EQUIPMENT

Heat Treat Radio #122: Lessons Learned from the Nadcap Certification Journey for Multi-Cell Furnaces 

In this Heat Treat Radio episode, Doug Glenn talks with Andrew Chan, sales and applications engineer, ALD Vacuum Technologies North America Inc, Kelly Peters, vice president of operations, and David Dillon, maintenance manager for ALD Thermal Treatment Inc. 

Listen as guests share their experiences navigating the complex requirements, challenges, and organizational changes needed for Nadcap certification. Their journey discovering how multi-cell heat treatment furnaces can come into Nadcap compliance underscores the importance of technology, training, and continuous improvement.

Listeners will learn practical insights into achieving and maintaining Nadcap accreditation for advanced heat treatment processes. 

Below, you can watch the video, listen to the podcast by clicking on the audio play button, or read an edited transcript.


Introduction (01:13)  

Doug Glenn: In preparation for this episode, we discussed the situation that sparked our desire to engage in this conversation, which involved both ALD and some of your customers. We wanted to discuss people not knowing that a multi-cell heat treatment furnace could be Nadcap-certified. Can you tell us a little bit about that? 

Andrew Chan: ALD participates in all the major heat treatment trade shows, including the last two Furnaces North America events, and we noticed a lack of awareness that multi-cell heat treatment furnaces can be Nadcap certified. We found through interactions with visitors at our booth and conversations during the social hours that people really had it engraved in their minds that only single cell heat treatment equipment could be Nadcap certified. 

This was true until about five years ago with the newest revision of AMS2769D. Therefore, the real impetus is just to bring awareness to the industry that you’re now able to certify and use multi-cell heat treatment equipment for aerospace applications. With that, you get volume capacity, which historically has been associated with the automotive industry, both the OEMs and their suppliers, but we can bring that benefit to the aerospace market and lower heat treatment costs. 

Understanding Multi-Cell Furnace Systems (05:15)

Doug Glenn: What are multi-cell heat treatment furnaces, how are they designed, and how do they work? 

Andrew Chan: An example of a multi-cell furnace is our ModulTherm® or our SyncroTherm® furnace. As you can see in this image, these are individual vacuum chambers, which we call a treatment cell, and you can line up about fourteen of these in a row. Each one is dedicated to heat treating a single load.  

ALD’s ModulTherm® system, an example of multi-cell furnaces

The treatment cell has its own insulation, heating elements, process, and gas; all of these are serviced by a single transfer car that you can see down at the end of the rail with the track. Then, our quenching cell is attached to that transfer car. We have this movable transfer car that loads and unloads the parts, and then we quench them immediately after pulling them out of each treatment cell. We can also do oil quenching, but the oil quench would just be a fixed tank — it would not be on this movable transfer car. 

Doug Glenn: Are you talking about a high pressure gas quench? 

Andrew Chan: Yes, this is a high pressure gas quench. Historically it’s been helium, but we can also do nitrogen, since helium costs have started to increase over the last couple decades.  

Doug Glenn: Is that transfer car under vacuum during the transfer? 

Andrew Chan: Yes, everything is done under vacuum. We transfer between the red doors, which are basically like isolation doors. When we pull the load out to quench it, it’s done very quickly, also under vacuum, we quench up to 20 bar. 

Doug Glenn: Is this your ModulTherm model? 

Andrew Chan: Yes, this image is of our ModulTherm. This second image is of our SyncroTherm model, which is like a mini ModulTherm.  

Nadcap certification is possible for multi-cell furnace systems, like the SyncroTherm®

We describe this model like a pizza oven. We have multiple hot zones stacked on top of each other, and the footprint for the hot zone is approximately 500 x 600 millimeters. It is a smaller footprint than the ModulTherm model. Everything is under the same vacuum environment, and then similarly, we have a transfer — a telescopic loader that moves the load between the hot zone and the quench — and then a single quenching chamber, which also functions as the inlet and outlet for the load. 

What is Nadcap Certification? (8:25)

Doug Glenn: What is Nadcap certification? 

