VA C U U M S Y S T E M S

AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR

M E TA L L U R G Y H E AT T R E AT M E N T
Know-How is our Business

ALD Vacuum Technologies supplies equipment

and systems as well as offers process services
for thermal and thermochemical treatment of
metallic materials in solid and liquid form.
The company’s competence consists on the
one hand of its mastery in vacuum process
technology and on the other hand of its
know-how in designing custom-tailored
system solutions for use in this field. ALD is
noted for its superb know-how basis, high
investments in research and development and
its strategic alliances.

Close collaborations with well-known

manufacturers in operator companies have
strengthened its position as a supplier of
key technologies to major growth markets.

Vacuum Metallurgy Vacuum Heat Treatment

The vacuum metallurgy involves design and
supply of systems and processes for treating
metallic materials in liquid form – particularly
vacuum systems for the melting, casting
and remelting of metals and alloys, metals
for solar cells as well as special coating
equipment for turbine blades.
Vacuum furnaces are used for heat treating
metallic materials, heat treating of tools, high
precision parts for engines and fuel injectors
as well as for transmissions. Sintering of high
strength cemented carbides and special
oxides is also a part of heat treatment.
 VACUUM SYSTEMS AN
for Metallurgy &

The Development of New Vacuum Processes for Metallurgy drives

Technological Advances in Future Markets

1 2 The resulting materials of high strength and

reliability add to demanding applications in
the aerospace industries, while the high-purity
products contribute to new developments in
electronics and offshore energy applications.
Each and every technology has its pros and
cons, partially overlapping each other in
their techno-economic potentials. Therefore,
3 the proper selection of technology is the most
demanding task the plant builder has to solve
in close dialog with the producer of the
materials and the consumer. This particular
challenge is the keystone of the business
philosophy of ALD Vacuum Technologies,
Hanau/Germany.

1. 20 t ESR furnace Vacuum metallurgy is presently entering a new 4

capable of melting phase wherein it is assessing the experience
under protective
gained from continuously developing
atmosphere
established processes and joining together
2. VIDP – 8 t furnace new process combinations. Advanced vacuum
for continuous casting
processes such as steel degassing and ladle
3. Double-door crucible metallurgy, melting and remelting, as well as
VIGA atomization unit
casting and metal-powder technology, have
4. EB/PVD turbine blade
led to high-quality metallurgical products
coater for mass tailored to meet the ever-increasing demands
production imposed upon them. New processes are being
developed that will yield further improvements
5. SCU 400 Solar Silicon
as well as entirely new products.
Melting and
Crystallization unit
The use of these metal-making processes in 5
modern, efficiently functioning production
systems greatly reduces costs. The recycling of
revert from the processing of costly materials
contributes to the economy´s cost-effectiveness.
Examples of the products that have been
derived from these technologies include
highly alloyed special steels and superalloys,
refractory and reactive metals with ultrahigh
purity and a fine grain structure, precision
castings with directional and single-crystal
structures, forgings in near net shape and
high-purity powder for homogeneous, high-
strength parts.
ND TECHNOLOGIES
Heat Treatment

Vacuum Technology is the Basis

for Process Innovation Process Optimization Plant Improvement Production Experience

in Heat Treatment Production New Ideas Process Knowledge

Heat treatment is the process in which Engineering

Operating System Provider Engineering Plants Know-how
metallic/steel parts are exposed completely
Company (OEM, TIER1) & Processes
or partially to time-temperature sequences ALD Service Centers Customer ALD Vacuum Technologies
Vacuum Process
Technology
in order to change the mechanical and/or
corrosion properties.

Vacuum Heat Treatment and Sintering Optimized Processes Component Optimization Cost Minimization

■ Vacuum Hardening, Tempering: Optimized Plants

Vacuum Heat Treatment of Tool Steels in
vertical and horizontal batch furnaces 1 2

■ Vacuum Case Hardening:

Plasma or Vacuum Carburizing and High
Pressure Gas Quenching in DualTherm®
and ModulTherm® furnaces

■ Vacuum Sintering:
Sintering in Vacuum or under High
Pressure (HIP) up to 100 bar
Own & Operate
■ Service to Customers with selected
Technologies to Process Customer’s
Parts in own Subsidaries
3
steps and reduces distortion of the quenched
parts which saves or reduces cost intensive
hard machining. Beside these advantages
this newly developed and already introduced
technology enables new manufacturing
strategies and is environmentally friendly.

