Multi-chamber parallel type vacuum heat treatment method and heat treatment furnace

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of vacuum heat treatment, and discloses a multi-chamber parallel type vacuum heat treatment method, which is characterized in that a plurality of independent vacuum chambers are connected in parallel, and each vacuum chamber can work independently and is provided with an independent vacuum system; the vacuum degree and the cold and hot temperature of the vacuum chambers are independently controlled according to actual process requirements, the vacuum chambers are mutually independent and are communicated through the core transition chamber, workpieces are flexibly transferred among the vacuum chambers through the transition chamber, and various different process requirements are met; different batches of the same product can be processed, various different products can be processed at the same time, and workpieces can be transferred automatically; the transition chamber adopts a modular bin section form, the length of the transition chamber and the number of the vacuum chambers are set according to the actual capacity requirement, and each vacuum chamber can independently control a vacuum system and process parameters to adapt to the requirements of different products. Each vacuum chamber can work independently and does not interfere with each other, so that the production efficiency is improved, and the energy consumption is reduced; and the flexibility is enhanced, and the process parameters are easy to maintain, expand and optimize.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vacuum heat treatment furnaces, and particularly to a multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment method and a heat treatment furnace. Background Art

[0002] Most traditional vacuum heat treatment furnaces adopt a single-chamber structure, that is, the heating and cooling processes are carried out in the same furnace body. This single-chamber structure of the vacuum heat treatment furnace has several significant defects. First, since the heating and cooling are carried out in the same space, the heating rate is slow and the cooling time is long, which increases energy consumption and prolongs the production cycle. Second, the single-chamber structure limits the production efficiency because within one treatment cycle, the furnace body can only process one batch of workpieces, and only after this batch of workpieces is processed can the next batch of workpieces be processed.

[0003] In addition, with the increasing requirements of industrial production for continuity and efficiency, series continuous heat treatment furnaces have gradually been applied. However, series continuous heat treatment furnaces also have obvious problems. Once one of the chambers needs to be repaired or maintained, the entire equipment needs to be shut down, which seriously affects the production efficiency. Therefore, series continuous heat treatment furnaces are insufficient in terms of flexibility and reliability.

[0004] In summary, the traditional single-chamber structure and series continuous heat treatment furnaces both have certain limitations in the field of vacuum heat treatment and cannot meet the requirements of modern industrial production for high efficiency, continuity, and flexibility.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment method and a heat treatment furnace to solve the problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment method and a heat treatment furnace. The multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace has multiple vacuum chambers such as a loading chamber, a preheating chamber, a cooling chamber, and a heat treatment chamber arranged in parallel. Each chamber can work independently without interference, and has significant technical effects in significantly improving production efficiency, reducing energy consumption, enhancing flexibility, increasing the degree of automation, being easy to maintain and expand, and optimizing process parameters.

[0007] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment method, in which multiple independent vacuum chambers are connected in parallel. Each vacuum chamber can work independently and is equipped with a separate vacuum system. The vacuum degree and hot and cold temperatures of the vacuum chambers are independently controlled according to actual process requirements. The vacuum chambers are independent of each other and are connected through a core transition chamber. Workpieces are flexibly transferred between the vacuum chambers through the transition chamber to meet various different process requirements. Different batches of the same product can be processed, and multiple different products can be processed simultaneously. An AGV cart and a fixed track are arranged in the transition chamber to realize the automatic transfer of workpieces. The transition chamber adopts a modular compartment form, and the length of the transition chamber and the number of vacuum chambers are set according to actual production capacity requirements. Each vacuum chamber can independently control the vacuum system and process parameters to meet the requirements of different products.

[0008] A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace includes a loading chamber, a preheating chamber, a cooling chamber, a heat treatment chamber, and a transition chamber. The loading chamber, the preheating chamber, the cooling chamber, the heat treatment chamber, and the transition chamber are respectively equipped with separate vacuum systems. The loading chamber, the preheating chamber, the cooling chamber, and the heat treatment chamber are respectively connected to both sides in the length direction of the transition chamber through gate valves. A workpiece transfer device is arranged in the transition chamber.

[0009] The workpiece transfer device includes a fixed track and an AGV cart arranged in the transition chamber. The fixed track is arranged along the length direction of the transition chamber, and the AGV cart travels in the transition chamber along the fixed track.

[0010] The loading chamber is provided with two gate valves. One gate valve is installed between the loading chamber and the transition chamber, and the other gate valve is used to load workpieces from outside the loading chamber.

[0011] There is one or more loading chambers, preheating chambers, cooling chambers, and heat treatment chambers respectively.

