What Is an Annealing Furnace?
An annealing furnace is a large heating device for applying an annealing process. It can heat various materials such as metals, semiconductors, and glass to high temperatures. Annealing is a technology that corrects distortions in or increases the stability of an object by heating it. This process is used in various materials, such as plastics and metals, to increase crystallization or uniform hardness, respectively. An annealing furnace is widely used for annealing a variety of materials for industrial and research applications.
Uses of Annealing Furnaces
Because many materials require annealing, annealing furnaces are used in various locations.
- Processing of crystalline plastics: By heating crystalline plastics, the degree of crystallinity can be increased, and stability can be improved.
- Moisture Removal from Plastics: Plastics absorb moisture, even from the air, and expand. Therefore, plastics are heated in annealing furnaces to remove moisture and correct their size and dimensions.
- Treatment of Metals: By heating metals, hardness can be made uniform, and stability can be improved.
Principles of Annealing Furnaces
Annealing furnaces use various heating methods, including hot-air and infrared. We focus here on high-performance far-infrared annealing furnaces. These furnaces heat using the ‘radiation’ property of far-infrared rays, differing from standard methods that require direct contact with the heat source.
Far-infrared annealing furnaces are annealing furnaces that heat using the radiation property of far-infrared radiation. Far-infrared radiation is an electromagnetic wave with a longer wavelength than visible light. Irradiating an object with far-infrared rays causes the molecules that make up the object to vibrate and generate heat energy. Since this thermal energy warms the object, non-contact heating is possible. In addition, high temperatures can be created in a short time. Furthermore, the heating temperature varies depending on the wavelength of the far-infrared radiation, making it excellent in that it can be used in different ways depending on the object to be heated.