Vacuum Degassed Forging Ingots
Vacuum degassed forging ingots are refined in a ladle furnace, degassed under vacuum and poured from the bottom of the mould. The result is clean, low-hydrogen steel for heavy forgings.
Vacuum treated steel ingots: LRF VD route
Our LRF VD steel ingots go through a ladle refining furnace (LRF) for temperature, chemistry and sulphur control, then a vacuum degassing system (VD) that reaches 0.25 mbar in under five minutes. These vacuum treated steel ingots have lower hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen than air-melted steel.
Bottom poured forging ingots
Bottom poured forging ingots are cast through a runner system from the base of the mould, so the stream is not exposed to air while it fills. This gives a cleaner surface and fewer inclusions than top pouring.
Why it matters
Hydrogen can cause flakes in heavy forgings and oxides reduce fatigue life. Vacuum degassing and ladle refining are the main defences. Read the guides on why vacuum degassing matters and on bottom poured vs top poured steel ingots.
Related pages
Questions
What does LRF VD mean?
LRF is ladle refining furnace and VD is vacuum degassing. Together they refine the steel and remove dissolved gases before pouring.