Kelly Peters: Nadcap certification is a comprehensive approach to aerospace and specifications. It covers maintenance, pyrometry, heat treater training, quality control, and even contract review. It focuses more on the process, not so much on the product, and it is audited by a third-party organization called PRI (Performance Review Institute).  

PRI will review your processes, supporting data, and entire management system. The accreditation process involves an internal audit completed by the organization with some corrective actions. Then, you can complete your initial audit with PRI.  

You must complete that internal audit first, and then once you go through the initial audit, you’ll be assigned a staff engineer. This person will review the findings from that initial audit, as well as your corrective actions and supporting data.  

If the staff engineer approves, you’ll move on to the next stage, which is actually going in front of an engineering team where they vote on whether you’ll be accredited.  

When it comes to heat treatment specifically for Nadcap, however, the audit really covers all of your AMS specifications, processes, relevant instrumentation, pyrometry, etc. 

Doug Glenn: Is the team of engineers that you mentioned internal or through PRI? 

Kelly Peters: They are through PRI. 

Doug Glenn: Is this certification and audit exclusively for the aerospace industry or is it applied to other industries? 

Kelly Peters: Nadcap is primarily for aerospace and defense. 

Process of ALD’s Nadcap Journey: Challenges and Timeline (10:25) 

Doug Glenn: Once you realized that you could Nadcap certify your equipment that Andrew and his team build, how did your Nadcap process go? Can you tell us how you got started and the timeline? 

Kelly Peters: The process was definitely very intimidating at first. In general, I would say the average time period in the industry is about 18 months of preparation before you find yourself going through the actual PRI audit.  

In our case, it took us about a year. We had a lot to do within that year. There were four months that it was all initial procedure revision. This step involves reviewing maintenance, production, and quality control processes and procedures to ensure they meet Nadcap requirements.  

You also have to go through commercial compliance. Therefore, you want to ensure that you’re meeting those specifications from the commercial side, specifically during contract review and processes.  

The largest portion of preparing was data collection and organizational changes, which took us about six to seven months to accomplish because you have to gather all the data necessary, implement changes, and then make those changes daily to ensure you’re actually in compliance.  

By the time you do your self-audit, you’re already zoning in on those items and initiating corrective actions to prepare for accreditation. About two months later, we scheduled our actual PRI audit and had them on-site. 

Doug Glenn: What do you mean by “organizational changes”?  

Kelly Peters: I’m implying changes to operational organization, for example, your management system.  

Overcoming Doubts and Technical Hurdles (14:28)

Doug Glenn: Dave, I assume you were involved with this process from the beginning.  

Dave Dillon: Yes, I was involved quite a bit. 

Doug Glenn: Were there any major potholes that occurred where you had to change a flat tire after you hit it? 

Dave Dillon: The biggest issue initially was how new the process was to us, which felt overwhelming — we didn’t know what to expect. As such, we had self-doubt. When we overcame that and started getting into the nuts and bolts of the process, the biggest challenge was reviewing our existing requirements from customers and our controlling standards, ensuring they met the Nadcap requirements. If they didn’t, we had to bring them up to that standard. 

Heat Treat Radio Episode #122 Andrew Chan, Kelly Peters, and David Dillon sharing their Nadcap experience

Doug Glenn: What was the most intimidating piece of the process or that stood out as a really difficult step?  

Kelly Peters: From my perspective, this goes right back to what Andrew said at the beginning of our discussion where there was a time when you didn’t believe you could get this accreditation for these ModulTherm systems. Because we were so ingrained in that thought process — that this was going to be such a hard, difficult challenge to get through — that we had to break through the barrier and realize that most of the challenge is in you, not so much in the system. The specifications are out there. Your job is to follow them. Your job is to implement them. It can be done. 

Dave Dillon: The biggest challenge for me was all the pyrometry requirements from AMS2750. We were doing it all on the fly, and we didn’t hire any additional staffing, so it was very challenging at first. Then eventually we determined that we needed to have our own pyrometry technician to make sure the testing was completed within the time allotted. 

Doug Glenn: When we discussed this before, you mentioned that you guys had engaged C3 Data to help you along the process. Can you tell us about that?  

