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<\/a><\/p>\nFig. 1 <\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u2013 Specification for\u00a0 PM CPM\u00ae REX 121<\/em><\/p>\n Typical representatives of the HSS steel series are [2]:<\/p>\n Some of them require precise control of temperatures and times to achieve the desired results. In particular, M42 (1.3247, HS 2-10-1-8, S500, E M42, REX M42\u00ae) and T15 (1.3202, ASP 2015, CPM T15\u00ae, SKH 10, HS 12-0-5-5, and S399) have very narrow heat treatment windows due to the higher cobalt content.<\/p>\n An important condition for a good result is also the control of the amount and structure of carbides, the formation of which during the heat treatment process significantly affects the resulting properties of the tool.<\/p>\n Fig. 2 and 3<\/u><\/em><\/strong> \u2013 CCT diagram for steel 1.3343 with emphasis on the carbide precipitation area and hardness in HV of various types of carbides present in powder in HSS<\/em><\/p>\n The quenching of HSS and PM HSS steels is therefore specific in that during the actual austenitization we only need to have short temperature holding times, so as to heat the tool in its full cross-section, but so that at such high temperatures we do not coarsen the grain. For cutting applications it should be 9 and finer.<\/p>\n If we harden in salt, these times are in seconds (Fig. No. 10). With vacuum furnaces it is worse, because firstly we have temperature uniformity dependent on the furnace class, in Class 2 it is +\/- 5 \u00b0C, and secondly due to the heterogeneity of heating in a large space it is difficult to maintain the same parameters throughout the batch. The same applies to the dissolution of carbides.<\/p>\n However, with the need for coating technologies (PVD, CVD), the demands on surface cleanliness are increasing, and that is why there is an effort to transfer these processes to vacuum. A typical surface for salt hardening is shown in Figure 4. Even if we try to sandblast the surface, we will never achieve a condition suitable for PVD coatings. I have extensive experience with this when we compared the service life of formed drills (Zbrojovka Vset\u00edn) and fully ground drills from a full profile (ZPS Zl\u00edn) in the past. Such a surface after salt hardening can only be repaired by 100% grinding off the affected layer.<\/p>\n Fig. 4 <\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u2013 Example of surface after salt bath hardening<\/em><\/p>\n Fig. 5<\/u><\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Examples of coated tools from the Czech Coating presentation [4]<\/em><\/p>\n From this point of view, ECM NANO appears to be an optimal compromise. As in the salt bath, here we load the charge into a heated chamber, and since its volume is minimal, the heating rate will be close to the heating rate in salt baths. The same applies to quenching in 20 bar nitrogen.<\/p>\n The basis of the NANO system solution is a vertical transport chamber. Modules with heating chambers are connected to this chamber. These modules can be one or two. Heating chambers can be 150, 250 mm or 400 mm high. At a height of 150 mm, there can be 6 of them above each other, at a height of 250 and 400 mm there are always 3. \u00a0In the first case, we can have a device with up to 12 heating chambers, in the second with six. The grid size is 500×600 mm and the maximum weight is 100 kg for all typo dimensions.<\/p>\n Fig.\u00a0 6 and 7<\/u><\/em><\/strong> \u2013 View of the vertical transport chamber and column structure with heating chambers<\/em><\/p>\n Fig. 8<\/u><\/em><\/strong> \u2013 View of the device, movement indicates the method of maintenance access to both the elevator and the heating chambers<\/em><\/p>\n If we have the NANO 600 configuration, we have 2×3 heating chambers at our disposal. Each of them can be at a different temperature, up to 1250 \u00b0C. This means that different types of HSS can be processed simultaneously in one device, or even one type of steel from different temperatures. However, it is also possible to imitate stepwise preheating, as is the case with salt baths or in a single-chamber vacuum furnace.<\/p>\n Fig. 9<\/u><\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Example of possible use of heating chambers a) for step heating b) for different austenitizing temperatures<\/em><\/p>\n Fig. 10<\/u><\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Austenitization times in a salt bath from Bohler [3]<\/em><\/p>\n This configuration allows modeling of HSS heat treatment processes as in a salt bath, but in this case it is a fully vacuum process. If austenitization times for HSS parts hardened in a salt bath are recommended in the order of seconds, then only a NANO type device allows achieving similar parameters [3].