Resources

Heating element design and selection is critical to the proper functioning of any vacuum furnace and is dependent on a number of factors: maximum operating temperature; power load; partial pressure and quench gases and life expectancy. The vast majority of[...]

The most important materials used in man's history have lent their names to the periods concerned, namely the stone, copper, bronze and iron ages. Although it would be an exaggeration to call modern times the 'graphite age', graphite has become[...]

As was discussed last month, the heart of any vacuum furnace is its hot zone. If properly designed, constructed and maintained it will help ensure that your furnace performs in an optimal manner. One of the most important aspects of[...]

Maintenance procedures and safe working conditions are essential in maintaining vacuum furnaces as is the proper preparation of components to be heat treated prior to charging to the furnace. VAC AERO International operates more than a dozen vacuum furnaces in its[...]

We continue our discussion from Part One on the vacuum vapor degreasing method by focusing on the subject of part drying. Drying in Aqueous Systems In aqueous systems, heated air-drying is the most common method used for water removal. However, it[...]

Cleaning in a solvent offers a level of simplicity and forgiveness not seen in aqueous methods. At one time solvent cleaning was considered mandatory for successful vacuum processing but environmental concerns (VOC and other emissions) and improvements to aqueous systems[...]

For those of us who participate in the Heat Treatment group of LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1855932), which by the way is 8795 members strong (!), an important vacuum processing question was recently asked and what follows is a stimulating exchange of ideas,[...]

We study vacuum science and vacuum engineering in order to better understand the role vacuum technology plays in creating useful engineered products (Fig. 1, Table 1). Manufacturing as we know it, and research and development as we have come to[...]

Vacuum furnaces are available in numerous styles and sizes and come in both standard and custom configurations. They are designed to process an almost limitless number of both semi-finished component parts as well as raw materials using a diverse set[...]

Since brazing plays an important part in some of your company’s products, plan to have one or more of your people attend one of the high-powered, three-day (Tues-Thurs) seminars being held in 2018. Contact your people today to have them[...]

This question is one being asked in many brazing shops today, and the answer is a resounding “Yes!” --- carbon-fiber reinforced carbon (C/C) fixtures are being used more and more frequently in brazing shops around the world due to their[...]

In my last two articles, we explored the definitions of the words “brazing”, “passivation” and “defect”. Each of these words has also been mentioned and discussed in this column in years past, but I am bringing them out again to[...]

In last month’s column we explored the definition of the word “brazing”, so that the meaning of that important term could be more fully understood and differentiated from the terms “soldering” and “welding”. In this month’s column, I would like[...]

As we start out this new year, I think it would be good to review the definition of the word “brazing”, since it is somewhat complex, and some aspects of the definition are still being misused by a number of[...]

By now, most maintenance departments should have a plan in place for schedules repairs and maintenance during the summer months, especially if the plant has a shutdown for vacation. The part of the vacuum furnace system that I know best[...]

Last time (The Fundamentals of Vacuum Theory – Part 1) we talked about the Kinetic Theory of Gases and how it can be used to calculate gas properties. We also considered the relationship between molecular density, mean free path, molecular[...]

As in any discipline, understanding the underlying scientific principles has profound practical implications when properly understood. In this series of articles, we will review the first principles of vacuum technology and explain them using real-world illustrations. Most industrial vacuum systems can,[...]

To maximize your investment and produce repeatable high-quality process results, it is mandatory to institute a thorough pump preventative maintenance program. In a pump’s normal operating life, nearly all unexpected vacuum pump failures can be prevented, and when carefully maintained,[...]

Booster pumps (aka Roots blowers or intermediate stage vacuum pumps) fall into the class of dry, gas transfer pumps. As a dry pump, they do not introduce oil or water into the pumped gas stream. Gas transfer is accomplished by[...]

Introduction The microstructure of iron-based alloys is very complicated, being influenced by composition, homogeneity, processing and section size. Microstructures in coarse-grained steels are much easier to observe than in fine-grained steels. Of course, steels are normally made with a fine grain[...]

Failures in metallic components may be caused by any of the following factors or combinations of factors: Design shortcomings Imperfections due to faulty processing or fabrication Overloading and other service abuses Improper maintenance and repair Environmental factors Not all failures are[...]

Abstract Tool Steel Failure Examples and Metallographic Imagery below. Steels used for tools and dies differ from most other steels in several aspects. First, they are used in the manufacture of other products by a variety of forming processes. Second, tools and[...]

Abstract Medical technology has developed many new devices that can be implanted into humans (in-vivo) to repair, assist or take the place of diseased or defective bones, arteries and even organs. The materials used for these devices have evolved steadily over[...]

Abstract ASTM Test Method E 112 says it covers test methods to determine the average grain size of specimens with a uni-modal distribution of grain areas, diameters or intercept lengths. It says that these distributions are approximately log-normal. But, it does[...]