Vacuum Tempering Process

During vacuum tempering, the steel is brought to tempering temperature in a chamber without oxygen. This prevents the formation of scale or oxide layers, leaving the surface bright and clean. This is especially important if you want to weld or coat the workpiece after hardening – a clean surface is half the battle. If your system doesn't pull a true vacuum or you work without protective gas, you'll get unsightly tempering colors and the surface won't be optimal for further processing. So make sure the chamber is tight and you hit the right tempering temperature for your steel.