<\/p>\n After austenitization, quenching in a nitrogen flow of up to 20 bar follows. Cooling rates are up to 50 \u00b0C\/s, so the batch can be cooled to room temperature theoretically in 24 seconds. In practice, it will be in minutes, depending on the structure of the parts in the batch. The minimum cycle time between 2 subsequent quenchings is 7 minutes. However, this time also includes other steps, such as opening and closing the chamber door, etc. The time for the batch to move from the heating chamber to the quenching chamber is up to 30 seconds.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fig. 11 <\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u2013 Quenching cell<\/em><\/p>\n Fig. 12 <\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u2013 View of the entrance to the quenching cell and the parking space<\/em><\/p>\n After hardening, the batch is taken out of the device for further operations. Loading and unloading from the device is through the hardening chamber. Inside this part of the device there is also one parking position in case it is necessary to wait inside the device for planning reasons (Fig. 12)<\/p>\n Fig. 13 <\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u2013 A system for planning the course of the batch in the device, taking into account the cycle time, type of part and type of thermal process<\/em><\/p>\n Other operations take place outside the NANO 600, but are assembled into a fully automatic line. This can contain everything according to the customer’s wishes. Furnaces for tempering of any type, freezing, washing, parking positions, but also full robotization of batch preparation and its unloading. Everything is then controlled by the planning SW according to Fig. 13.<\/p>\n Fig. 14 <\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u2013 Typical layout <\/em><\/p>\n To maintain the cleanliness of the surface after hardening, we must have appropriate tempering furnaces. Up to 450 C\u00b0, they can be without a protective atmosphere, above this temperature they must have a protective atmosphere.<\/p>\n Fig. 15 and 16 <\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u2013 Three-deck furnace for tempering under protective atmosphere, N2 or N2+5%H2.<\/em><\/p>\n Since practically all types of HSS steel require 3 temperings, sometimes even 4, the number of tempering furnaces must also correspond to the hardening cycle. This must be assessed individually by each investor. However, the tempering temperature options are the same as for heating chambers. Each can be at a different temperature. Since we have to cool the parts to 50 \u00b0C between individual tempering cycles, this phase of the process must also be under a protective atmosphere. The tempering furnace must therefore have rapid cooling.<\/p>\n However, it is also possible to imagine that a classic vacuum tempering furnace, with vertically or horizontally moving doors, will be integrated into the line; for other applications, such as LPC, tempering furnaces without a protective atmosphere will be perfectly sufficient.<\/p>\n Fig. 17 <\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u2013 Three-deck low-temperature tempering furnaces<\/em><\/p>\n Fig. 18 and 19 <\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u2013 Layout NANO 600<\/em><\/p>\n And what about possible robotization? Here are some examples.<\/p>\n Fig. 20, 21, 22, 24 <\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u2013Robotization example<\/em><\/p>\n What to say in conclusion. NANO 600 is an amazing solution with high applicability, variability and reproducibility. It is a device whose productivity is comparable to large batch furnaces, but at the same time it provides a unique solution for reliable processing of batches up to 100 kg. Today it is no longer tied only to quenching in a gas stream, it also has a quenching module with oil quenching. In combination with LPC, it is therefore a large tool, capable of containing a large portion of heat treatment, in an all-in-one style.<\/p>\n Ji\u0159\u00ed Stanislav<\/p>\n January 14, 2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A special category of vacuum heat treatment is high-speed steels, whether conventionally produced or from powder metallurgy (PM). Although these processes are seemingly simple, their complexity<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":12990,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[314,337],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecm-furnaces-en","category-zarizeni-pro-kalirny-cz"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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