Heat treatment furnace is an indispensable equipment in the metal processing process and is widely used in metallurgy, machinery, aerospace and other industries. It changes the internal structure of metal materials and improves their mechanical properties by precisely controlling temperature and process parameters. Different heat treatment processes, such as annealing, quenching, normalizing, etc., can give metals different hardness, toughness and wear resistance. This article will explore the working principle of heat treatment furnace and its importance in metal processing.

 

Heating process
The working principle of heat treatment furnace first includes the heating process. The heating elements in the furnace, such as electric heating wires, gas nozzles, etc., transfer heat to the workpiece in the furnace through combustion or electrical energy. There are two main ways of heating: direct heating and indirect heating. Direct heating is to heat the workpiece by exposing the heat source directly to the surface of the workpiece; while indirect heating is to indirectly heat the workpiece by heating the air or medium (such as oil, salt bath) in the furnace.

 

Temperature control and uniformity
An important feature of heat treatment furnace is the precise control of temperature. In order for the metal workpiece to achieve the predetermined mechanical properties, it is necessary to ensure the stability and uniformity of the temperature in the furnace. Modern heat treatment furnaces are usually equipped with automatic control systems, including temperature control instruments, sensors, etc., which are used to monitor the temperature changes in the furnace in real time and automatically adjust the power output of the heating elements as needed. Through the precise adjustment of the temperature control system, the temperature of the workpiece can be evenly distributed throughout the heating process to avoid deformation or uneven performance of the workpiece caused by excessive temperature differences.

 

Insulation and cooling
After heating to a certain temperature, the heat treatment furnace needs to insulate the workpiece for a period of time to ensure that the temperature inside the workpiece is uniform and that the heat fully penetrates into the workpiece. The length of the insulation time varies according to different heat treatment process requirements. For example, in the annealing process, the insulation time is longer, while in the quenching process it is usually shorter.

 

The cooling process is another key link in the heat treatment furnace. After heating is completed, the workpiece needs to be cooled according to a specific cooling method. Common cooling methods include natural cooling, water cooling and oil cooling. The control of the cooling rate is crucial to the hardness, toughness and other properties of the metal. For example, rapid cooling during quenching can give the metal a higher hardness, but it may also cause internal stress and cracks, so the cooling rate needs to be precisely controlled.

 

Diversity of heat treatment processes
Heat treatment furnaces can perform various heat treatment processes according to different heating and cooling requirements. Common heat treatment processes include: annealing, normalizing, quenching, tempering, etc. In the annealing process, the metal workpiece is heated to a certain temperature and then slowly cooled to reduce the hardness and improve the processing performance; while in the quenching process, the workpiece is heated to a higher temperature and then quickly cooled to enhance its hardness. Different heat treatment processes can be achieved by adjusting the temperature, time and cooling rate to achieve different material performance requirements.

 

Heat treatment furnaces play a vital role in metal material processing. Through precise temperature control, uniform heating and cooling processes, heat treatment furnaces can achieve different heat treatment processes and give metal workpieces the desired properties. The Car-bottom type heat treatment furnace from HEXIN adopts microcomputer auto control system ,can control temperature exactly. It uses wear resistance tape with fully fiber structure. The working bench can go outside and title. It mainly used to do quenching ,tempering, annealing and other heat treatment of hi-Cr casting ,cast iron ,roller steel ball,45steel ,stainless steel and so on. We are always open for mutually beneficial cooperation.