Abstract: A microwave carburizing furnace comprising: a microwave heat source for conducting carburization in plasma generated in atmosphere without electrodes; a microwave irradiating chamber into which the microwave is introduced; a atmospheric gas supply mechanism for supplying atmospheric gas containing Ar and O2 into the irradiating chamber; and a rapid quenching mechanism for quenching a specimen after carburizing treatment with a quenching medium; wherein a steel material as the specimen and a carbon source necessary for carburization are placed in the carburizing chamber.

Abstract: A sintering furnace for sintering an object to be sintered formed of ceramics, fine ceramic materials, etc. to produce a sintered object and a method therefor. An insulating wall (28) and an inner shell (25) define a sintering chamber (16) for sintering an object to be sintered (10). Thermal equilibrium is maintained between the inner shell (25) and the object to be sintered (10), and the object to be sintered (10) is completely pseudo-adiabatically isolated to achieve more uniform and small energy consuming sintering. The thickness of the insulating wall (28) increases gradually from an inlet (20) toward an outlet (21). The object to be sintered (10) is fed by a carriage provided in a sintering furnace from the inlet (20) to the outlet (21) in the sintering chamber (16). Thereby, a temperature distribution corresponding to a plurality of processes can be easily formed in one furnace to sinter continuously the object to be sintered (10) in the furnace.

Abstract: A sintering furnace for sintering an object to be sintered formed of ceramics, fine ceramic materials, etc. to produce a sintered object and a method therefor. An insulating wall (28) and an inner shell (25) define a sintering chamber (16) for sintering an object to be sintered (10). Thermal equilibrium is maintained between the inner shell (25) and the object to be sintered (10), and the object to be sintered (10) is completely pseudo-adiabatically isolated to achieve more uniform and small energy consuming sintering. The thickness of the insulating wall (28) increases gradually from an inlet (20) toward an outlet (21). The object to be sintered (10) is fed by a carriage provided in a sintering furnace from the inlet (20) to the outlet (21) in the sintering chamber (16). Thereby, a temperature distribution corresponding to a plurality of processes can be easily formed in one furnace to sinter continuously the object to be sintered (10) in the furnace.

Abstract: A microwave sintering furnace and a microwave sintering method are disclosed, in which the object to be sintered develops no cracking or deformation in the degreasing process. A microwave sintering furnace (1) comprises a furnace body (2) containing an object (S) to be sintered, a unit (3, 4) for generating and introducing microwaves into the furnace body, a unit (8) for supplying a degreasing gas into the furnace body (2), and a unit (11) for heating the degreasing gas before it reaches the object (S) to be sintered.