Humidity, especially paired with high temperatures in the summer months, poses a significant challenge to the vacuum heat-treating process. Water vapor contained in humid or wet air can accumulate inside the furnace chamber and hot zone, causing production metal parts to discolor or oxidize. The outcome is unacceptable, especially for critical components like aerospace, electronic and medical-implant materials.

This tutorial explains how the amount of water vapor contained in a specific volume of air is a function of relative humidity, air temperature and other factors. In addition to an in-depth understanding of the topic, readers can obtain suggestions on how to improve final product appearance and minimize possibility of contamination when faced with high humidity. Click on the title of the article below under "Links"  to read the entire article.