Dave Dillon: Our pyrometry technician is an internal guy, but we started out by doing everything by hand — all of the paperwork, documentation, etc. Someone had recommended C3 Data to us, and after we reviewed their software, we realized it was a perfect process for us. The software allows us to eliminate human error. It gives you automatic checks, and then it provides a digital record for the auditors — great software. 

Doug Glenn: Kelly, what was your experience with C3 Data?  

Kelly Peters: Dave is definitely the one taking care of the groundwork, so I don’t have personal experience with C3 Data. However, I did notice that our internal findings were less driven by human error, as Dave was saying, because we were no longer using manual Excel spreadsheets and so didn’t have the ability to accidentally hit the wrong number. The data became more reliable. 

Doug Glenn: When it finally came time to do the actual PRI audit, how intimidating was that and how did it go? 

Dave Dillon: To be honest, it was terrifying. We were all nervous because it was all so new to us — it seemed very overwhelming. But the auditors, to their credit, are very good, and they help you through it. The most surprising part of the audit was that we were able to get accredited on our initial audit. 

Doug Glenn: I also understand you earned Nadcap merit. Can you tell us what that is? 

Kelly Peters: A unique aspect of the Nadcap accreditation is that once a company meets a certain criteria, that company can enter a merit program, which means you can go up to 24 months between your audits. Currently, Port Huron is at our 18-month mark, and that happened just after our last audit, so we’re very proud of that. 

Lessons Learned and Ongoing Improvements (19:46)

Doug Glenn: What are some lessons learned from this experience? 

“When it comes to lessons learned, ensuring that your new hires and your current staff are continually getting training, which is true with any type of process in manufacturing and business.”
Source: Canva Pro

Kelly Peters: When it comes to lessons learned, ensuring that your new hires and your current staff are continually getting training, which is true with any type of process in manufacturing and business. For pyrometry, we need to make sure we have a contingency. Dave knows it all, but if Dave wins the lottery tomorrow, we need someone to be able to step in and take over that process. Therefore, continual improvement, training, and reinforcing are critical because it’s all about maintaining a system, just like any other system that you have in place. I certainly would say that is not necessarily a challenge, but something to keep an eye on. 

Doug Glenn: Andrew, were you involved with the Nadcap approval process on the equipment side? 

Andrew Chan: I was not involved with the process for their specific equipment at Port Huron. However, from an equipment supplier perspective, it’s been challenging to help people understand that it’s possible to certify this equipment in the first place. 

We’re starting to see more interest in this now. Since we have this long history with our specific design, it doesn’t require many changes to make the equipment Nadcap certified. We have a comprehensive control system that does everything automatically, including data recording and being able to interrogate the data historically. With a couple tweaks to the equipment, like making sure the gas is dry and clean, and adjustments on the pyrometry side, it’s possible to be certification-ready. You just have to find someone that’s willing to take the equipment and go through the process that the equipment at Port Huron went through. 

Uses of Multi-Cell Furnaces (22:34)

Doug Glenn: What would the ideal company profile be that could benefit from knowing about this certification and having this equipment?  

Andrew Chan: This is dependent upon the parts that a company is producing. The ModulTherm is geared more towards larger pieces. The SyncroTherm is more of a competitive product and we have seen it used for aerospace before. The SyncroTherm is probably the right solution for most of our customers looking to get into this process.  

The ModulTherm is for high throughput, component heat treating. The automotive industry was one of the first industries to adopt it. In a way, they are more advanced than the aerospace industry, as they were able to adopt multi-cellular heat treatment into their industry. This is one of innovations that the aerospace industry is catching up on. 

We haven’t quite seen the demand on the ModulTherm side yet, but the SyncroTherm is probably the right furnace — something small that heat treats aerospace components with a small footprint and a very rapid turnaround time. 

Doug Glenn: Well, that’s great guys. Thanks very much. Kelly, Andrew, Dave, thanks for being with us. Hopefully it’s going to be helpful to some of our listeners, so appreciate you being here. 

