Vacuum furnace Vector 3D

chamberheat treatmentsintering

General information
Range of heat treatment furnaces specially designed for 3D printing technology. Vector 3D is a dedicated line of furnaces for every type of metal additive manufacturing process: debinding, sintering and other heat treating processes. Designed for heat treatment of many different products manufactured by additive manufacturing. Depending on the printing technology, material and production volume, the equipment is adjusted to boost production efficiency and printed detail parameters.

Process overview
Binder jetting requires advanced debinding systems and highly uniform temperature distribution to ensure final part quality. Laser sintering of alloys (steels, aluminium, titanium) requires oxygen-free conditions: leak rate and vacuum level are key parameters that influence molecular structure and purity of parts. Heat treatment in controlled furnace conditions helps achieve required mechanical and microstructural properties for demanding sectors such as aerospace, medical and automotive.

Key features

• Ability to perform debinding, sintering, annealing and other processes in a single furnace
• Regular steels for case and through hardening
• Usable volume options from 250 x 250 x 400 mm to 900 x 900 x 1200 mm
• Maximum temperature up to 1500°C enabling processing of various materials
• Perfect and uniform temperature distribution: ±5°C (±3°C with a cage)
• Standard vacuum level 5×10-2 mbar
• Very good leak rate: 1×10-3 mbar·l/s to ensure an oxygen-free environment
• Multi-stage debinding and furnace protection system
• Options include increase of vacuum up to 5×10-5 mbar, fast cooling up to 15 bar, partial-pressure processing with gases such as nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, ammonia, acetylene, and selection of graphite or metal chambers and cages

Vector 3D furnace advantages

• Compact design suitable for installation in small rooms
• Comprehensive design for straightforward commissioning once utilities are connected
• Minimum process gas consumption
• Fast, clean and economical processing
• No open flame and no flammable gases required
• Complete process tracing and control via PLC/IPC system
• Quick cooling that accelerates process time
• High vacuum capability and an efficient debinding system leading to cleaner processes and longer furnace life
• Design enabling faster cleaning and extended maintenance intervals

Industries

• Aviation
• Automotive
• Medical
• Prototyping
• General metal parts production

Additive manufacturing furnace processes

• Debinding
• Sintering
• Stress relieving
• Aging
• Annealing

Sustainability & efficiency benefits

• Vacuum as a protective and technological atmosphere eliminates the need for harmful process gases and their emissions
• No CO2 emissions and no use of fossil fuels in the vacuum process
• Gas utilization for cooling (nitrogen, argon) can be captured and returned to the air, neutral for the environment
• Reinforced thermal insulation saves electricity (approx. 20%)
• High energy efficiency electrical components (IE3 motors, inverter control)
• Systems and algorithms to limit consumption of pumping, heating and cooling systems
• Elimination of part washing after heat treatment and reduction of downstream machining costs

Caractéristiques / spécifications techniques

• Model: Vector 3D (product series)
• Usable volume options: from 250 x 250 x 400 mm to 900 x 900 x 1200 mm
• Maximum temperature: up to 1500°C
• Temperature uniformity: ±5°C (±3°C with cage)
• Standard vacuum level: 5×10-2 mbar
• Optional vacuum upgrade: up to 5×10-5 mbar
• Leak rate: 1×10-3 mbar·l/s
• Fast cooling capability: up to 15 bar
• Multi-stage debinding and furnace protection system
• Process atmosphere options: partial pressures of nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, ammonia, acetylene
• Chamber materials: selectable graphite or metal chambers and cages
• Processes supported: debinding, sintering, annealing, stress relieving, aging