MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

Back to Basics Before Heat Treat Boot Camp

OCIt's always a good idea to review the building blocks of the heat treat industry. In preparation for Heat Treat Boot Camp, get back to the basics to be ready for these five topics: Products, Processes, Players, Markets, and Materials. Take a look or listen to any of these 10 resources in this Technical Tuesday original content compilation to be geared up for Heat Treat Boot Camp.

See you in Pittsburgh on October 31st!


Products

Here's a look at one type of product that is used in heat treatment processes: a mesh belt heat treatment system. This article takes a look at advancements in improving fastener quality:

1. "Mesh Belt Heat Treatment System Advancements for Automotive Fastener Production"

Processes

Learn how nitriding and ferritic nitrocarburizing processes differ in this in-depth article. Keep it simple by referring to the easy-to-understand chart within the piece:

2. "Nitriding vs. FNC"

Players

At Heat Treat Boot Camp, the players in the industry will be discussed. Who are the movers and shakers? Here are some resources with a sampling:

3. "3 Aspirational Heat Treat Legends"

4. Heat Treat Radio #32: A Discussion with Jean-François Cloutier, Nitrex CEO

5. Heat Treat Radio #7: Former Bodycote CEO Re-Enters Heat Treat Market

Markets

The aerospace, automotive, energy, and medical markets are constantly evolving and improving. Just to keep the markets fresh in the mind, here is the latest technical item from each:

6. Aerospace. "Vacuum Gas Cooling: Pressure vs. Velocity, Part 1 of 2"

7. Automotive. "Guide To Conducting SATs According to CQI-9 4th Edition"

8. Energy. "Harnessing the Sun: A Heat Treat Case Study with General Atomics"

9. Medical. "Hot Take on HIPing"

Materials

This interview digs in to aluminum and different types of steel. A bit of a history lesson appears here too, as the raw materials are examined:

10. Heat Treat Radio #76: "Lunch & Learn with Heat Treat Today – Mill Processes and Production, Part 1"


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Heat Treat Supplier To Provide Andritz Group With Vertical Vacuum Furnace

HTD Size-PR Logo

Maciej Korecki
Vice President of Business of the Vacuum Furnace Segment
SECO/WARWICK

The Andritz Group, a manufacturer of complete lines for cold-rolled strip production and processing, has ordered a vertical vacuum furnace. The furnace for gas quenching processes will help produce consistent product quality.

SECO/WARWICK Group , a manufacturer with North American  locations, equipped the Vector® furnace with a graphite chamber, gas cooling system, and a rotating hearth. The Andritz Group, with this system, adds to their heat treat capabilities in hydraulic power, pulp, and paper as well as metals processing industries.

This is the first vacuum furnace manufactured in the Tianjin facility of the SECO/WARWICK Group. “We have already worked with the Andritz Group, but this time it is the first contract with our Chinese branch. The Vector furnace is manufactured in our Chinese factory, which significantly shortens the solution’s delivery time to the customer," says Maciej Korecki, vice president of the Vacuum Products Segment at SECO/WARWICK Group.


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Twin Heat Treat Furnaces Delivered to RIDGID® TOOLS

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Nic Willis
Metallurgist/Heat Treat Manager
Emerson Professional Tools
Source: DELTA H

RIDGID® TOOLS received twin furnace systems from a North American supplier. These systems will heat parts from ambient to 975°F, soak for two hours, cool to 120°F, soak two hours, and then repeat. This will increase the production capacity of the company's current operations. 

The furnaces, from DELTA H®, feature a stainless steel interior with low mass ceramic fiber insulation for minimal heat retention, are designed to receive baskets with parts from an Ipsen Titan vacuum furnace, and include a floor guide system to enable precise load placement.

Roseanne Brunello, director of Sales at DELTA H®, has the honor first revealing the company's logo.
Source: DELTA H

"We had a challenge with utilization of our [current] vacuum furnace where a secondary heat treatment might be better accomplished with a convection furnace," explained Nicolas (Nic) Willis, metallurgist/heat treat manager at Emerson Professional Tools, provider of RIDGID® TOOLS. "This would dramatically increase the production capacity of our vacuum furnace and fully [optimize] this process. The extreme and demanding rapid heating and cooling cycles called for a unique convection furnace design."  

"I have known Nic for many years, including the Cleveland Chapter of ASM International where we both served as officers – and was honored to nominate him to the Heat Treat Today's 40 Under 40 Class of 2020," comments Rosanne Brunello, director of sales at DELTA H. "The process here was a challenge, but our CTO, Richard Conway, answered the call with an innovative and unique furnace design."

