Do you have questions about heat treatment and vacuum deposition? We've got the answer.
Vacuum deposition on plastic injection molds reduces abrasive and adhesive wear, and improves sliding on components with metal-to-metal contact. This solution boosts productivity, reduces downtime for tool changes and maintenance, and improves part quality.
Vacuum deposition on die tools reduces abrasive and adhesive wear and improves sliding. This solution boosts productivity, reduces downtime for tool changes and maintenance, and improves part quality.
Vacuum deposition on cutting tools significantly increases tool life, saves on purchasing costs and boosts machining productivity, while hot-wear resistance eliminates the need for lubrication.
The TREMPELEC and THERMI-LOIRE sites have IATF 16949 automotive certification. However, other Group sites without automotive qualifications are able to respond to the market.
THERMILYON Group sites certified for the aerospace market are THERMI-LYON, THERMI-LOIRE, THERMI-GARONNE and, more recently, THERMI-PICARDIE.
The Thermi-Lyon group sites certified for the medical markets are THERMI-LYON and THERMI-PLATIN. The THERMI-BUGEY site is in the process of being certified.
Yes, some aluminum alloys can be quenched and tempered to improve their mechanical strength. This treatment is only available for alloys from the 2000, 6000 and 7000 steel mills.
A low-temperature carbon-based coating, it not only offers wear resistance, but also an excellent coefficient of friction. It is the anti-seize coating par excellence. It is biocompatible, making it widely used in the medical and food sectors.
This treatment is applied to ferritic stainless steel. Improves resistance to wear and galling without compromising corrosion resistance. Surface hardening by diffusion.
This treatment is applied to austenitic stainless steels. Improves resistance to wear and galling without compromising corrosion resistance. Surface hardening by diffusion.
The advantage is to heat parts locally in very precise zones, so as not to alternate zones that do not require hardening. This treatment is energy-efficient and easily automated for large production runs. This treatment is particularly well suited to large production runs.
Diffusion of nitrogen on the surface of the part to considerably improve mechanical strength and wear resistance on the surface, while maintaining good core strength. This treatment greatly improves wear resistance, but as the temperature is low (500°C), it causes very little deformation and can be applied to a finished part.
Diffuse carbon (carbon and nitrogen in the case of carbonitriding) on the surface of the part, to considerably improve the part's mechanical strength and wear resistance on the surface, while maintaining good core strength.
The aim is to improve mechanical strength (hardness, yield strength, breaking strength, elongation) throughout the volume of the part. This enables parts to withstand a certain mechanical stress and extend their service life.
In vacuum processing, parts can have a diameter and height of 1800cm. 1500kg
In atmosphere treatment: 1500cm long, 1200cm wide and 900cm high. Maximum weight: 2000kg
Gas nitriding: 1500 diameter, 3500 high. 5000 kg
Ion nitriding: 1500 diameter, 3000 high. 3500 kg
Atmospheric heat treatment enables the use of low-cost steels. Atmospheric technologies are ideal for large-scale production runs and large dimensions.
The main advantages are the ability to obtain perfectly clean parts after treatment, and to significantly limit deformation when cooling under neutral gas. Vacuum technology furnaces are heated by electricity, not gas. What's more, the absence of atmosphere eliminates any risk of oxidation. These processes are the most environmentally-friendly of all heat treatments.
Vacuum deposits are of the order of a few microns, and are applied to finished parts. As a result, every precaution must be taken to anticipate deformation. Dimensional tolerance must take into account the extra thickness created by the deposit itself (a few microns).
Heat treatment reveals different levels of stress from previous stages (manufacturing). These stress relaxations can lead to deformations that must be anticipated at the time of machining. In the case of heat treatment in the mass (quenching, tempering), these extra thicknesses depend on the dimensions of the part, but are of the order of a few tenths to 1 mm.
To limit the level of deformation, it is advisable to carry out a stabilization treatment on the blank.
Nature of steel or carbide, if steel treated, please specify the treatments carried out. Desired characteristics (hardness), quantities of parts per shipment and per year, drawings of the part and specifications. If possible, how the part will be used and its final purpose.
Type of steel, desired steel characteristics (hardness), quantity of parts per shipment and per year, part drawings and specifications. If possible, the operating mode of the part and its final use.
To carry out a heat treatment, we first need to take into account the part's use and the mechanical stresses it will have to withstand in its environment. Depending on these factors, the material/treatment pairing is defined.
Heat treatment is one of the only ways to improve the mechanical strength of metals, and therefore their performance. Alloys such as steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium and copper all have improved mechanical strength, wear resistance, seizure resistance and corrosion resistance thanks to heat treatment.
There are two main types: softening treatments to improve the shaping or machining of parts, modify or improve the metallurgical structure or defragilize certain mechanisms. Hardening treatments in the mass or on the surface to improve the mechanical performance of components.
Heat treatment is carried out using furnaces. There are air, atmosphere, vacuum, plasma and induction furnaces.
Heat treatment is required when the mechanical performance of the alloys in their natural state needs to be increased. Depending on the type of treatment, heat treatment can be carried out on raw, rough or finished machined parts.
Either to improve mechanical performance such as tensile strength, impact strength, wear, seizure or to soften the metal to make it more malleable (machinability, shaping).
It's an operation that modifies the internal structure of an alloy to change its properties. In general, there are 3 phases: heating, holding at temperature and slow or rapid cooling (in this case called quenching).
Parts requiring a high degree of cleanliness (e.g. holes, bores, finished parts), highly machined parts sensitive to deformation, stainless steel parts, etc.
Vacuum furnaces guarantee the absence of air, and therefore oxygen, in the furnace. So there is no oxidation. What's more, the low-pressure carburizing process operates at a very low pressure compared with atmospheric pressure, hence the use of vacuum pumps to reach this pressure level.
Cleanliness and a lower level of deformation enable us to make financial savings by eliminating the need for subsequent washing or sandblasting operations, and by reducing the number of repeat machining operations.
Low-pressure carburizing uses furnaces with electric heating, very small quantities of carburizing gas and often neutral gas cooling. Traditional carburizing uses furnaces with gas heating, an atmospheric pressure carburizing atmosphere and oil quenching.
Incorporate carbon below the surface of the steel part to improve fatigue and wear resistance on the surface, while maintaining good core mechanical properties.
The deposition method depends above all on the nature of the coating to be deposited and the substrate.
If the substrate cannot be heated to high temperature, the deposition must be carried out using low-temperature technology.
If the coating to be deposited consists of a solid element (metal or graphite target), a physical process such as PVD is used. If the coating consists of a gas or liquid, a chemical process such as CVD or PACVD is used.
Vacuum deposits are classified into several categories: anti-wear, friction, decorative and biocompatibility. The applications are therefore very varied: automotive components, aerospace, tooling, cutting tools, medical devices, decorative parts...
PVD is physical vapor deposition. The element to be deposited is obtained by evaporation or sputtering via a physical process. PACVD is plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. The element to be deposited is obtained from chemical reactions. Plasma enables this chemical reaction to take place at lower temperatures.
This process greatly increases resistance to wear, abrasion, friction and corrosion. As a result, component life is greatly extended.
Standard thicknesses are of the order of 3µm and deposition is carried out on finished parts.
Vacuum deposition is a surface treatment used to deposit a material or alloy on a mechanical part.
The use of vacuum technology ensures a perfectly clean, non-polluting process.
It is not subject to REACH legislation.
Our team can advise you on the feasibility of your project and the processes best suited to your needs.
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