About the Guests

Andrew Chan
sales and applications engineer
ALD Vacuum Technologies North America Inc

Andrew Chan has a background in Materials Science & Engineering and has been with ALD Vacuum Technologies North America Inc since 2020.  Andrew supports ALD’s vacuum heat treatment customers to specify new equipment builds and heat treatment process troubleshooting.  In addition, Andrew is responsible for EB-PVD technologies and assists with the vacuum metallurgy portfolio. 

Kelly Peters
vice president of operations
ALD Thermal Treatment Inc

Kelly Peters has been with ALD Thermal Treatment Inc since 2007, throughout her career at ALD she has held different job responsibilities primarily within R&D and Quality. Kelly Peters is a Heat Treat Today 40 under 40 Class of 2020 nominee.

David Dillon
maintenance manager
ALD Thermal Treatment Inc.

David Dillon has been with ALD Thermal Treatment Inc since 2006, working on equipment installations and maintenance locally in Port Huon. Dave now not only manages local maintenance activities but assists the parent company in equipment installations and services when needed



Heat Treat Radio #122: Lessons Learned from the Nadcap Certification Journey for Multi-Cell Furnaces  Read More »

The Evolution of Cleaning Technology in Heat Treating: Time To Rethink the Approach

This instructive piece was first released in Heat Treat Today’s April 2025 Induction Heating & Melting print edition.


In heat treating, clean parts are essential for repeatable, high-quality results. Yet cleaning is often seen as a necessary evil rather than a strategic process. That mindset must change. 

For decades, gas carburizing with oil quenching has dominated the industry despite challenges, such as contamination, environmental concerns, and part distortion. These issues have driven growth in alternative processes, such as vacuum carburizing with gas quenching and nitriding, which eliminate post-quench oil contamination. However, not all metallurgical requirements can be met with these newer processes, and gas carburizing with oil quenching remains necessary for many part sizes, geometries, and material types. Furthermore, some alternative processes require more advanced pre-cleaning technology, adding complexity. 

I briefly left heat treating in 1998 — I call it my sabbatical from heat treating — to work in advanced industrial cleaning and automation. When I returned about five years later, I was struck by how far behind the industry was in cleaning technology. While other manufacturing sectors had embraced modern solvent and hybrid cleaning systems, heat treating continued to rely on outdated aqueous washers that struggle to clean oil-contaminated parts effectively. It goes back to the old axiom: oil and water don’t mix. Spraying harder only emulsifies the oil further, making separation and disposal even more difficult, increasing costs, and creating sustainability concerns. 

Paths Forward 

  1. Process shift — Where practical, companies have transitioned from oil quenching to vacuum carburizing with gas quenching, nitriding, and other alternative processes that reduce contamination issues. Of course, such changes are not driven solely by cleanliness — metallurgical requirements and process economics are complex topics. Gas carburizing with salt quenching is an often overlooked alternative, which offers superior heat transfer over gas quenching, reduces distortion, and is environmentally sustainable. Unlike oil quenching, cleaning aft er salt quenching is far simpler, as hot-water washers reclaim over 99% of the salt in a closed-loop system. The old negative mindset about salt, which questions the safety and toxicity of high temperature salt, has restrained process growth in this area. New equipment designs could create interesting, alternative paths with multiple benefits. 
  2. Mindset shift — If oil quenching remains necessary, cleaning processes must improve. Conventional aqueous washers are inefficient, and while modern cleaning systems are effective, they are costly. However, when considering part quality, sustainability, efficiency, and long-term cost savings, these systems provide a strong ROI and should not be dismissed. 
  3. Technology shift — Sustainability in cleaning cannot be ignored. Water-based systems with distillation attempt to recycle but have high energy costs, making solvent-based systems with integrated distillation more practical for higher efficiency and lower hazardous waste output.  
Rugged environments (left) require cleaning systems that modern washers are not often built for. Many new washers are more suited to clean controlled environments like vacuum heat treating (right). (Images from “All About IQ Furnace Systems,” 16)

Challenges with Modern Washer Designs — Thoughts for Manufacturers  

One major barrier to adopting advanced cleaning systems is cost, driven by their design. Many new washers are built for clean, controlled environments like vacuum heat treating but are poorly suited for traditional heat treat shops using oil quenching. Th ese shops have different requirements — floor space constraints, varied load configurations, and harsher conditions — meaning rugged, adaptable, and cost-effective solutions are needed. Function must take priority over aesthetics. 

