The Vacuum Annealing of M2 Metal

2026-04-10 09:06

Material Properties of M2 High-Speed Steel

M2 is a quintessential general-purpose high-speed steel of the tungsten-molybdenum series. Due to its high proportion of alloying elements—including tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr), and vanadium (V)—it achieves exceptional hardness while simultaneously possessing excellent toughness and “red hardness” (the ability to retain cutting performance in high-temperature cutting environments). Consequently, it is widely utilized in the manufacture of precision metal-cutting tools—such as twist drills, taps, and milling cutters—as well as wear-resistant cold-stamping dies.

SIMUWU RVA-8812 horizontal vacuum annealing furnace designed for M2 high-speed steel tool and die stress relieving

Significance of Vacuum Annealing for M2 Components

The fundamental significance of vacuum annealing for M2 steel lies in its ability to eliminate lattice distortions and induce complete spheroidization of the microstructure within an oxygen-free, high-temperature environment. While effectively reducing the hardness of the powder—thereby facilitating subsequent compaction and forming processes—this treatment simultaneously prevents material oxidation or decarburization, thereby safeguarding the foundation of the material’s superior strength and toughness.

M2 Vacuum Annealing Process Phases

Regarding the vacuum annealing of M2 high-speed steel metal powder, this constitutes not merely a simple heating process, but a critical step for controlling powder hardness, eliminating work hardening, and preparing the material for subsequent compaction and forming:

Phase 1: Evacuate the furnace chamber to a vacuum level of 10–1 Pa, raise the temperature to 600°C, and hold for 1–2 hours;
Phase 2: Raise the temperature to 1100°C and hold for 2 hours;
Phase 3: Cool to 800°C and hold for 4 hours;
Phase 4: Cool at a rate of 10°C/min down to 500°C to prevent the generation of secondary stresses;
Phase 5: Once the temperature has dropped to 200°C, remove the material from the furnace.

Technical Specifications of SIMUWU RVA-8812 Furnace

The process library of the SIMUWU RVA-8812 vacuum annealing furnace encompasses tens of thousands of processes and is capable of perfectly executing the vacuum annealing of M2 steel. Its main technical parameters are as follows:

Furnace type	Horizontal , single room, internal circulation
Loading method	Front loading
Max. loading weight	1000kg (Including jig)
Working vacuum	1×10- 1 pa
Time required to vacuum the work	≤40 min (after diffusion pump preheating, empty furnace, cold state)
Power supply	3 Phase 380V (±5% );50Hz
Pressure rise rate (cold and empty furnace)	≤ 0.5 Pa/h
Effective working zone ( WxHxL )	800×800×1200mm
Max.design temperature	1300℃
Working temperature	500-1250 ℃
Temperature uniformity	9 points temp testing (±5℃)
Temperature control accuracy (℃)	S type thermocouple ≤ ±1 ℃
Temperature control instrument accuracy (℃)	≤ 0.1 ℃
Heating zone	3 Zones separate temperature control
Empty furnace heating rate	0~25℃ /min (adjustable and controllable rate)
Time to heat the workpiece to the required temperature	≤ 60 min
Temperature uniformity (vacuum, empty furnace, 500-1250℃)	± 5 ℃
Temperature control method	Intelligent programmable temperature controller for automatic temperature control
Control method	PLC automatic/manual interlock protection control
Max. inflation pressure	＜2 bar(absolute pressure)
Cooling method	Air cooling/natural cooling
Cooling gas	Nitrogen or argon (purity: 99.99% or 99.999%)
Cooling rate (empty furnace 1200℃~150℃)	≤ 30 min
Partial pressure pressure	50-2000Pa manual and automatic control
Operation model	Manual/Automatic control
Equipment color	Customized