Japanese IMS-VHT project on the Virtual Heat Treatment tool for monitoring and optimising HT process in relation with the intational cooperative programs is briefly introduced. This project motivates to develop virtual tools for computer to optimize the heat treatment condition and to support decision for HT operation by knowledge based database in addition to process simulation. As one of the activities with the cooperation of the Society of Materials Science, Japan and the Japan Society for Heat Treatment, a benchmark project is undergoing. This includes simulation of carburized quenching process of a cylinder, disc, and ring as well as a helical gear by use of common data of materials properties and cooling characteristics by several available simulation programs. A part of the newly obtained results is presented as an interim report.