The Sintervac™ product line services a variety of robust manufacturing requirements with delicate process control needs. Tungsten and Cemented carbides, performance and structural ceramics, cermets and high alloy steels represent a few. There are over 600 Sintervacs in field service throughout the world today. CVI is the world leader for carbide and structural ceramic applications.
Features
- Cold Wall Vacuum Furnace design with integrated cooling jackets on the vessels and doors.
- Stainless steel interior for internal contact points.
- Rigid copper busswork for improved maintenance and the best electrical efficiency
- Durable Heater designs with hot zones available in both graphite and metal hot zone configurations.
Sintering
CVI pressure furnaces are used for a variety of processes associated with powdered metal production of hard metals and ceramics: Full densification, Zero A porosity for hard metals; better ceramic properties without additives; control of TRS, toughness, and grain growth trade-offs; Isostatic pressures between 60 and 100 bar are available. The furnaces operate for combination cycles including delube, vacuum sinter, and pressure sinter. Partial pressure control, flowing atmosphere control and reactive gas management are typical features.
Delube/Dewax
CVI has specialized in process development for a variety of delube/dewax processes for carbides and ceramics. CVI process development encompasses a large effort for wax/polymer removal typical of injection-molded hard metals and ceramics. Tight pressure and gas flow control in tandem with effective event-based programming and sound retort design allow the entire load to view the same series of conditions as a function of time. This results in consistent downstream microstructures and repeatable carbon control. Depending upon the process requirements, a variety of wax and polymer condensation strategies have been utilized including vacuum delube condensation, Sweepgas™ condensation, and CVIs proprietary BRS™ technology.