Hydrogen partial pressures are recommended when processing some alloys (like copper) and vacuum brazing with some filler metals (ie. silver or copper). A hydrogen partial pressure also improves the cleaning action during a vacuum furnace bake-out cycle. When properly design and constructed, a hydrogen partial pressure system is perfectly safe. The VAC AERO hydrogen partial […]

VAC AERO offers both all-metal and graphite-based insulation packages in our vacuum furnace hot zones. Some furnace manufacturers and heat treaters will tell you that vacuum brazing can only be performed in furnaces with all-metal hot zones. VAC AERO has proven this to be entirely false. For more than 10 years, our own heat treating […]

The cooling performance required by a vacuum furnace is dictated by the type of alloy to be hardened. Most air hardening tool steels such as the A and D series can be hardened by gas quenching at pressures of 2 bar or less. Furnaces with gas quench pressure ratings of 6 bar and higher can […]

There are a lot of factors to consider in this decision and every situation will be unique. A vacuum furnace is a large capital investment and there are other costs associated with setting up in-house that must be taken into account (see our Articles page). You also gain improved turn-around-time and important intangibles such as […]

No. Welding involves the melting of the base metal and may take place with or without a filler metal. Brazing involves the melting and re-solidification of a filler metal to form a joint between two base metal components. There is some diffusion of the filler metal into the base metal during brazing but no melting […]

Yes, it can, but there are some issues to consider. A standard vacuum furnace heats its load most effectively at temperatures above 1200°F (650°C), the start of the “red heat” range when radiant heating becomes most efficient. Below 1200°F (650°C), temperature uniformity within the furnace becomes a concern. Tempering operations for many alloys take place […]