When the importance of producing a perfect brazed joint is uppermost, vacuum brazing is a highly effective method of joining two parts. Due to the nature of the vacuum, heat is evenly distributed and part production is consistent. Brazing requires three components: two parent metal pieces and a filler to join them. In the furnace, the components are arranged so that the filler will melt and flow on the base pieces, and join them solidly when cooled. Vacuum brazing provides strength, durability, and reliability unmatched by other metal joining methods. It also requires no secondary fabrication or finishing.

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Successful use of a vacuum furnace depends ultimately on the purity and reliability of its vacuum. There are numerous factors that can play into why a furnace is leaking, and the first step towards fixing the problem is to identify its root cause. Let’s take a look to some practical tips on how to find a furnace leak by using a helium leak detector.

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This is the second part of the article on roughing pump operation in high-vacuum furnaces. It gives an overall picture of the situations due to malfunction of the pumping system. Nonetheless, it provides practical tips on how to deal with the presence of water in the pump, the formation of oil sludge, and the improper use of lubricated roughing pumps.

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For maximum performance and reliability, it is necessary to know how the pumping system of your furnace operates, the pros and cons of the different types of vacuum pumps. This is the first part of an article on roughing pump operation in high vacuum furnaces. Understanding how it works is the first step to make the right choices that will take into account also the reduction in operating costs.

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The demands of heat treatment industry are for higher temperatures, lower pressures, rapid heating and cooling capabilities, and higher production rates.  This has inevitably led to the use of so-called “cold-wall” vacuum furnaces, to the detriment of hot-wall furnaces, which are now considered obsolete. So, let’s see hot-wall and cold-wall furnaces - what could these be and how do they differ from each other?

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