Washer manufacturers should rethink their designs to better fit conventional operations by focusing on durability, modularity, and cost-conscious engineering. Doing so could lower costs while improving adoption rates and accelerating industry-wide improvements in part cleanliness, quality, and sustainability. 

Conclusion 

Heat treating is changing, and cleaning technology must evolve with it. Whether by adopting better process alternatives, improving cleaning methods, or rethinking equipment design, companies that embrace innovation will reduce waste, improve efficiency, and ensure long-term success with a stronger commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. 

The industry is evolving. It’s time to evolve with it. 

References

About The Author:

William (Bill) Disler
President
WDD Consulting LLC

William (Bill) Disler entered the heat treat industry as a young engineer, quickly establishing himself as a hands-on expert and eventually leading an international heat treat supplier company as CEO/president. He now serves the industry as a strategic advisor and partner to the C-Suite, as an engaged board member, through his consultancy, WDD Consulting, and in roles where he can make a positive impact. 

For more information: Contact Bill Disler at wdisler@wddconsulting.com 



The Evolution of Cleaning Technology in Heat Treating: Time To Rethink the Approach Read More »

Delve into Data and Digitization in the Heat Treat Realm

OC

In preparation for Heat Treat Radio episode #87 (looking at ways to increase productivity especially with data management) coming tomorrow, take a look at these three articles from the Heat Treat Today files to get you warmed up. No matter where you are in the digitization process, you'll find something to help here. 

Taking the step from a paper and whiteboard system to a computerized system is a big jump. Maybe that's been done, maybe that's still being considered. Already digital? Then there are always efficiency and organization improvements to run an even more productive shop. Lastly, what does the future hold? How best to stay on the cutting edge of data management?

Read this original content article for guidance and encouragement in the use of digital systems for the heat treat shop.


1. Heat Treat Control Panel: Best Practices in Digital Data Collection, Storage, Validation

Heat Treat Today asked six heat treat industry experts a controls-related question, "As a heat treat industry control expert, what do you see as some of the best practices when it comes to digital data collection and storage and/or validation of instrumentation precision?" This article gives reasons for why you collect and store data and some helpful ideas for making sure those records are preserved.

Contact us with your Reader Feedback!

One expert had this to say: "electronic data must be validated for precision; checked; and calibrated periodically as defined by internal procedures or customer standards. Data must be protected from alteration, and have specific accuracy and precision."

Read the entire piece to get even more perspectives.

2. Heat Treat Case Study: Predicative Maintenance with Digital Thyristor Power Control

Tony Busch
Sales Application Engineer
Control Concepts

Tony Busch, sales application engineer at Control Concepts, Inc., takes a look at digital maintenance systems. These systems play a part in recording and monitoring data, and they contribute to the overall productivity of the heat treat shop. This article makes a strong case for intelligent controllers.

"Digital power controllers can calculate resistance and provide precise power control. Predictive maintenance is achieved by knowing when an element has reached its useful life. Intelligent power control includes embedded algorithms with teach function to calculate data and predict what is likely to happen next in the life of a heating element," emphasizes Busch.

Find out more about the benefits of digital connectivity here.

3. DUAL PERSPECTIVES: The Heat Treat Shop of 2050

Global ideas emerge in this article, as two men from very different locations, give some thoughts about digitization in the next 20 years or so. Hear from each expert - one representing the European market; one representing the North American market - as they discuss the role of technology, the human element, and heat treating of the future.

Thomas Schneidewind says, "digitization must always remain only a tool, not an end in itself." He reminds readers that importance always must be placed on the human element. Doug Glenn counters with, "For commercial heat treat shops where variability is high and volumes are relatively low, much of the same will be true with less and less human interaction needed."

Explore the rest of the forecast from Thomas Schneidewind, the editor-in-chief of heat processing magazine, and Doug Glenn, the publisher and founder of Heat Treat Today here.


