vacuum arc remelting
Quick Summary
Vacuum arc remelting (VAR) is a metallurgical process used for casting steels with easily oxidized alloying elements. In VAR, a consumable electrode made of steel is melted by an electric arc under a vacuum. The molten metal then solidifies in a water-cooled copper mold. This process is crucial for refining metals because the vacuum environment significantly reduces levels of dissolved oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and volatile elements. Additionally, the directional solidification achieved in VAR improves the hot-forming properties of the resulting ingots, which can weigh up to 50 tons.1
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