> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://dante-solutions-inc.gitbook.io/dante-6.3-help-documentation/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://dante-solutions-inc.gitbook.io/dante-6.3-help-documentation/introduction-1/process-database.md).

# Process Database

The ability to describe a process in terms of heat transfer coefficients (HTC) and ambient temperatures is paramount to the accuracy of any heat treatment simulation. Ideally, each system used in the processing of steel components should be thermally characterized. This usually entails fitting a simple coupon with thermocouples, recording the time-temperature history of the process, and determining the HTC and ambient temperature by fitting the data to a model. Generally, all quenching processes involving a liquid require an HTC as a function of part surface temperature to properly describe the three stages present during liquid quenching: vapor blanket, nucleate boiling, and convection. Spray quenching is an exception, since the velocity of liquid is generally high enough to not allow a vapor blanket to be established, and is assumed to be a forced convection constant. All quenching processes involving a gas usually define the ambient temperature as a function of time, with a constant HTC, due to the fluctuation in gas temperature as a result of the hot part.

This section includes information on the [Process Data](/dante-6.3-help-documentation/introduction-1/process-database/process-data.md) supplied by DANTE Solutions as generic HTC data to be used for DANTE simulations when no other data is available. DANTE Solutions strongly encourages the thermal characterization of all heat treat equipment.