Main Photo Caption: Nicolas (Nic) Willis, Metallurgist/Heat Treat Manager at RIDGID® TOOLS and Richard Conway, Director/Chief Technology Officer at DELTA H®

 

 


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Heat Treater’s New Switch Saves Production Run Time

HTD Size-PR LogoSolar Atmospheres in Souderton, Pa, has had an automatic disconnect switch installed into a production car bottom vacuum furnace. The switch saves time by eliminating the manual maneuver of disconnecting and then re-connecting the power terminal bars at each end of the car bottom during each production run.

The switch, from Solar Manufacturing, Inc., is rated for 1,000 amps, 50V AC per pole, and the switches are installed at each end of the hot zone. Not only have the disconnect switches performed as well as expected since installation at Solar Atmospheres Souderton, PA, location, but they also have improved production.

Source: Solar Atmospheres


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Robotic Laser Heat Treating Expands at Grand Rapids

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A commercial heat treater in Grand Rapids, MI is expanding its capabilities with robotic laser heat treating systems. This announcement was given with an open house invitation for the manufacturing community to witness this technology in action.

Laser Hard, Inc.'s technology is gaining momentum in automotive, mining, power generation, medical, aerospace and firearms industries, among others. Due to its low heat input and accuracy, companies request this process in place of other conventional methods that introduce a greater risk of cracking and distortion. The robot has built-in pyrometry for consistent heat at the work piece, reducing the risk of melting edges or overheating in an area that may have a thin cross section.

The open house will be on Thursday, October 13th, at 2766 3 Mile Road, Grand Rapids, MI 49534. There will be laser hardening demonstrations every hour from 2pm-6pm. Food and beverages from Pork Fat Slim's food truck will be available.


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This Week in Heat Treat Social Media


Welcome to Heat Treat Today's This Week in Heat Treat Social Media. You know and we know that there is too much content available on the web, so it’s next to impossible to sift through all of the articles and posts that flood our inboxes and notifications on a daily basis. Today, Heat Treat Today brings you another hot take of the latest compelling, inspiring, and entertaining heat treat chatter from the world of social media. We're looking at FNA chatter, some sweet technical (and not so technical) heat treat content, and a video of some hot steps.

If you have content that everyone has to see, please send the link to editor@heattreattoday.com.


1. Gas Nitriding vs. Plasma Nitriding

Typically, we have some sick video of a racecar jumping off a building to shock you into your Friday. This time, since many of us are getting off the hype of being at FNA, listen to this breakdown on the differences between gas nitriding and plasma nitriding.


2. All That Chatter

Check out some of the chatter that everyone has been posting on heat treat topics over the last few months.

Did someone say "Jominy"?

Simmering Springs

"One of these cooling fans is not like the other?!"

Screen Capture from Daniel Dudar via LinkedIn


3.  Bumping Shoulders with Heat Treaters

It's great to connect with other folks in the industry. This past week has been an amazing opportunity to forge new relationships and strengthen old ones at MTI events, the Furnaces North America trade show, and student-professional meet-ups.

MTI Moments

FNA Interactions

FNA Conversations

Peter Sherwin gives the best technical session highlights on his LinkedIn page.

ASM Chapter Professional-Student Mixer


4. The Reading (and Podcast) Corner

Time to take your afternoon coffee and read a few technical articles from around the industry. Got too many things to do? Put on an episode of Heat Treat Radio to enjoy as you commute home; they're so interesting, you may even get your family to start watching these videos instead of TV this weekend!

Stay Safe Out There

Where are you at in your cybersecurity know-how? Mike Harrison from Gasbarre is one of the sharp heat treaters out there who get's it. If you need an introduction into the world of cybersecurity, check out this article written on cybersecurity by Joe Coleman, cybersecurity officer at Bluestreak Consulting™.

Mesh Belts: A Report

Heat Treat Radio #82: Gun Part Treatments, Turning Up the Heat with Steve Kowalski

Heat Treat Radio #82: Gun Part Treatments, Turning Up the Heat with Steve Kowalski. Click to –> Watch | Listen | Learn

 


5. Hot Feet

Have you ever had a moment like this at the end of a long week? Check out these fancy footsteps as you dance from the shop or plant floor into your weekend!

 

Have a great weekend!


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Case Study: Heat Treat Equipment Meets the Future Industry Today

OCModern industry trends and expectations pose new challenges to heat treating equipment; in addition to the expected requirements (e.g., safety, quality, economy, reliability, and efficiency), factors like availability, flexibility, energy efficiency, environmental, and the surrounding carbon neutrality are becoming increasingly important.