[0012] The preheating chamber provides a vacuum heating environment with a temperature not higher than 600 °C.

[0013] The heat treatment chamber provides a vacuum heating environment with a temperature not lower than 1200 °C.

[0014] A heat exchanger and a cooling motor are arranged in the cooling chamber.

[0015] A working method of a multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace includes the following steps: loading workpieces into the loading chamber, evacuating and then balancing the pressure with the transition chamber, and opening the gate valve between the loading chamber and the transition chamber; transferring the workpieces to at least one of the parallel preheating chamber, heat treatment chamber, or cooling chamber through the AGV cart on the fixed track in the transition chamber; performing preheating and degassing in the preheating chamber, or performing high-temperature treatment in the heat treatment chamber, or rapidly cooling in the cooling chamber; each chamber independently controls the vacuum system and process parameters and is dynamically isolated from the transition chamber through the gate valve.

[0016] The workpieces are loaded into the loading chamber under an inert gas protection environment.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace disclosed by the present invention can significantly improve production efficiency: By arranging multiple vacuum chambers such as a loading chamber, a preheating chamber, a cooling chamber, and a heat treatment chamber in parallel, each chamber can work independently without interference. While a workpiece is being processed in one chamber, different processing steps can be carried out simultaneously in other chambers, thus greatly shortening the overall processing cycle and improving production efficiency.

[0018] 2. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace disclosed by the present invention can reduce energy consumption: Each vacuum chamber is equipped with a separate vacuum system, which can independently control the vacuum degree and heating temperature according to actual process requirements, avoiding energy waste caused by the heating and cooling processes in the traditional single-chamber structure; The design of multi-chamber parallel also reduces the waiting time and further reduces energy consumption.

[0019] 3. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace disclosed by the present invention can enhance flexibility: Since each chamber is independent and connected by a transition chamber, workpieces can be flexibly transported between chambers, enabling the equipment to adapt to a variety of different process requirements. It can not only process different batches of the same product but also process multiple different products simultaneously, greatly enhancing the flexibility of the equipment.

[0020] 4. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace disclosed by the present invention can improve the degree of automation: An AGV cart and a fixed track are arranged in the transition chamber, realizing the automatic transportation of workpieces. This not only saves labor costs but also improves the accuracy and efficiency of transportation. The entire processing process is highly automated, helping to reduce human errors and improve production quality.

[0021] 5. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace disclosed by the present invention is easy to maintain and expand: Each vacuum chamber is equipped with a separate valve and vacuum system structure, facilitating independent maintenance and repair; In addition, since the equipment adopts a modular design, each bin section and vacuum chamber can be easily added according to actual production capacity requirements to achieve more efficient production, not only reducing maintenance costs but also improving the expandability of the equipment.

[0022] 6. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace disclosed by the present invention can optimize process parameters: Each chamber can independently control the vacuum system and process parameters, enabling the equipment to more accurately meet different process requirements and improve product quality and consistency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The solutions and advantages of the present application will become clear to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. The drawings are only for the purpose of showing the preferred embodiments and are not considered to be a limitation of the present invention.

[0024] In the drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the composition of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the AGV vehicle of the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the loading chamber of the present invention; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the preheating chamber of the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the cooling chamber of the present invention; Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the heat treatment chamber of the present invention; The components represented by the reference numerals in the drawings are: The present invention: 1. Loading chamber, 2. Preheating chamber, 3. Cooling chamber, 4. Transition chamber vacuum system, 5. Heat treatment chamber, 6. Transition chamber, 7. Fixed track, 8. Electric control cabinet, 9. AGV vehicle. Specific embodiments

[0025] As Figures 1 to 6 shown, a multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment method is to connect multiple independent vacuum chambers in parallel. Each vacuum chamber can work independently and is equipped with a separate vacuum system; independently control the vacuum degree and hot and cold temperatures of the vacuum chamber according to actual process requirements. Each vacuum chamber is independent of each other and is connected through a core transition chamber. Workpieces are flexibly transported between the vacuum chambers through the transition chamber to adapt to a variety of different process requirements; realize processing different batches of the same product and simultaneously processing multiple different products. An AGV vehicle and a fixed track are arranged in the transition chamber to realize the automatic transportation of workpieces; the transition chamber adopts a modular compartment form, and the length of the transition chamber and the number of vacuum chambers are set according to actual production capacity requirements. Each vacuum chamber can independently control the vacuum system and process parameters to adapt to the needs of different products.

[0026] A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace mainly consists of a loading chamber 1, a preheating chamber 2, a cooling chamber 3, a heat treatment chamber 5, a transition chamber 6, a transition chamber vacuum system 4, an electric control cabinet 8, an AGV vehicle 9, etc.

