Which furnace is best suited for which technology?

3D printing doesn’t end with the final print step. For sintering-based processes—whether metal binder jetting or ceramic micro-3D printing—the thermal post-processing step is at least as critical as the printing technology itself. An unsuitable furnace can significantly affect the dimensional accuracy, density, and material properties of the finished components—or cause the entire process to fail.

As a certified partner of Carbolite Gero, AM Pioneers offers three furnace systems in its portfolio that are specifically tailored to the requirements of additive manufacturing: the AAF, the HTF 18, and the HTK 8. This article explains which furnace is suitable for which printing technology and why.

Carbolite Gero: High-Temperature Furnaces for Demanding Processes

Carbolite Gero is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of laboratory and industrial furnaces for heat treatment processes. The systems cover temperature ranges from 30 °C to 3000 °C and are designed for reproducible temperature profiles, controlled process atmospheres, and the highest level of purity. In the field of sintering-based additive manufacturing, three process steps are thermally relevant:

• Thermal debinding: Organic binders are burned off or pyrolyzed through controlled heat input—depending on the material, either in air (oxidative) or under a protective gas.
• Sintering: Compacting the powder structure at high temperatures without complete melting. Sintering temperature, holding time, and atmosphere determine density, microstructure, and final properties.
• Heat treatment: For metals such as tool steels or superalloys, targeted heat treatment steps are required after sintering to achieve the desired mechanical properties.

The three Carbolite Gero furnaces in the AM Pioneers portfolio

AAF – Ashing Furnace up to 1100 °C

The AAF is an ashing furnace specifically designed for the complete thermal decomposition of organic substances. With a programmable controller, efficient airflow, and heating elements on four sides, it offers optimal temperature distribution up to 1100 °C.

Carbolite Gero AAF

Maximum temperature: up to 1100 °C Atmosphere: air (oxidizing), 4–5 air changes per minute Volume: compact (laboratory size) Heating elements: resistance wire, heated on all 4 sides Suitable for: thermal debinding of ceramic green bodies (BMF PµSL)

The ashing furnace performs the oxidative combustion of the organic binder at temperatures between 400 °C and 1100 °C. The uniform temperature distribution achieved through four-sided heating prevents thermal gradients that could damage fine microstructures. The robust ceramic muffle reliably protects the heating elements from chemical stress.

HTF 18 – High-Temperature Furnace up to 1800 °C

The HTF 18 is a chamber furnace designed for precise high-temperature processes up to 1800 °C. It offers uniform temperature distribution, high energy efficiency, and user-friendly controls—ideal for sintering, annealing, and calcination in fields such as ceramics, metallurgy, and materials science

Carbolite Gero HTF 18

Maximum temperature: up to 1700 °C or 1800 °C Atmosphere: air or, optionally, inert gas Volume: 4 to 165 liters Heating elements: MoSi₂ (molybdenum disilicide) Suitable for: Sintering of Al₂O₃, ZrO₂, and other technical ceramics (BMF PµSL)

The MoSi₂ heating elements enable precise temperature profiles with defined heating rates, dwell times, and cooling curves—resulting in dense ceramic components with up to 95% of the theoretical density. The vertically opening door keeps hot surfaces away from the user; inert gas connections, rapid cooling, and debinding configurations are available as options.

HTK 8 – Metallic High-Temperature Furnace up to 2200 °C

The HTK 8 represents a class of its own: a metallically insulated high-temperature furnace with tungsten or molybdenum heating elements for process temperatures up to 2200 °C. The metallic construction ensures a high degree of purity in the protective gas atmosphere and the vacuum.

Carbolite Gero HTK 8

Maximum temperature: up to 2200 °C Atmosphere: H₂, Ar, N₂, high vacuum (optional) Volume: 8 to 120 liters (four sizes) Heating elements: Tungsten (HTK W) or molybdenum (HTK MO) Suitable for: Sintering metals via ARC Impact Metal Binder Jetting

Front-loading design for easy loading and unloading. The metallic insulation minimizes contamination and ensures the highest level of atmospheric purity—critical for stainless steels and superalloys. Hydrogen partial pressure operation, data logging for quality assurance, and an optional high-vacuum upgrade round out the features.

Which furnace is best suited for which pressure technology?

BMF Micro-3D Printing: AAF + HTF 18

The BMF microArch systems (2 µm, 10 µm, 25 µm series) use projection microstereolithography (PµSL) to produce high-precision ceramic components based on ceramic suspensions such as AL Ceramic (alumina, Al₂O₃) . In ceramic 3D printing, the thermal process consists of two clearly distinct steps:

Step 1 – Thermal debinding with the AAF: After printing, the component contains a polymer binder matrix. This is oxidatively burned out in the AAF at a rate of 4–5 air changes per minute. Temperatures between 400 °C and 1100 °C, with uniform heating from four sides—ideal for delicate microstructures.

Step 2 – Sintering with the HTF 18: For Al₂O₃, the typical sintering temperature ranges from 1,500 °C to 1,650 °C—exactly within the operating range of the HTF 18. Precise temperature profiles with defined heating rates and dwell times deliver dense ceramic components with full material properties.

ARC Impact Metal Binder Jetting: HTK 8

The ARC Impact systems—InnoventX, X25Pro, X160Pro, and Shop System—process metals such as 316L, 17-4PH, H13, M2, CoCrMo, IN625, and IN718 via metal binder jetting. The HTK 8 meets all key requirements:

• High-purity inert gas atmosphere: Metallic insulation (W/Mo) prevents outgassing and contamination of the H₂/Ar atmosphere.
• Hydrogen partial pressure operation: H₂ as a reducing agent—counteracts oxide layers on powder particles and improves sinter density.
• Temperatures up to 2200 °C: Necessary for high-melting-point materials such as tungsten alloys or refractory metals.
• Reproducibility: Data logging, high-vacuum option, and retort for gas control—quality assurance for series production.

Overview: Technology and suitable furnace

Technology	Printer	Process step	Furnace	Key feature
BMF Ceramics PµSL	microArch S140, S230, S150, S350	Debinding	AAF	Oxidizing air flow, 4–5 cycles/min., up to 1100 °C
BMF Keramik PµSL	microArch S140, S230, S150, S350	Sintering (Al₂O₃, ZrO₂)	HTF 18	MoSi₂ heating elements, up to 1800 °C
ARC Impact Metal BJ	InnoventX, X25Pro, X160Pro, Shop System	Sintering (H₂/Ar/N₂)	HTK 8	Metallic insulation, up to 2200 °C, H₂ operation

Buy a Sintering Furnace: AM Pioneers, a Certified Carbolite Gero Partner

AM Pioneers is a certified partner of Carbolite Gero in Germany and Austria and provides manufacturer-agnostic consulting—from printing technology to the right furnace system. Anyone looking to buy a sintering furnace who also uses a 3D printer from BMF or ARC Impact can get both systems from a single source—with coordinated process consulting.

The consulting services include furnace selection based on specific materials and process temperatures, development of process parameters (heating rates, hold times, atmospheres), integration of the furnace into the existing production line, as well as system installation and commissioning.