Find heat treating products and services when you search on Heat Treat Buyers Guide.com


 

Delve into Data and Digitization in the Heat Treat Realm Read More »

Solar Manufacturing and Bucks County PA Officials Participate in Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Three generations of the Jones family. This picture taken just moments before the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony shows (l-r) Trevor Jones, CEO of Solar Manufacturing; Trevor’s grandfather, William R. Jones, CEO of the Solar Group of Companies; and Trevor’s father, Roger A. Jones, President of Solar Atmospheres (retired).

William and Myrtle Jones were recently joined by a group of key Solar Manufacturing employees including Roger Jones and Trevor Jones at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the company’s new manufacturing site in Sellersville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Speaking at the ceremony in addition to William Jones was Sellersville Borough mayor Thomas C. Hufnagle, Gorski Construction president Jerry Gorski, Bucks County Industrial Development Authority chairwoman Mary Smithson, and Bucks County Board of Commissioners chairman Robert Loughery. Employees moved into the newly constructed 59,000 square foot facility in early October on land vacated by AMETEK in 2008.

 

 

 

 

 

Gorski Construction president Jerry Gorski; Myrtle Jones; CEO of Solar Group William Jones, Solar Manufacturing CEO Trevor Jones; Sellersville mayor Thomas C. Hufnagle; Solar Manufacturing president Jim Nagy; and retired president of Solar Atmospheres Roger Jones.

"It is important that we invest in our communities,” explained CEO William Jones. “When AMETEK left, they left more than a couple of vacant lots. It’s our goal to grow and support the local economy.”

Jim Nagy, president of Solar Manufacturing, gave the local dignitaries a tour of the facility including a shop floor filling up with equipment being transferred in from the company’s previous manufacturing locations.

The company plans to hold an open house event in the first or second quarter of 2020 once the dust has settled on the new construction and employees have had a chance to acclimate to their new surroundings.

In the video below, Gorski Construction president Jerry Gorski presents a shovel to William Jones, representing the groundbreaking of the new location.

 

 

 

Solar Manufacturing and Bucks County PA Officials Participate in Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Read More »

Ipsen Ships Seven Vacuum Furnaces

Ipsen recently shipped seven furnaces around the globe, which will be used to support the Aerospace, Automotive and Power industries. This selection of shipments included both custom-built furnaces and standard TITAN® furnaces that were sent to customers in Alabama, California, Missouri and Texas, as well as China and Japan.

The equipment shipped ranged from a vertical, bottom-loading MetalMaster® with an 84″ x 84″ (2,134 mm x 2,134 mm) molybdenum hot zone traveling to California to a TITAN® H2 vacuum furnace that was sent to Japan. Other furnaces shipped included horizontal MetalMaster furnaces, H2- and H4-sized furnaces from Ipsen’s TITAN line and a Global Vertical furnace from Ipsen’s TurboTreater® line. Overall, these shipments represent Ipsen’s ability to provide sophisticated and intuitive heat-treating solutions through an all-inclusive product line that supports various applications and processes.

Ipsen Ships Seven Vacuum Furnaces Read More »

Aluminum Immersion Holding Furnace to Large Automotive Die Caster

Aluminum Immersion Holding Furnace to Large Automotive Die Caster

Lindberg/MPH announced the shipment of an electric immersion aluminum holding furnace to a large automotive die caster. The equipment provided includes three electric immersion aluminum holding furnaces used to keep aluminum at die casting temperature.

These aluminum holding furnaces utilize Lindberg/MPH patented board lining and high efficiency immersion tubes/heaters. A manually operated winch crane operates the center cover for cleaning.

Repeat business based on past performance is a testament to the quality and durability of Lindberg/MPH equipment. We work closely with our customers to provide the best possible solution to their application needs and are pleased to be their chosen vendor.”  Andrew Paul, Sales Engineer

Unique features of these aluminum holding furnaces includes:
• Efficient electric immersion heating.
• Excellent temperature control and fast recovery.
• Lindberg/MPH patented board lining.
• Longer lining life.
• Manually operated winch crane cover lift

Aluminum Immersion Holding Furnace to Large Automotive Die Caster Read More »