Maciej Korecki, vice president of Business Development and R&D at SECO/WARWICK, presents this special Technical Wednesday case study for the last day of FNA 2022 to focus on an equipment solution that meets these modern industry demands: a semi-continuous vacuum furnace for low-pressure carburizing (LPC) and high-pressure gas quenching (HPGQ).


Maciej Korecki
Vice President of Business of the Vacuum Furnace Segment
SECO/WARWICK

Introduction

At least 60 years ago, vacuum furnaces first appeared in the most demanding industries (i.e., space and aerospace), then spread to other industrial branches, and are now widely implemented in both mass production and service plants. Use of vacuum technology does not look like it is slowing down anytime soon.

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The driving forces behind this growth in vacuum technology are two-fold: first, the increasing heat treatment requirements that result from the directions of industrial development and production systems, and second, environmental protection, where the advantages of vacuum technologies are undeniable.

 

Traditional Atmospheric Technology

Case hardening by carburizing is one of the most widely used heat treatment technologies. It consists in carburizing (introducing carbon to the surface) followed by quenching of the carburized layer. Typically, the work is carburized in a mixture of flammable gases (CO, H2), and quenched in oil in an atmosphere furnace, using methods developed in the 1960s.

These methods have a history of development, though the question remains if the technological developments can keep up with the requirements of modern industry. Safety is an issue with this method due to the use of flammable (and poisonous) gases and flammable oil, as well as open flame, which in the absence of complete separation from the air can lead to fire, or poisoning.

In addition, they affect their environment by releasing significant amounts of heat, polluting the surroundings with quenching oil and its vapors. They require the use of washers and cleaning chemicals, emit annually tens or even hundreds of tons of CO2 (greenhouse gas, the main culprit of global warming and dynamic climate change) coming from the carburizing atmosphere, and for these reasons, they need to be installed in dedicated so-called “dirty halls” separated from other production departments.

The resulting requirement to limit the temperature of the processes to 1688-1706 oF (920-930oC) is also not without importance, as it blocks the possibility of accelerating carburization and increasing production efficiency (due to the use of metal alloys in the construction, the service life of which drops dramatically at higher temperatures) and the formation of unfavorable intergranular oxidation (IGO), which is a characteristic feature of the atmospheric carburizing method.

Quenching in oil is effective, but it does not have precise controllable, repeatable, and ecological features that heat treaters may need. Due to the multiphase nature of oil quenching (steam, bubble, and convection phase) and the associated extremely different cooling rates, it is characterized by large and unpredictable deformations within a single part and the entire load. Furthermore, there is no practical method to influence and control the quench process.

Modern Vacuum Technology with LPC and HPGQ

Vacuum carburizing appeared as early as the 1970s, but it could not break through for a long time due to the inability to control and predict the results of the process, and heavy contamination of the furnaces with reaction products.

The breakthrough came in the 1990s, when acetylene began to be used as a carbon-bearing gas and computers were employed to control and simulate the process. Since the beginning of the 21st century, there has been a rapid development of the low pressure carburizing (LPC) technology and an increase in its industrial demand, which continues today with an upturn.

Vacuum carburizing occurs with the aid of hydrocarbons (usually acetylene), which catalytically decompose at the surface, providing carbon that diffuses into the material. The process is carried out under negative pressure (hundreds of times less than atmospheric pressure) and is very precise, efficient, and uniform due to the very high velocity and penetration capacity of the gas molecules, allowing the carburizing of large and densely packed loads and hard-to-reach surfaces such as holes.

In addition, the use of non-oxygen-containing hydrocarbon atoms eliminates the qualitative problem of intergranular oxidation (IGO). The process is completely safe, there is no flammable or poisonous atmosphere in the furnace and no open flame, and the furnace can work unattended and is fully available and flexible, i.e., it can be turned on and off on demand, which does not require any preparation. Similarly, changing the carburizing parameters takes place efficiently.

Due to the design of the vacuum furnace and the use of materials with high resistance to temperature, i.e., graphite — the only limitation for the temperature of the carburizing process is the steel from which the parts are made — it is possible to carburize at higher temperatures than traditional methods allow. The result is a significantly shorter carburizing time and increased furnace efficiency versus what can be achieved in an atmosphere furnace.

