Heat-treating industry is adopting more and more industry 4.0 techniques and solution packages, to improve production process and product quality. Proper specification, measurement, and control of heat-treating atmospheres are always critical to achieving the desired metallurgical and microstructural results. The combination of atmosphere measurements and other furnace operating parameters (e.g., furnace temperature and pressure) can provide a better view of the whole production. Thermodynamic calculations and field experiences can be integrated into the smart solution to provide process engineers more capabilities to manage and optimize production. In this article, our recent research and development work on smart solutions for the heat-treating industry will be presented and discussed.

Heat treaters are adopting more and more Industry 4.0 techniques and solution packages to improve production processes and product quality. Proper specification, measurement, and control of heat-treating atmospheres are always critical to achieving the desired metallurgical and microstructural results. The combination of atmosphere measurements and other furnace operating parameters (e.g., furnace temperature and pressure) can provide a better view of the whole production. Thermodynamic calculations and field experiences can be integrated into the smart solution to provide process engineers more capabilities to manage and optimize production. In this article, our recent research and development work on smart solutions for the heat-treating industry will be presented and discussed.