A U.S.-based bearing manufacturer is expanding its in-house heat treating capacity with a new vacuum furnace for hardening and low pressure carburizing (LPC). The investment will support larger bearing components and growing production needs for aerospace and other demanding industrial applications.
The manufacturer has ordered a Vector single-chamber vacuum furnace from SECO/WARWICK. The system will have a 36 x 36 x 48 inch (900 x 900 x 1200 mm) working zone and will be equipped with LPC and 15-bar high-pressure gas quenching. It is the first SECO/WARWICK system at this particular facility, although other facilities within the manufacturer’s group have previously invested in the supplier’s vacuum technology.
The furnace will be used for hardening and carburizing a range of bearing components, including larger loads. Its cylindrical heating chamber provides temperature uniformity of ±9°F (±5°C), while convection heating is designed to improve heat transfer at lower operating temperatures. Directional cooling and isothermal quenching provide additional control over load cooling during the heat treatment cycle.
The LPC system allows steel surface hardening to be integrated into the heat treatment cycle. The furnace also incorporates high vacuum, a graphite hot zone, and rapid gas cooling to support process cleanliness and repeatability.
The investment addresses an increasing number of hardening and carburizing processes being performed in-house. According to the supplier, vacuum gas quenching and LPC are used in bearing production for aerospace as well as energy, transportation, heavy industry, and OEM applications.
Press release is available in its original form here.
