ARGON is an inert gas used in gas quenching, thus it has certain inherent advantages over liquid quenching media. Namely:

1. Gas quenched materials have cleaner surfaces and experience less oxidation [1]
2. Gas quenching allows for less deformities and more uniform cooling [1]
3. Gas quenching is safer [2]
4. Gas quenching poses less risk to the environment (particularly when compared to oil quenching) [2]

There are other gas quenching media, however. One (popular) gas is nitrogen. Nitrogen is more often used because it is cheaper with a faster cooling rate [3].

However, nitrogen can decarburize [3] or nitride [4] sensitive steels, whereas argon does not. Furthermore, when compared directly to nitrogen over a handful of samples, in most cases, argon quenched steel had slightly or significantly better mechanical properties [3].

References

[1] https://www.generon.com/nitrogen-quenching-system/

[2] https://www.lindeus.com/industries/manufacturing-and-materials-processing/gas-quenching-and-inerting

[3] https://www.industrialheating.com/articles/93972-comparing-argon-and-nitrogen-cooling-in-vacuum-furnaces

[4]https://www.boconline.co.uk/en/images/Principles%20of%20Quenching%20and%20Cooling_tcm410-114391.pdf

Bake-out is a process which is meant to remove contaminants from components so that high vacuum can be achieved in treatment, and to prevent impurities. To remove these unwanted compounds, engineers perform bake-outs at various high temperatures (these can range from 120 degrees Celsius up to 400 degrees Celsius).

The volatile compounds (such as vapor from components, or external particulate matter from humans or the environment) are driven off of the component during the period of heating. The volatile particles are then removed by the vacuum pump.

References:

Vacuum Bake Out: Its Importance and Implementation

courtesy of Vacuum Science World

https://www.vacuumscienceworld.com/blog/vacuum-bake-out