A European manufacturer from the defence sector has taken a significant step toward modernising its heat treatment operations by selecting a cutting-edge vacuum solution from SECO/WARWICK. The company has ordered a Vector (HPGQ) vacuum furnace equipped with high-pressure gas quenching at 15 bar abs., a move that will replace four previously planned standalone systems.
The decision follows an extensive consultative process, including technical discussions and process trials conducted in collaboration with SECO/WARWICK’s engineering and R&D teams. Initially, the customer intended to invest in multiple units—an oil quenching furnace, tempering furnace, cryogenic system, and washing installation. However, detailed analysis demonstrated that all these processes could be efficiently consolidated into a single, highly versatile vacuum furnace.
This integrated approach offers substantial advantages, including lower capital investment, streamlined production flow, reduced labour requirements, and shorter processing times. By eliminating oil quenching, the solution also removes the need for post-process cleaning, further improving operational efficiency.
The furnace will be deployed for heat treatment of high-precision small arms components, catering primarily to civilian applications such as sport shooting and hunting, as well as variants for uniformed services. Importantly, the system enables a fully automated process cycle within a single unit, minimising handling and transfer between stages.
This installation also marks the manufacturer’s transition from conventional atmospheric heat treatment methods, such as gas carburizing, to advanced vacuum-based processes like low-pressure carburizing (LPC). This shift is expected to enhance process repeatability, improve surface quality, and provide greater control over material properties.
The selected Vector furnace features a round heating chamber ensuring temperature uniformity of approximately ±5°C, a convection heating system for improved efficiency at lower temperatures, and a robust vacuum pumping system combining mechanical and Roots pumps. Additionally, it is equipped with partial pressure control to prevent alloy element evaporation and an inverter-controlled gas quenching system for stable cooling performance.
Further expanding its capabilities, the system supports advanced processes such as FineCarb vacuum carburizing, PreNitLPC pre-nitriding, low-pressure carbonitriding (LPCN), and deep cryogenic treatment down to -80°C—all executed within an automated cycle.
According to company representatives, this project underscores the growing importance of vacuum technologies in high-precision sectors like defence manufacturing. By consolidating multiple processes into a single system, manufacturers can achieve superior quality, efficiency, and sustainability, reinforcing vacuum heat treatment as a new industry standard for advanced applications.
News Source: SECO/WARWICK