Hardening and Tempereing, Brazing Sintering

The hardening process is a type of heat The sintering process happens after dewaxing 1. ModulTherm® furnace
system for flexible
treatment comprising austenitizing and in vacuum or under protective/reactive gases
mass production to
quenching of the part. The necessary require- at higher temperatures to maintain the vacuum case harden
ments are selected in which the austenitic material’s chemical composition. Following and heat treat a broad
structure is changed into martensitic structure. the vacuum sintering process, 60 to 100 bar variety of steels
The part undergoes tempering treatment after Argon gas is introduced into the furnace 2. DualTherm® furnaces
hardening in order to obtain high ductility at sintering temperature to further reduce in various designs for
and toughness. Such furnaces can also be porosity and to ensure the material quality high flexible vacuum
used for brazing. Brazing is a joining of high-performance hard metal tools and heat treatment and
case hardening
process of parts, where a filler material melts other sintered parts.
during the heating process while the parts 3. Over pressure
sintering furnace
will remain solid. Own & Operate
type VKPgr for up to
It’s ALD’s strategic direction to offer a full 100 bar to sinter
Case Hardening service package to its customers. ALD has high grade cemented
Vacuum carburizing processes are used in developed customized heat treatment processes carbide parts
the gear industry as well as for producing with its furnace systems, using the furnaces
fuel injection systems to withstand highest built by ALD. To avoid customer’s learning
mechanical stress and to lower manufacturing curve and investment and to keep it’s part
cost. After the highly efficient vacuum manufacturing all the time updated with
carburizing step the parts are quenched with the latest development, ALD runs several
inert gases under higher pressures. This dry heat treatment centers to process these parts.
quenching method saves subsequent cleaning
Delivery Program

Vacuum Metallurgy

■ Primary Melting
Vacuum Induction Melting and Casting
(VIM/VIDP)
■ Remelting
Electroslag Remelting (ESR)
Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR)
Electron Beam Melting (EB)
■ Casting and Coating
Vacuum Investment Casting (VIM-IC)
Vacuum Turbine Blade Coating (EB/PVD)
■ Photovoltaic
Solar Silicon Melting and
Crystallization Technology
■ Special Furnaces
Hot Isothermal Forging (HIF)
Induction Heated Quartz
Tube Furnaces (IWQ)
High Vacuum Resistances Furnaces (WI)
Powder/Inert Gas Atomization

Vacuum Heat Treatment

and Sintering

■ Vacuum Hardening, Tempering

Vacuum Heat Treatment of Tool Steels
in vertical and horizontal batch furnaces

■ Vacuum Case Hardening

Plasma or Vacuum Carburizing and
High Pressure Gas Quenching in
DualTherm® and ModulTherm® furnaces

■ Vacuum Sintering
Sintering in Vacuum or under High
Pressure (HIP) up to 100 bar

Own & Operate

Service to Customers with selected

Technologies to Process Customer’s parts
in own Subsidaries
 MetaCom/06.07
Sales & Service

USA China
Metallurgy: ALD Liaison Office
ALD Vacuum Technologies, Inc. c/o C&K Development Co., Ltd.
18, Thompson Road Rm. 1102, South Office Tower
East Windsor, CT 06088, USA Hong Kong Plaza
Phone +1 (860) 386 72 - 27 283 Huai Hai Zhong Rd.
e-mail: info@ald-usa.com Shanghai, 200021, China ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH
Phone +86 (21) 63 85 - 55 00
Heat Treatment: e-mail: ald@ald-vt.cn Wilhelm-Rohn-Strasse 35
ALD – Holcroft Vacuum Technologies Co. 63450 Hanau, Germany
49630 Pontiac Trial Russia
Wixom, MI 48393, USA ALD Vacuumyje Technologii OOO Phone +49 (6181) 307- 0
Phone +1 (248 ) 668 4016 ul. Bolschaja Ordynka 40, str. 2
e-mail: Sales@ALD-Holcroft.com 109017 Moskau, Russia
karl-heinz.grosse@ald-vt.de
Fax +49 (6181) 307- 3290
Phone +7 (495) 787 6733 e-mail: info@ald-vt.de
Great Britain e-mail: ald@metallurg.com.ru
ALD Vacuum Technologies Ltd. Internet: www.ald-vt.de
First Floor
276 High Street
Guildford, Surrey GU 1 3JL, UK USA
Phone +44 (1483) 45 44 34 ALD Thermal Treatment, Inc.
e-mail: info@aldvactech.co.uk 1101 Carolina Pines Drive
Own & Operate Blythewood, SC 29016, USA
Far East Phone +1 (803) 2330660
ALD Thermo Technologies Far East Co., e-mail: info-columbia@aldtt.net
Ltd.
10F. Shinjuku Nomura Bldg. Germany ALD Thermal Treatment, Inc.
1-26-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku ALD Own & Operate GmbH 2656 24th Street
Tokyo 163-0558, Japan Wilhelm-Rohn-Str. 35 Port Huron, MI 48060, USA
Phone +81 (3) 33 40 37 26 63450 Hanau, Germany Phone +1 (810) 3570 680
e-mail: Peter.Lang@ald-vt.de Phone +49 (6181) 307 - 0 e-mail: info-porthuron@aldtt.net
e-mail: own-operate@ald-vt.de
Poland Mexico
ALD VT Polska Sp. z. o. o. VACUHEAT GmbH ALD Tratamientos Termicos
Holenderska 6, Hohensteiner Str. 11-13 Blvd. Omega Nr. 2270
05-152 Czosnow, Poland 09212 Limbach - Oberfrohna, Germany Ramos Arizpe C.P. 25901, Mexico
Phone +48 (22) 78 51 082 Phone +49 (3722) 4022 13 Phone +49 (6181) 307 3363
e-mail: a.karwice@ald-vt-polska.pl e-mail: vacuheat@vacuheat.net e-mail: info@aldtt-mexico.com peter.minarski@ald-vt.de

Sales Offices, Engineering Facilities & Operator Companies

Head Quarters
Territories Covered by Representatives