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Vacuum Heat Treatment Process of AISI420 Stainless Steel Surgical Knife
AISI 420 is a martensitic stainless steel, belonging to the 400 series of stainless steels. It is called “surgical steel” because of its high hardness and strong corrosion resistance. It is suitable for applications where durability and sharpness are required, such as surgical instruments and knives. For the manufacture of surgical knives, a vacuum heat treatment process can further improve the material’s hardness, toughness and corrosion resistance.
Characteristics of AISI 420
Composition: AISI 420 contains a high chromium content (about 12-14%) and a low carbon content (usually 0.15-0.40%), which can achieve high hardness.
Corrosion resistance: It has good corrosion resistance, but slightly lower than austenitic stainless steels, suitable for milder and less corrosive environments.
Heat treatment: This material can be heat treated to obtain higher hardness, usually by quenching and tempering. AISI 420 can reach a hardness of about 50 HRC or higher after quenching and subsequent tempering.
Application: Due to its high hardness and moderate corrosion resistance, it is often used in blades, surgical tools, valve parts and precision machinery.
Vacuum heat treatment process of AISI 420
1. Preheating stage
Temperature: 600-750°C
Heating rate: 10-15°C/min
Housing time: 10-30 minutes
Purpose: Eliminate residual stress, avoid thermal shock caused by direct heating to quenching temperature, and reduce workpiece deformation.
2. Austenitization (quenching) stage
Temperature: 950-1050°C
Housing time: 15-30 minutes (adjusted according to workpiece thickness)
Purpose: Heat to the austenite zone and transform the structure into austenite so that a high-hardness martensite structure can be formed during quenching.
3. Rapid cooling (quenching)
Cooling method: Rapid cooling with nitrogen or high-purity gas, carried out in a vacuum furnace
Cooling rate: >20°C/s
Purpose: Rapid cooling to form martensite to obtain higher hardness and strength.
4. Tempering treatment
Temperature: 180-350°C
Holding time: 1-2 hours
Cooling method: furnace cooling or air cooling
Purpose: To reduce residual stress in martensite, improve toughness and reduce brittleness through tempering. The choice of temperature can be adjusted according to the hardness requirements.
The heat treatment of AISI420 scalpels is generally carried out in a vacuum gas quenching furnace, which can achieve quick cooling speed and small deformation:
Pressure
Equipment selection: The RVGQ series vacuum gas quenching furnace produced by SIMUWU is a high-quality product for vacuum heat treatment of molds. Good temperature control accuracy and temperature control uniformity ensure the effective implementation of the vacuum gas quenching process. SIMUWU focuses on the manufacture of vacuum furnaces and has more than ten years of relevant experience. It has a good reputation in the field of vacuum furnace manufacturing. The product line includes vacuum gas quenching furnaces, vacuum oil quenching furnaces, vacuum brazing furnaces, etc., which are widely sold in developed and developing countries. For detailed technical information, please click on the official website below:
If you want to know more about vacuum furnace equipment, please send your request to contact@vacfurnace.com, and our company will give you a satisfactory solution.
Keywords: vacuum furnace, vacuum quenching furnace, stainless steel vacuum heat treatment, stainless steel vacuum tempering, stainless steel vacuum quenching