Neutral gas cooling was included with the vacuum furnaces. Initially, engineers used a cooling gas (nitrogen or argon) at near ambient pressure and natural convection. Subsequent solutions introduced fan-forced gas flow in a closed circuit. The cooling efficiency under such conditions was hundreds of times lower compared to that of oil, allowing only high-alloy steels and parts with very limited cross-sections to be hardened. Over the following decades, the development of HPGQ was focused on improving cooling efficiency by increasing pressure and velocity and using different types of gas and their mixtures. Current systems have cooling efficiencies on a par with oil-based systems and enable the same types of steel and parts to be hardened, with the advantage that deformation can be greatly reduced and reproducible, and the process is completely controllable (through pressure and gas velocity) allowing any cooling curve to be executed.

Vacuum technologies have an ecological edge. Because of their design and processes, vacuum furnaces do not interfere with the immediate surroundings and are environmentally friendly, so they can be installed in clean halls, directly in the production chain (in-line). They emit negligible amounts of heat and post-process gases which are not poisonous and contain no CO 2 at all. Gas quenching eliminates harmful quenching oil and the associated risk of fire and contamination of the immediate environment, as well as the need for equipment and chemicals for its removal and neutralization. Nitrogen used for cooling is obtained from the air and returned to it in a clean state, creating an ideal environmentally friendly solution.

The presented advantages of vacuum technologies influence its dynamic development and increase the demand of modern industry, and the gradual replacement of atmospheric technologies.

Vacuum furnaces are available in virtually any configuration: horizontal, vertical, single, double, or multi-chambered, tailored to the process and production requirements. In light of recent global changes, requirements, and industrial trends, special attention should be paid to disposable, flexible, and rapidly variable production and process systems, as well as independent and autonomous systems, which include a three-chamber vacuum furnace for semi- continuous heat treatment, equipped with LPC and HPGQ.

Three-Chamber Vacuum Furnace — CaseMaster Evolution Type CMe-T6810-25

This is a compact, versatile, and flexible system designed for vacuum heat treatment processes for in-house and commercial plants, dedicated to fast-changing and demanding conditions in large-scale and individual production (Fig. 1). It enables the implementation of case hardening by LPC and HPGQ processes and quenching of typical types of oil and gas hardened steels and allows for annealing and brazing. It is characterized by the following data:

  • working space 610x750x1000 mm (WxHxL)
  • load capacity 1000 kg gross
  • temperature 2282oF (1250oC)
  • vacuum range 10-2 mbar
  • cooling pressure 25 bar abs
  • LPC acetylene gas
  • Installation area 8x7m

The furnace is built with three thermally and pressure-separated chambers (Fig. 2.), and operates in a pass-through mode, loaded on one side and unloaded on the other, simultaneously processing three loads, hence its high efficiency. The load is put into the pre-heating chamber, where it is pre-heated to the temperature of 1382oF (750oC), depending on the requirements: in air (pre-oxidation), nitrogen or vacuum atmosphere. It is then transferred to the main heating chamber, where it reaches process temperature and where the process is carried out (e.g., LPC).

In the next step, the charge is transported to the quenching chamber, where it is quenched in nitrogen under high pressure. All operations are automatic and synchronized without the need for operator intervention or supervision.

Fig. 2. Construction and schematic furnace cross-section CMe-T6810-25.
Source: SECO/WARWICK

Particularly noteworthy is the gas cooling chamber, which in nitrogen (rather than helium) achieves cooling efficiencies comparable to oil (heat transfer coefficient >> 1000 W/m2K), thanks to the use of 25 bar abs pressure and hurricane gas velocities in a highly efficient closed loop system. The cooling system is based on two side-mounted fans with a capacity of 220 kW each, forcing with nozzles an intensive cooling nitrogen flow from above onto the load, then through the heat exchanger (gas-water), where the nitrogen is cooled and further sucked in by the fan (Fig. 3). The cooling process is controllable, repeatable, and programmable by gas pressure, fan speed and time. An intense and even cooling is achieved. The result is the achievement of appropriate mechanical properties of parts with minimal hardening deformations, without the use of environmentally unfriendly oil or very expensive helium.

Fig. 3. Cross-section of the furnace CMe-T6810-25 cooling chamber.
Source: SECO/WARWICK

An integral part of the furnace system is the SimVaC carburizing process simulator, which enables the design of furnace recipes without conducting proof tests.

