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Necessity of burnouts in heat treat furnaces

Vacuum heat treat furnaces Burnouts. Why do we need them and what do they really do? If vacuum is always good and leak rate passes, do we need to do a regular (let's say monthly) burnout?
Would a 2400F temperature <1 micron or maybe a 400PSI Argon atmosphere burnout help a heat treat furnace performance?

Rozalia Papp
Superalloy blades and vanes - Hampton, Virginia
2006

It depends on too many factors to give a positive answer. The more that you use it, the more frequent the burnouts become. If you heat treat dirty parts, it will require more burnouts. The part should be squeaky clean or you will also form an alloy on the surface. My thought is that you do a burnout when the parts tell you to and not on a preset schedule. Having the furnace open for long periods is not good for it. Close the door(s) and possibly a low vacuum.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2006