Vacuum furnaces, which appeared around the 1930s, have gradually gained widespread application across various industries. Their adoption has been rapid because they bring significant advantages and convenience to industrial production. Vacuum heat treatment using these furnaces can be applied to many sectors, making them highly versatile. Their simple structure and ease of use also reduce time consumption during work processes.
A vacuum furnace generally consists of a furnace body, furnace chamber, electric heating elements, sealed furnace shell, vacuum system, power supply system, and temperature control system. The sealed furnace shell is usually welded from carbon steel or stainless steel. The joint surfaces of detachable parts are sealed with vacuum sealing materials. To prevent deformation of the shell due to heat and deterioration of the sealing material, the shell is typically cooled by water or air. The furnace chamber is located inside the sealed shell. Depending on the furnace’s purpose, different types of heating elements may be installed in the chamber, such as resistance wires, silicon carbide rods, silicon molybdenum rods, induction coils, electrodes, or electron guns. Vacuum furnaces used for metal melting have crucibles inside the chamber, and some are equipped with automatic pouring devices and robotic loading/unloading mechanisms. The vacuum system mainly consists of vacuum pumps, valves, and gauges.
Main Applications: Cold and hot mold steels, high-speed steel, elastic alloys, high-temperature alloys, stainless steel, titanium alloys, magnetic materials, and other materials requiring vacuum heat treatment.
Unique Advantages of Vacuum Furnace During Use:
- Near-Vacuum Processing:
Electric heating elements allow the furnace to operate close to a vacuum. Heating in a vacuum environment helps remove certain substances from the chamber and reduces internal pressure below atmospheric levels, achieving a true vacuum state. This provides a clear practical advantage during production. - High Efficiency and Strong Protection:
Vacuum sintering furnaces can significantly improve work efficiency. The temperature control system is simple to operate, and the vacuum and power supply systems offer strong protection, ensuring operational safety. The vacuum system maintains excellent sealing, enhancing vacuum performance and further improving efficiency while minimizing resource consumption and waste. - Intelligent Control:
Connection to a computer system allows easy implementation of intelligent control, ensuring stable and consistent production processes.
Overall, these advantages help maximize production efficiency, reduce the need for 24-hour monitoring by staff, and lower labor intensity for operators.