Heat treatment is a key stage in a wide range of forged components, which is mainly carried out in batch furnaces. However, in the conventional discontinuous heat treatment, the process of letting the forged parts cool down to room temperature and then raising their temperature again, maintaining it until the desired properties are obtained, involves significant energy and time consumption.
In order to improve the competitiveness of this process, in terms of costs, time and sustainability, AZTERLAN has developed an in-line annealing heat treatment method in which the forged parts are introduced into the furnace while they are still hot.
- Perform a unitary heat treatment, ensuring piece-by-piece traceability
- Ensure the mechanical properties of your parts
- Save up to 10% of energy consumption
- Reduces delivery time, logistics tasks, intermediate stocks and spaces dedicated to the storage of parts
- Integrate the different stages of the manufacturing process
- Improve process automation potential
This innovative heat treatment for forged parts is based on a controlled cooling (already in the furnace) of the pieces and the application of an isothermal treatment (maintenance of the temperature in the furnace). This is a solution applicable to most forges whose facilities allow the installation of an anodizing furnace.
Prior to its implementation, it is necessary to carry out a study based on the unique characteristics of the geometry of the part in order to determine the optimal settings of the treatment to ensure the objective mechanical properties of the final components:
- Forced cooling phase: means to carry it out, identification of the set temperature and ensuring compatibility with all the thicknesses of the piece
- Isothermal treatment phase: determination of the set temperature, duration, type of outlet cooling
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“Solid state forming technologies gather a diverse group manufacturing means, materials and sectors with very different characteristics. However, they face common challenges associated with the incorporation of new materials, demanding production rates and increasing requests for the products they manufacture.
Developing components with advanced features, improving the useful life of manufacturing tools and addressing new markets and industrial applications are some of the areas through which we add value to the companies that design, manufacture and apply these components.”
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