Application of Heat Treatment Tube Furnace in Metal Manufacturing Industry

The application of heat treatment tube furnace in the metal manufacturing industry is extensive and in-depth, and its core value is reflected in three aspects: improving material performance, optimizing process control, and meeting special needs. The specific application scenarios and technical advantages are as follows:

1. Core application scenarios
Metal alloy heat treatment
Annealing process: By precisely controlling the heating temperature and cooling rate, the internal stress of the metal is eliminated and the grain structure is optimized. For example, titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) heated to 950 ℃ under a vacuum of 10 ⁻ Pa for 1 hour can significantly improve its thermal fatigue resistance and meet the stringent requirements for material stability in the aerospace industry.
Quenching and tempering: In steel processing, a tube furnace can achieve rapid heating above the critical temperature, and then by controlling the flow rate and temperature of the cooling medium (such as oil, water, or gas), martensitic or bainitic structures can be obtained to improve hardness and toughness. For example, a certain automotive parts company uses tube furnace quenching technology to increase the surface hardness of gears while maintaining core toughness and extending their service life.
powder metallurgy sintering
Tube furnace provides a high-temperature environment for powder metallurgy technology, promotes diffusion and bonding between metal powder particles, and improves material density and strength. For example, in the preparation of hard alloys such as tungsten cobalt alloys, sintering at 1400-1500 ℃ in a tube furnace can achieve material density above theoretical values and higher hardness, which is widely used in cutting tools and mold manufacturing.
Surface Modification Treatment
Carburizing/nitriding process: methane (CH4) or ammonia (NH3) is introduced to achieve diffusion of carbon or nitrogen atoms to the metal surface in a tube furnace, forming a high hardness infiltration layer. For example, after carburizing treatment, the surface carbon content of automotive gears is higher, the hardness is higher, and the wear resistance is improved.
Ion nitriding: Combined with plasma technology, a high-energy ion beam is generated in a tube furnace to accelerate the infiltration of nitrogen atoms into the metal surface, forming a dense nitride layer, suitable for surface strengthening of mold steel and stainless steel.

2. Analysis of Technical Advantages
Accurate temperature control and uniformity
The tube furnace adopts a high-precision temperature control system (such as PID control), supporting ± 1 ℃ temperature regulation to ensure stable and controllable heating process. For example, in the preparation of semiconductor materials, short-term (second level) treatment at 1000 ℃ is achieved through a tube furnace to activate doped atoms while avoiding material thermal damage.
The design of rotary tube furnace avoids local overheating of materials and improves the consistency of finished products through uniform heating. For example, in ceramic powder sintering, a rotary tube furnace can achieve temperature uniformity better than ± 5 ℃, significantly reducing product defect rates.
Flexibility in atmosphere control
Tube furnaces can be filled with protective gases such as nitrogen, hydrogen, argon, or mixed gases (such as N ₂+H ₂) to meet the process requirements of different metal materials. For example, in the heat treatment of copper based materials, passing hydrogen gas can reduce surface oxides and improve conductivity; In the bright annealing of stainless steel, nitrogen gas can prevent oxidation discoloration and maintain surface smoothness.
The vacuum tube furnace achieves high-temperature sintering of materials in an inert atmosphere through an integrated glove box interface, making it suitable for materials highly sensitive to moisture and oxygen (such as sulfide solid electrolytes). The prepared electrolyte has higher ion conductivity, approaching commercial levels.
Energy conservation, environmental protection, and safety
The tube furnace adopts high-efficiency insulation materials (such as ceramic fibers, mullite) and intelligent energy-saving design to reduce energy consumption. For example, a certain enterprise achieved non-contact rapid heating by using a microwave tube oven, which increased the heating speed while reducing heat loss.
Multiple safety measures, such as over temperature alarm, automatic power-off, and gas leak detection, ensure safe operation. For example, in hydrogen atmosphere treatment, tube furnaces are equipped with hydrogen sensors to monitor leaks in real time, automatically cut off the gas source and sound an alarm when exceeding the limit, and avoid the risk of explosion.