Vacuum heat
4 de setembro de 2025
Vacuum hardening plays a vital role in enhancing the durability and performance of high-stress steel components. Andreas Jansson, Heat Treatment Specialist at Epiroc, tells us more about this advanced process.
What is vacuum hardening?
“It’s a type of heat treatment where we harden steel components in a vacuum environment, free from oxygen and other reactive gases. The process involves heating the components to very high temperatures, up to 1200°C, and then cooling them in a controlled manner. The vacuum ensures that there’s no oxidation to minimize surface defects. It’s a highly controlled process that allows us to achieve consistent results across every batch.”
In what way does it improve upon traditional hardening processes?
“The big difference is in the level of control. We can precisely adjust the temperature and cooling rates. Different steels require different heating and cooling profiles to achieve the right combination of hardness and toughness. The vacuum furnace gives us the flexibility to fine-tune the process for each material. Plus, the cooling is often done with gas quenching, which is much gentler than oil or water quenching, reducing the risk of unexpected distortion in the parts and eliminating the need for a washing.”
"Vacuum hardening allows us to produce components with very consistent properties – the same hardness, tough and wear resistance every time."
What advantages does vacuum hardening have for Epiroc customers?
“Vacuum hardening allows us to produce components with very consistent properties – the same hardness, toughness, and wear resistance every time. That translates into parts that last longer and perform more predictably in the field. There’s also an environmental aspect. For example, I’ve seen studies showing that vacuum carburizing with gas quenching can significantly cut CO2 emissions compared to traditional atmospheric carburizing methods.”
Image: In a vacuum furnace, steel components are heat-treated at extreme temperatures with precision, consistency, and no oxidation.
Component benefits
- Housing components that operate in extremely tough environments, exposed to, for example, corrosion, abrasive wear, and high stresses.
- Gears benefit from less distortion caused by the heat treatment, and must have the ability to endure numerous load cycles without failure.
- Flushing heads must withstand a combination of high stresses and a highly corrosive environment; this requires very controlled heat treatment operations.
