Abstract: In a process and an apparatus for austempering, metal workpieces and optional tempering bodies are quenched in a quenching volume V of a quenching apparatus, in which the quenching volume V is flowed through by a cooling fluid, and the workpieces are tempered by thermal radiation of the tempering bodies, by thermal radiation of one or more heating elements arranged in the quenching apparatus, or by a thermal fluid in such a way that an average temperature T(t) of the workpieces follows a progression over time according to the relationship T ? ( t ) = T 0 + T 1 [ 1 + tanh ? ( - t ? ) ] where t is the time in seconds, 150° C.?T0?250° C., 600° C.?T1?820° C., 12 s???24 s, 0 s?t?? and 180 s???240 s.

Abstract: In a thermal or thermochemical treatment, metal workpieces together with a metal guide are arranged on a batch carrier. The present invention relates to a device for flow guidance for metallic pieces during such thermal or thermochemical treatment and quenching, as well as methods using the same. The fluid guide particularly ensures a uniform cooling of an inner and/or outer lateral surface of the workpieces during the quenching process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for water spray quenching that includes (i) a quenching chamber designed and set up to receive metallic workpieces, with a batch of volume V0 of 0.045 to 3.5 m3 and (ii) at least one atomizer which is configured to atomize water in air or nitrogen and is fluidically connected to the quenching chamber; in which the at least one atomizer and the device are designed and set up to generate a spray mist with a water content of 2.5 to 40 vol. % and a Sauter mean diameter of 20 to 2000 m and also a spray mist flow through the batch volume V0 of 0.05 to 25 m3/s.