In all larger hardmetal workshops furnaces for dewaxing, vacuum sintering or vacuum and overpressure sintering are today's standard. The furnace technology is well established. Equipment specifications such as operating overpressure, determine sintering cost, product quality, safety and reliability of the furnace and ultimately influence the competitiveness of the hard metal procucer in the global market. Essential furnace requirements are an efficient utilization of the furnace, an environmental friendly dewaxing system, high temperature uniformity, metallurgical treatment with process gases, as well as reduced cooling time by means of rapid cooling. Examples of reduced sintering costs are described achieved using a new design of vacuum sintering furnace with an improved rapid cooling device, cooling times are reduced by up to 45%. Additionally, a cost comparison of two different designs of vacuum overpressure sintering furnaces are included.

• Ermel Dieter