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  • 1.  Heat treating furnace for small quantities of small parts

    Posted 11-27-2023 14:53

    Our in-house machine shop is interested in making their own tools and holders. For wear resistance, more than strength, they want to heat treat parts. Largest pieces will be about 6" x 10" x 2". This is our prototype fabrication shop, so there are lots of unique tools, no production quantities. Any advice out there? Should we have two ovens to allow heat treat then quench in a short amount of time? Or would an oven this small able to re-stabilize a temperature quickly? 



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    Janine Borofka
    JLG Senior Chief Engineer - Materials
    Hagerstown MD United States
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    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 2.  RE: Heat treating furnace for small quantities of small parts

    Posted 11-28-2023 08:04

    Janine,

     

    The information you gave is not enough to make that kind of decision. You need to know what the material to be heat treated is, what temperature is needed for the material to be fully transformed, and what kind of quench is needed.

     

    While one furnace can do both the high heat and temper, it takes a long time to bring the furnace down to a lower temperature for the tempering process.

     

    If you would like to discuss, please don't hesitate to contact me.

     

    Best regards,

    David Carpenter

    President

    Southwest Specialty Heat Treat, Inc.

    O: 276-228-7739

    C: 276-620-8489

    carpenterd@swhtva.com

    www.swhtva.com

     




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    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 3.  RE: Heat treating furnace for small quantities of small parts

    Posted 11-28-2023 09:21

    Hi Janine,

     

    What materials are the tools and holders to be made from?

     

    Best Regards,

    GIW Industries, Inc. (A KSB Company)
    Advanced Manufacturing Engineer – Metallurgy & Foundry Systems


    Paul Taylor

    5000 Wrightsboro Road
    Grovetown, Ga 30813
    Tel.: +1 706-863-1011 ext 2559

    Cell : +1 706-830-4394
    Fax: +1 706-868-8025
    Email:     paul.taylor@ksb.com

    http://www.giwindustries.com

     




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    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 4.  RE: Heat treating furnace for small quantities of small parts

    Posted 11-28-2023 09:25

    Hi Janine,

    The easiest and most economic way is to use air hardening steels. In this case, you may get away with an air furnace for both hardening and tempering. The hardening can be carried out by wrapping the parts in copper or stainless steel foils and air cooling. The tempering can then be carried out using the same furnace set to a lower temperature.

    The same set up can be used if the steel is an oil quenching type. The down side of this set up is the carbon loss due to processing in air.

    Alternatively, you may purchase a furnace with atmosphere control to prevent carbon loss and carry out hardening in a carbon neutral atmosphere without any foil protection and subsequently quenching an an oil bath. A number of vendors sell integrated austenitizing/quenching furnaces. You can use the same unit for tempering. 

    You may also use a vacuum furnace for austenitizing but these units are expensive and are not recommended unless you plan to heat treat stainless steels.

    Thanks



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    [Ratnesh] [Dwivedi]
    [President]
    [RKD ENGG, LLC]

    www.rkdengg.com
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    Original Message
    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 5.  RE: Heat treating furnace for small quantities of small parts

    Posted 11-28-2023 09:38

    Janine,

    If you can send me a list of potential materials and treatments, I would be more than glad to assist you.  I used a small Ipsen T4 pusher line for various purposes from carburizing to neutral hardening etc. There are small fully capable furnaces out there. It can get very complex, depending on your range of materials and treatments you need, but I would be more than glad to point you to the right people. For small lots and testing this shouldn't be too difficult. 

    Troy Greene

    Plant Metallurgist

    Allied Locke Ind.

     

    tgreene@alliedlocke.com

    423 616 3474 Cell

    815 288 1471 Ext. 267 Office



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    Troy Greene
    METALLURGIST
    DIXON IL
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    Original Message
    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 6.  RE: Heat treating furnace for small quantities of small parts

    Posted 11-28-2023 09:39

    At this point only material is 1018 bar, just surface hardening so not Q&T like I thought at first. I am reading about "shade tree" case hardening techniques, using powders and wrapping in foil. Perhaps this is adequate for part holders? 



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    Janine Borofka
    JLG Senior Chief Engineer - Materials
    Hagerstown MD United States
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    Original Message
    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 7.  RE: Heat treating furnace for small quantities of small parts

    Posted 11-28-2023 09:48

    Janine,

    Give me a call sometime today.  I will be at my desk most of the morning.

    Troy Greene

    Plant Metallurgist

    Allied Locke Ind.

     

    tgreene@alliedlocke.com

    423 616 3474 Cell

    815 288 1471 Ext. 267 Office



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    Troy Greene
    METALLURGIST
    DIXON IL
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    Original Message
    IMAT Conference & Expo


  • 8.  RE: Heat treating furnace for small quantities of small parts

    Posted 11-29-2023 07:32

    Janine,

    Good morning,  you have already received multiple excellent responses to your question.  I will add one additional,  reach out to one of your local commercial heat treating companies.  Let them know what your needs are too see how they can help you, most have already invested in state of the art equipment, technology that will take care of your current and future requirements.

    Let us know how we can assist with introductions,  using outside heat treaters will also free up your capital for more productive uses.

    Have a great week,

    Steve

    Stephen Kowalski

    ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFIED
    We specialize in those PIA (pain in the @%$) jobs! ©
    PH 216-631-4411
    FAX 216-631-8921

    www.khtheat.com

     



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    stephen Kowalski
    Kowalski Heat Treating
    Cleveland OH
    (216) 631-4411
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    Original Message
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  • 9.  RE: Heat treating furnace for small quantities of small parts

    Posted 11-28-2023 11:43

    There are several manufacturers of tool room furnaces in a variety of sizes. You should really have two furnaces, one for austenitizing and a second recirculating tempering furnace.  This is especially true if you are going to heat treat tool steels.  The links below are from several manufacturers.

    Red Devil Series - Economy Box Furnaces | Lucifer Furnaces

    Red Devil Series - Economy Industrial Ovens | Lucifer Furnaces

    Treet All Box Furnace | Blue M | Lindberg/MPH (lindbergmph.com)

    Laboratory | Nabertherm

    Dual Chamber Heat Treat Furnaces | AMS 2750E / CQI-9 (keithcompany.com)



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    Michael Connelly FASM, CQE
    Connelly Consulting
    Chicago IL
    (312) 972-8556
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    Original Message
    IMAT Conference & Expo