But how does a vacuum furnace work? What are the various components that make up a vacuum furnace system? In this article, we'll discuss the vacuum furnace process and how some companies utilize them in their day-to-day business functions.
Dozens of industries, laboratories and manufacturers rely on high-powered vacuum furnace systems to perform daily functions. From heat treatment to brazing and sanitation, vacuum furnaces perform a variety of duties that are crucial for a company to operate efficiently.
Sometimes referred to as a controlled atmosphere furnace, a vacuum furnace is any furnace that removes air from the heating chamber during operation. A vacuum furnace system does this by utilizing an air purging pump and creating a seal that does not allow oxygen to enter the chamber while it is in use.
Temperature is controlled by various means but is uniform across the heating chamber. Most vacuum furnace systems have a maximum operating temperature between 1,500 and 5,400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Removing oxygen from the heating process eliminates the possibility for metal parts to oxidize under rapid temperature increase. Oxidation causes metals to lose electrons and break down, making their bonds weaker.
With oxidation removed as a possibility inside a vacuum furnace, heat treatment of metals and ceramics through annealing, brazing, sintering and other techniques results in a higher purity end product free of contaminants and defects caused by atmospheric gases.
The number of parts needed to operate a vacuum furnace is basically the same as a standard industrial furnace or oven. The big change is the pumping system that pulls the air out of the airtight chamber during the heating process. All told, the list of vacuum furnace components includes the vacuum system and:
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