[0027] The loading chamber 1 is located at the very front end of the entire technological process, and gate valves are installed at both ends. One of the gate valves is connected to the transition chamber 6 for workpiece transfer; the other gate valve is used to dock with an external glove box with inert gas protection so as to load the workpiece into the loading chamber under a protective atmosphere. No heating element is installed in the loading chamber, and it is in a normal temperature state for a long time, mainly providing a vacuum environment to serve as a transition for the workpiece from a protective atmosphere to a vacuum environment.

[0028] The preheating chamber 2, a low-temperature chamber, is equipped with heating components inside, which can provide a vacuum heating environment with a temperature not higher than 600 °C. The preheating chamber is mainly used for the initial preheating and degassing treatment of the workpiece to prepare for subsequent high-temperature heat treatment.

[0029] The cooling chamber 3 is a vacuum chamber with a rapid cooling function, and a heat exchanger and a cooling motor are installed inside. This chamber can withstand a gas pressure of 0.2 MPa (absolute pressure), and can rapidly cool the workpiece coming from the heat treatment chamber from 1200 °C to the normal temperature state.

[0030] The heat treatment chamber 5 is a high-temperature heating chamber, and high-temperature-resistant heating components are installed inside, which can heat the workpiece to above 1200 °C. This chamber is the key vacuum chamber for the final heat treatment of the workpiece.

[0031] The transition chamber 6 is an extremely long vacuum chamber used to connect the loading chamber, the preheating chamber, the heat treatment chamber, and the cooling chamber. Fixed tracks 7 and AGV carts 9 are configured inside it. The AGV carts can move on the fixed tracks to realize the transfer of workpieces between chambers.

[0032] The AGV cart, namely the Automated Guided Vehicle, is a transport cart equipped with automatic guiding devices such as electromagnetic or optical ones, which can travel along the specified guiding path and has safety protection and various load transfer functions.

[0033] The electric control cabinet 8 is used to control the electrical system of the entire equipment, including the vacuum systems, heating systems, cooling systems of each chamber, and the traveling system of the AGV cart, etc.

[0034] The working method of the multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace includes the following steps: Loading: Inside the glove box with inert gas protection, the workpiece is loaded into the loading chamber 1 through the other gate valve of the loading chamber. Then this gate valve is closed, and the loading chamber is evacuated using the vacuum system of the loading chamber.

[0035] Transfer to the transition chamber: After the pressures of the loading chamber and the transition chamber 6 are balanced, the gate valve between the loading chamber and the transition chamber is opened. The AGV cart 9 enters the loading chamber through its top forks through mechanical transmission to take out the workpiece and transfer it into the transition chamber 6.

[0036] Preheating treatment: The AGV cart 9 moves on the fixed track 7 and transports the workpiece into the preheating chamber 2 for preheating treatment. The preheating chamber operates according to the set heating curve. After completion, the AGV cart transports the workpiece to the heat treatment chamber 5.

[0037] High-temperature heat treatment: The heat treatment chamber 5 conducts high-temperature treatment on the workpiece according to the set heating curve. After completion, the AGV cart transports the workpiece to the cooling chamber 3.

[0038] Rapid cooling: The cooling chamber 3 conducts rapid cooling treatment on the workpiece, cooling the workpiece from a high-temperature state to normal temperature.

[0039] Taking the workpiece: After cooling is completed, open the door of the cooling chamber and take out the workpiece.

[0040] The whole process is fully automated, saving manpower and helping to reduce costs; the number of chambers can be increased for each chamber according to process requirements, which can improve production efficiency.

[0041] This equipment can realize the simultaneous operation of multiple product processes in the industrial production field. The following is illustrated by a specific example: In the sintering process of neodymium iron boron workpieces that require protected feeding, the workpieces can be docked with the gate valve of the loading chamber 1 through a glove box with inert gas protection. At this time, the loading chamber 1 has emptied the oxygen inside and is also filled with protective gas. The gate valve on the docking surface is opened, and the neodymium iron boron workpieces are transported into the loading chamber 1; then close the gate valve of the loading chamber 1, use the vacuum system of the loading chamber 1 to evacuate the loading chamber 1. When the pressure is balanced with the transfer chamber 6, open the gate valve between the loading chamber 1 and the transfer chamber 6, and transport the workpiece into the transfer chamber 6 through the AGV cart. According to the neodymium iron boron sintering process, the workpiece is transported to the preheating chamber 2 through the AGV cart for preheating. Since the other three heat treatment chambers 5 all have the function of high-temperature heating, when the other chambers are idle, according to process requirements, the workpiece can also be directly transported to the heat treatment chamber 5 through the AGV cart 9 for heating. After the heating and holding are completed, the workpiece is also transported to the cooling chamber 3 at this temperature through the AGV cart, and the workpiece undergoes rapid cooling in this chamber.

