Unlike conventional heat treatment processes that use atmospheric air, vacuum furnaces ensure a clean and contamination-free environment during the heat treatment process. It has been proven that the atmosphere quality of vacuum (a condition well below normal atmospheric pressure) is comparable to industrial gases; therefore, vacuum offers the possibility to produce and control a protective gas atmosphere in a simple and economic manner. The vacuumed environment prevents the formation of oxide layers on the surface of the workpiece, which keeps the surface clean and free of impurities, resulting in better surface quality, strength and durability for a variety of applications. The clean environment prevailing under vacuum is ideal for several metallurgical processes such as annealing, hardening, carburizing, brazing, and sintering. Various advanced and complex materials like Titanium, Inconel as well as high-quality stainless steels and their alloys are processed under vacuum, which helps to create a product with a bright and oxide-free finish.