A non-linear finite element(FE) model for describing the temperature field of vacuum heat treatment furnace was developed on the basis of considering the effect of nonlinear factors, such as thermal radiation and temperature-dependent properties of material. The temperature field of 400 kW vertical vacuum heat treatment furnace was calculated by finite element software MSC.Marc. The uniformity of furnace temperature was measured. The simulated results agree well with the experimental results. Therefore, thi...