How to choose a customized vacuum furnace?

When customizing a vacuum furnace, multiple factors need to be considered to ensure that the selected equipment can meet specific process and production requirements. Here are some key selection points:

Heating temperature and ultimate vacuum degree:
Choose a vacuum furnace based on the chemical composition of your product and the maximum heating temperature required. The ultimate vacuum degree must satisfy the relationship between the equilibrium decomposition pressure of metal oxides and carbides, and a certain margin must be set.
Do not blindly pursue high vacuum degree, as excessive vacuum degree may cause the volatilization of alloy elements, while increasing equipment configuration and investment costs.
Cooling method:
The cooling methods of vacuum furnaces mainly include oil cooling and gas cooling. At present, it is mainly air-cooled, which has almost no pollution or adverse effects on heat-treated parts. After treatment, the surface of the parts is clean and does not need to be cleaned.
There is a slight carburization problem on the oil cooled surface, which has a certain impact on the quality. Therefore, gas cooling quenching is generally selected under the condition of meeting the cooling rate. However, some materials can only be quenched by oil cooling.
The cooling speed of air-cooled systems is influenced by factors such as air pressure, flow rate, and the form and distribution of the airflow, and should be fully considered when selecting.
Heating element:
The form and material of vacuum furnace heating elements are different, generally dominated by plate and rod types, and made of high-strength graphite.
In recent years, carbon carbon composite materials have shown a trend of replacing graphite due to their significant technological advantages.
In some cases, such as when materials react with carbon at high temperatures, it is necessary to choose metal materials such as stainless steel or molybdenum as heating elements.
Functional requirements:
Considering the universality of the process, for example, the temperature range for quenching and tempering should be wide, especially when dealing with high alloy steel. The tempering temperature is high and it is very convenient to directly temper without leaving the furnace after quenching.
Control system:
The control system is the core part of the vacuum furnace and must ensure its reliability and completeness.
Sealing and vacuum system configuration:
The sealing performance of the equipment and the reliability of the vacuum system configuration are also important factors, and reliable products need to be selected based on comparison.
Manufacturer and Service:
Choose manufacturers with technical strength, reliable quality, and comprehensive services for cooperation to ensure timely response to equipment maintenance and upgrades.
Budget and cost-effectiveness:
Based on one’s own budget and needs, taking into account the cost-effectiveness of the equipment, choose the most suitable vacuum furnace.
In summary, when customizing a vacuum furnace, multiple factors need to be considered, including heating temperature and ultimate vacuum degree, cooling method, heating elements, functional requirements, control system, sealing and vacuum system configuration, manufacturer and service, budget and cost-effectiveness, etc. By considering these factors comprehensively, the most suitable vacuum furnace for one’s own needs can be selected.