Workhorse batch furnace for carburizing, carbonitriding and neutral hardening. A tray load enters through a vestibule with a flame curtain, heats in the atmosphere-filled chamber, then moves back to the vestibule and drops on an elevator into the quench tank without touching air. Uptime depends on door seals, radiant tubes, quench oil condition and atmosphere control.
IQ two's down for a radiant tube, move the 8620 rings to one and push the anneals to tomorrow.
A sticky elevator or slow transfer gives the top tray a weak quench that looks like a material problem until someone times the drop.
Also heard as
- IQ
- IQ furnace
- sealed quench furnace
- batch IQ
Related terms
Endothermic gas
A carrier atmosphere of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and nitrogen made by reacting natural gas with air.
Flame curtain
A sheet of burning gas across a furnace door that keeps air out while the door is open.
Seasoning
Running an empty furnace at carburizing setpoint after a burnout so walls and fixtures soak up carbon first.
Quench
To cool hot metal rapidly in a liquid or gas so that it hardens, or the act of doing so.
Alloy
Heat-treat slang for the heat-resistant baskets, trays, grids and fixtures that carry parts through the furnace.