The heat treater might be surprised to learn that in order to understand how various heat-treatment processes create a particular microstructure and its corresponding mechanical properties, it is necessary to have a fundamental understanding of both thermodynamics and kinetics.

Since the development of commercial electric heating elements at the beginning of the 20th century, oxidation and corrosion resistance have been primary goals in the creation of new high-temperature resistance and construction alloys and ceramic materials.

Perhaps a half-dozen times over the course of The Doctor’s career have vacuum furnace users reported the presence of a white layer on the surface and near-surface of steel and stainless steel component parts after vacuum hardening and/or carburizing followed by vacuum oil quenching.

When producing quality parts in an atmosphere heat-treating system, it is essential to properly utilize the carburizing and quenching processes, as well as applicable modern technology.

At the Center for Heat Treating Excellence (CHTE) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts, researchers are perfecting carbon-concentration profile predictions through enhancements to CarbTool©, its simulation software.

Ipsen recently installed atmosphere and vacuum heat-treating systems at SKF’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in St. Louis, Mo.

This paper highlights how to make the most of your quenching and carburizing processes and atmosphere system.