of tool and mold material processing, vacuum heat treatment has huge application potential. Currently, most tool and die steels are heated in a vacuum and cooled and quenched in a gas. In order to obtain ideal mechanical properties on the surface and inside of the workpiece, vacuum high-pressure gas quenching technology has become the key. Internationally, the air pressure of vacuum air quenching has gradually increased from a low level to 1-2MPa or even 3MPa. In the future, further increasing the cooling gas pressure of high-pressure air quenching vacuum furnaces will be an important development direction, which will help to further improve the quality of tools and molds. performance and service life to meet the increasingly stringent requirements for tool and mold quality in the growing high-end manufacturing industry. In summary, vacuum heat treatment processing technology occupies an important position in the modern material processing industry with its unique process principles, significant technical characteristics and wide range of application fields, and will continue to expand in the modern material processing industry with the continuous development and innovation of technology. More fields will play a greater role in promoting the manufacturing industry to continuously move towards high precision, high performance, and green and environmental protection.

Vacuum Heat Treatment Furnace