FIuidtherm offers fluidised bed furnaces used for a variety of cold work [D2, D3, HCHCR], hot work [H11, H13, HDS], OHNS, EN 31 and case-hardened tools. These are proven as alternative to salt bath and vacuum furnaces. Specific advantages are a decarbiscale-free surface, a high degree of hardness consistency, a non-polluting clean environment and low capital and maintenance costs. These plants can be switched on and off at will without need for idling. A special feature is that a hardening plant can also perform case-hardening [nitriding/nitrocarburising] thereby avoiding the need for an additional plant. The high degree of temperature uniformity [?3?C], uniform conductive heating of all surfaces simultaneously, and buoyancy reduces distortion significantly. The energy efficiency qualifies these plants for 100% depreciation.