Integral quenching (IQ) is a widely adopted heat treatment technique known for its efficient and rapid quenching capabilities. Vertical vacuum IQ furnaces give heat treaters a larger working zone for efficient and rapid quenching. This article describes the elements of a vacuum IQ furnace line and describes its operational workflow and process control.

This article reviews steps to improve the cost and efficiency of electrical heating methods for vacuum furnaces based on recent technology developments. Topics addressed include improvements in durability and efficiency of industrial power supplies and digital power supply diagnostics.

Temperature measurement, unvented cavities, loose powder, and direct contact of certain metals must be considered during process development for vacuum heat treatment of additively manufactured parts.

A novel hot zone design featuring new graphite boards reduces heat loss and improves overall hot zone power requirements.

Heat treaters are discovering new opportunities in the rapidly expanding field of additive manufacturing. This article describes some of the opportunities and challenges for heat treaters in this technology area.

Understanding detrimental alpha case formation during heat treatment of titanium parts is increasingly important as titanium use in aerospace and medical applications continues to grow.

Residual gas analysis shows that vacuum furnaces with graphite hot zones are more economical than all-metal designs and are capable of producing contamination-free surfaces.

Emissivity is a term used to define the ability of a surface to emit and absorb radiation. At any given temperature, the emissivity of a body (or surface) equals its absorptivity. Development work on a vacuum carburizing process revealed the need to better understand the effect of workload surface emissivity and the proper use of dummy thermocouple test blocks. This article reports on the findings from this research effort.

Successful part brazing relies on proper joint design, part cleanliness, and correct fixturing of part assemblies. Routine furnace maintenance allows repeatable, quality brazing results over time. This article describes aluminum brazing processes and process control considerations.