Heat Treat Stainless - Bench Oven/Furnace

[badger2011]

Hello!

I am in need of some advice for heat treating small batches of stainless steel components. I currently own a Thermo Oven (

http://www.labdepotinc.com/Product_Details~id~93~pid~60628.aspx?gclid=CPjX866_wLcCFYhAMgod1mEA5w

), but this one doesn't have enough horse power to perform the H900 or H950 on more than 5 pounds 17-4 or 455 stainless.

Has anyone used a mid-sized oven and/or can recommend one? I'd like to be able to do about 20-30 pound loads.

I've looked at these ovens too, but the ramp time (unloaded) is 90 minutes!

http://www.grievecorp.com/catalog/B...s/High- Temperature-Universal-Batch-Oven.html

I believe a good practice is to ramp within 45-60 minutes, is this correct? (ASTM A564 Age-hardening standard )


Any thoughts or comments on the oven or heat treat process are welcome. I've done my research but I still feel like a bit of a novice.


Thanks!

 

[EdStainless]

I have always had good luck with Grieve furnaces. Forced convection is the way to go for these lower temperatures.
Remember that you need to be able to do furnace surveys and run load thermocouples, if you care about the results.

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Plymouth Tube

 

[TVP]

The ramp time is so dependent upon the details, that you won't find a hard and fast rule or requirement. I know of industrial applications with low temperature tempering in batch furnaces that entail 1 to 1.5 hour ramps up to temperatures as low as 400 F.