Thermal Processing Magazine

falkThe aviation industry is changing toward more sustainable production, service, and maintenance of aircraft. Additionally, more and diverse aircraft are being developed, especially considering UAVs and VTOLs. This results in more diverse components. Additive manufacturing (AM) comes in handy to tackle those challenges. Due to the various parameters that influence the component’s properties, the qualification […]

ISI 4140 steel is one of the important categories in the steels with a wide range of applications including, but not limited, to automotive, general machinery, and the oil and gas industry. In the current study, an effort is made to understand the effects of heat-treatment parameters, such as heat-treatment temperature and holding time, on […]

Carburizing is typically done with a target of 0.80-0.90% carbon at the surface of the part. What is the effect if the carbon level is moved above or below this range? In this article, we will examine the effect of surface carbon content — or the carbon potential during carburizing — on the performance of […]

Then manufacturers seek to leverage specialized expertise, advanced processing capabilities, or proprietary technologies without assuming the financial burden of acquiring and maintaining dedicated equipment or facilities, they often turn to toll processing. Toll processing (or toll manufacturing) involves a manufacturer processing customer-supplied materials or parts for a predetermined fee. The customer retains ownership of the […]

This study developed a new heat treatment method, normalizing and stress relief (NSR), to increase productivity compared to spheroidizing annealing (SA). The influence of different microstructures resulting from these heat treatments was investigated in cold-forged steel. Despite a shorter heat treatment time, the mechanical properties of the NSR alloy were found to be similar to […]

Heat-treatment technology changes all the mechanical properties of metallic materials. The influence of induction hardening, nitriding, and boronizing on the change in the microhardness, impact toughness, microstructure, and coefficient of friction of conventional steels 42CrMo4 and 32CrMo12 has been examined and compared with results obtained in the sintered steels with an increased content of Cu, […]

Induction hardening lends itself very well to heat treating steel shafts that will be loaded in torsion and/or bending. In both cases, it puts the strength at the surface where it is needed the most. It is a relatively quick and efficient process that allows the use of plain carbon steel and water quenching. Cracking […]

In the early history of the heat treatment of steel, water and brine were used to quench lean alloys that consisted of little more than iron, carbon, and a little manganese. As the use of additional alloying elements such as chromium, nickel, molybdenum, and vanadium increased, water and brine quenchants were simply too fast. Cracking […]

The cold spray technique has recently emerged as an additive manufacturing method for producing free-standing parts in addition to its use in repair and coating applications. Manufacturing relatively hard alloys such as Inconel 718 remains challenging and requires careful optimization of process parameters and post-heat treatment (HT) conditions. This work investigates the optimal post-heat treatment […]

With the trend from Si IGBT to SiC MOSFET in electric vehicle (EV) power electronics, the junction temperature is expected to increase from 150°C to 175°C with the potential to exceed 200°C. This brings significant challenges for thermal management. Die-attach and substrate-attach materials play an important role in effective thermal management, and IDTechEx has noticed […]

Induction heating is a process that uses electromagnetic fields to heat electrically conductive materials. An induction heating system includes a power supply that converts line power to a high frequency alternating current. This energy is delivered over a cable assembly to a workhead that creates an electromagnetic field within the induction coil. A work piece […]

Molten salts are highly effective as a quenching medium for austempering and martempering processes, enabling precise control of cooling rates to achieve the desired microstructures and mechanical characteristics in steel components. One such promising molten salt is a multicomponent Ca (NO3)2-KNO3 molten salt. The current work explores the cooling severity of molten Ca (NO3)2-KNO3 mixtures, […]

Designed to pump out atmospheric gases at the beginning of a heat-treating process, while also being capable of introducing process gases to reach specific sub-atmospheric pressures, vacuum furnaces are excellent at controlling the amount, source, and quality of gas within the furnace vessel at any time during a process. Introducing inert gases during the quenching […]

All industrial sectors with high-temperature processes, from ceramics to metal and steel, face major challenges related to energy and environmental issues, including the need to reduce energy consumption, decrease pollutant emissions, and lower the CO2 footprint. In this context, optimal refractory linings for high-temperature furnaces play a key role. Linings tailored to specific production processes […]

Ceramics and their industrial uses in the heat-treat field have rapidly become an essential sector among thermal processing companies. That’s why it has become important for these companies to have an event to gather, compare notes, share ideas, and gain new insights about the versatility of ceramic materials. Ceramics Expo has been fulfilling that need […]

Thermal processing equipment used in the aerospace industry must meet the requirements of the processes for which they are intended. The periodic tests performed by calibration laboratories, according to the AMS2750 specification, are intended to ensure compliance with these equipment requirements. While this specification does not explicitly state the need for uncertainty calculation, it does […]

The strength of steel is commonly characterized by using engineering tensile strength. Typically, a dog-bone shaped test bar is pulled in the axial direction until fracture occurs. During the test, load vs. deflection or strain is measured. Strain is the increase of the test bar gauge length divided by the initial length expressed as a […]

In the industrial world, thermal efficiency is crucial for operational success. Maintaining constant and controlled temperatures in manufacturing processes ensures product quality and consistency. This requirement is the reason ceramic fiber for industrial furnaces plays such an important role. This innovative material revolutionizes the industry by optimizing energy savings and improving productivity. The importance of […]

By understanding the fundamentals of thermal conductivity, one can appreciate how it influences material selection for thermal management, affects the performance in different environments, and dictates the balance between cost and efficiency. The discussion extends to specific categories of materials, such as metals, alloys, and insulators, highlighting their unique thermal properties and applications. Furthermore, the […]

Vacuum furnaces require regularly scheduled, routine preventative maintenance for three main reasons: First, to ensure planned results are realized after the heat-treating process. Second, for longevity and reliability of the equipment. Third, to prevent catastrophic failure of components which could lead to safety concerns. The following are the main maintenance concerns: Furnace chamber. Leak tightness […]

When it comes to heavy industrial cooling applications such as oil refineries, chemical plants, and paper mills, cooling towers have been employed for decades. Yet, according to industry research, the use of the technology in these sectors is on the rise. There are several notable reasons, including a longer average lifespan, consistent reliable cooling, and […]

Media Solutions’ employees always knew when David Christopher “Coop” Cooper was in the office. At any given time during the day, the hallway would be filled with an off-key refrain of “Only You”; quotes from the movie “Top Gun” (“Talk to me, Goose!”); and, of course, a loud, often-repeated, cacophonous chorus of “Sell! Sell! Sell!” […]