[0042] Due to the particularity of this set of equipment, each chamber and the transition chamber 6 are in a parallel connection form. Moreover, among these chambers, there are vacuum chambers with low-temperature heating, vacuum chambers with high-temperature heating, and independent cooling chambers for cooling. Therefore, this provides a variety of selection spaces for workpieces of different products and different processes. When the processing volume of workpieces for the same product is relatively small and some heat treatment chambers are idle, these idle chambers can be used to process workpieces in different fields. This is because each chamber is independent, and the independence is due to each chamber having a separate heating function; while each chamber is also interconnected, and the interconnection is because each chamber is connected through the transition chamber, and the workpieces in each chamber can be transported to each other by AGV vehicles. Therefore, when the whole set of equipment is working, it is not limited to only producing one product, but can simultaneously process and produce multiple processes and different types of products.

[0043] Since this set of equipment consists of multiple vacuum chambers with the same function, each compartment can be modularly assembled, and the compartments and vacuum chambers can be increased according to the production capacity requirements to achieve more efficient production.

Claims

1. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment method, characterized in that: The method is to connect multiple independent vacuum chambers in parallel, each vacuum chamber can work independently and is equipped with a separate vacuum system; the vacuum degree and hot and cold temperatures of the vacuum chambers are independently controlled according to actual process requirements, each vacuum chamber is independent of each other and connected through a core transition chamber, and the workpiece is flexibly transferred between the vacuum chambers through the transition chamber to meet a variety of different process requirements; different batches of the same product can be processed, and a variety of different products can be processed at the same time. AGV trolleys and fixed tracks are set in the transition chamber to realize the automatic transfer of workpieces; the transition chamber adopts a modular warehouse section form, and the length of the transition chamber and the number of vacuum chambers are set according to actual production capacity requirements. Each vacuum chamber can independently control the vacuum system and process parameters to meet the needs of different products.

2. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace, characterized in that: The invention comprises a loading chamber (1), a preheating chamber (2), a cooling chamber (3), a heat treatment chamber (5) and a transition chamber (6). The loading chamber (1), the preheating chamber (2), the cooling chamber (3), the heat treatment chamber (5) and the transition chamber (6) are respectively provided with a separate vacuum system. The loading chamber (1), the preheating chamber (2), the cooling chamber (3) and the heat treatment chamber (5) are respectively connected to both sides of the transition chamber (6) in the length direction through a gate valve. A workpiece transfer device is provided in the transition chamber (6).

3. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The workpiece transfer device comprises a fixed track (7) and an AGV trolley (9) arranged in the transition chamber (6); the fixed track (7) is arranged along the length direction of the transition chamber (6); and the AGV trolley (9) travels in the transition chamber (6) along the fixed track (7).

4. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The loading chamber (1) is provided with two gate valves, one gate valve is installed between the loading chamber (1) and the transition chamber (6), and the other gate valve is used to load workpieces from outside the loading chamber (1).

5. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that: The charging chamber (1), the preheating chamber (2), the cooling chamber (3) and the heat treatment chamber (5) are each provided with at least one.

6. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The preheating chamber (2) provides a vacuum heating environment with a temperature not higher than 600°C.

7. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The heat treatment chamber (5) provides a vacuum heating environment with a temperature not lower than 1200°C.

8. The multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace according to claim 2, characterized in that: A heat exchanger and a cooling motor are arranged in the cooling chamber (3).

9. A working method of a multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace, based on a multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment furnace according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: The workpiece is loaded into a loading chamber (1), and after vacuuming, the pressure is balanced with that of a transition chamber (6), and a gate valve between the loading chamber (1) and the transition chamber (6) is opened; the workpiece is transferred to at least one of the preheating chamber (2), the heat treatment chamber (5) or the cooling chamber (3) connected in parallel by an AGV trolley (9) on a fixed track (7) in the transition chamber (6); preheating and degassing are performed in the preheating chamber (2), or high-temperature treatment is performed in the heat treatment chamber (5), or rapid cooling is performed in the cooling chamber (3); each chamber independently controls the vacuum system and process parameters, and is dynamically isolated from the transition chamber (6) by a gate valve.

10. A multi-chamber parallel vacuum heat treatment method according to claim 9, characterized in that: The workpiece is loaded into the loading chamber (1) in an inert gas protection environment.

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