Development of Quenching Towards Quality Improvement

The main flywheel of the quenching methods progress is the need to reduce or at least control quenching deformations and thus ensure the quality and reduce unnecessary costs during the production stage. The literature analysis shows that the further development of quenching methods will be closely linked to the applications of computational techniques, both in the area of designing optimal heat removal from the component, reducing quenching deformations and building equipment to conduct them. Additionally, civilisation’s growing concern for the ecological aspects of production may be a reason to move away from traditional oil quenching towards gas quenching, as long as there will be ready-made solutions for gas quenching with cooling intensities analogous to those of oil. In terms of improving the uniformity of hardened layers in surface hardening, devices for unit gas quenching are of interest to the industry. They are an interesting option for micro-factory, i.e. local factories, where a wide range of items is produced in the same factory for the local market.