VID 400-4000
Vacuum Induction Degassing

“The Economic Alternative to Ladle Metallurgy for Charge Weights up to 30 tons.”

Vacuum Induction Degassing (VID) furnaces have been developed for special applications in the ferrous and non-ferrous metals industry for charge weights up to 30 tons. VID furnaces are compact, simplified and cost-effective vacuum induction melting furnaces. They are most suitable for production of steels and other alloys requiring melting, liquid metal refining and degassing in vacuum, while still allowing pouring the melt in air. VID furnaces are an attractive alternative to commonly applied secondary metallurgical systems such as ladle and vacuum degassing furnace (LF/VD furnaces). VID furnaces are particularly valuable to the alloy manufacturer for smaller heats up to 30 t based on their flexibility and lower cost production.

Vacuum Induction Degassing Furnace (VID)

Design Characteristics and Benefits of VID Furnaces

• Extensive design library and historical experience available for rapid development programs
• Melting and liquid metal treatment in vacuum or under inert gas atmosphere, pouring in air
• Expertise in temperature control, vacuum refining, decarburization and slag treatment
• Simplified furnace design (e. g. no need for mould chamber)
• Multiple design variations, “VID pro” for pouring in protective atmosphere, “VID oxy” for carbon removal via introduction of O₂ into the melt by oxygen lance
• Attractive alternative to “secondary metallurgical systems” for production of vacuum degassed steel grades
• Replacement of LF / VD systems by VID
• Increased flexibility and improved economics for heats up to 30

VID 400 – 4000 Furnace Sizes and Applications

ALD offers VID furnaces from 1 to 30 t capacity. VID furnaces enable mini steel mills and foundries to produce high quality vacuum treated steels in one step, whereas larger shops must use a multi-step process using conventional LF/VD/VOD production lines. The risk of metal freezing due to temperature loss during liquid metal transfer is eliminated with this approach. VIM-VID furnaces give mini steel mills and forging shops the opportunity to enhance material qualities and to cast their own ingots with less cost.

The following steel grades are routinely produced with VID furnaces:

• Tool steels and high speed steels
• Heat treatable steels, austenitic and martensitic steels
• Steels for energy technology
• Ni-base and Co-base alloys

16 ton VID 2000 furnace schematic

Customer Specific VID Designs

The following VID design variations are available to meet individual requirements of our clients.

• VID:               Pouring in ambient air
• VID Pro:       Pouring under protective gas
• VID Oxy:       Oxygen blowing and slag treatment

The VID Pro allows pouring under a protective gas atmosphere and the VIM-VID Oxy enables efficient carbon removal by introducing oxygen via a lance into the melt.