Distinctive Features of the CMe-T6810-25 Furnace

The advantages of this type of furnace — versus more traditional or past forms — can be demonstrated in a number of usability and functional aspects, the most important of which are the following:

Safety:

  • Safe, no flammable and poisonous atmosphere
  • No open fire

Production and installation:

  • Intended for high volume production (two to three times higher output when compared to single- and double-chamber furnaces)
  • Effective and efficient LPC (even five times faster than traditional carburizing)
  • Total process automation & integration
  • Clean room installation
  • Operator-free
  • Compact footprint

Quality:

  • High precision and repeatability of results
  • Uniform carburizing of densely pack loads and difficult shapes (holes)
  • No decarburization or oxidation
  • Elimination of IGO
  • Ideal protection and cleanliness of part surfaces
  • Accurate and precise LPC process simulator (SimVaC)

Quenching:

  • Powerful nitrogen quenching (neither oil nor helium is needed)
  • Reduction of distortion
  • Elimination of quenching oil and contamination
  • Elimination of washing and cleaning chemicals

Operational:

  • Flexible, on-demand operation
  • No conditioning time
  • No human involvement and impact
  • High lifespan of hot zone components — i.e., graphite
  • No moving components in the process chamber

Ecology:

  • Safe and environmentally friendly processes and equipment
  • No emission of harmful gases (CO, NOx, SOx)
  • No emission of climate-warming gas CO2

Based on the CMe-T6810-25 furnace performance, it is rational and reasonable to build heat treatment systems for high-efficiency and developmental production in a distributed system by multiplying and integrating further autonomous and independent units. The reasons for doing so are because the furnace design affords:

  • No risk of production total breakdown
  • Unlimited operational flexibility
  • Less initial investment cost
  • Unlimited multiplication
  • No downtime while expansion
  • Independent quenching chamber
  • Independent transportation
  • Independent control system

The characteristics, capabilities and functionalities of the CMe-T6810-25 furnace fit very well with the current and developmental expectations of modern industry and ecological requirements, which is confirmed by specific implementation cases.

Case Study

The three-chamber CaseMaster Evolution CMe-T6810-25 vacuum furnace was installed and implemented for production at the commercial heat treatment plant at the Polish branch of the renowned Aalberts surface technologies Group in 2020.

Fig. 4. Gearwheel used in the case hardening process.
Source: SECO/WARWICK

The CMe furnace, together with the washer and tempering furnace, forms the core of the department's production, which is why the furnace is operated continuously. Last year, the furnace performed over 2000 processes and showed very high quality (100%) and reliability (> 99%) indicators. The very high efficiency of the furnace was also confirmed, which, with relatively low production costs, contributes to a very good economic result.

The case hardening process on gearwheels used in industrial gearboxes was taken as an example. The wheel had an outer diameter of about 80 mm and a mass of 0.52 kg (Fig. 4), and the load consisted of 1344 pieces densely packed in the working space (Fig. 5) with a total net weight of 700 kg (920 kg gross) and 25 m2 surface to be carburized. The aim of the process was to obtain an effective layer thickness from 0.4 – 0.6 mm with the criterion of 550 HV, surface hardness from 58 – 62 HRC (Rockwell Hardness C), core hardness at the gear tooth base above 300 HV10 and the correct structure with retained austenite below 15%.

Fig. 5. A photograph of the arrangement of gearwheels in the load.
Source: SECO/WARWICK

The LPC process was designed using the SimVaC® simulator at a temperature of 1724oF (940oC) and a time of 45 min, with 3 stages of introducing carburizing gas (acetylene), obtaining the appropriate profile of carbon concentration in the carburized layer, with a content of 0.76% C on the surface (Fig. 6).

The process was carried out in the CMe-T6810-25 furnace and had the following course from the perspective of a single load (Fig. 7):

  1. Loading into a pre-heating chamber, heating and temperature equalization in 1382oF (750oC) (100 min in total).
  2. Reloading to the main heating chamber, heating and temperature equalization in 1724oF (940oC), LPC, lowering and equalizing the temperature before quenching in 1580oF (860oC), reloading to the cooling chamber (total 180 min).
  3. Gradual quenching at a pressure of 24, then 12 and 5 bar, discharge of the load from a quenching chamber (total of 25 min).

The load stayed the longest in the main heating chamber – for 180 minutes. This means that with the continuous operation of the furnace in this process, the cycle will be just 180 minutes, i.e., once every three hours the raw load will be loaded, and the processed load will be removed from the furnace.

In the next step, the parts underwent tempering at a temperature of 160oC.

The result of the process was tested on ten parts taken from the reference corners and from the inside of the load. The correct layer structure (Fig. 8) and hardness profile (Fig. 9) were achieved, and all the requirements of the technical specification were met (Tab. 1).

Tab. 1. Comparison of the parameters required and obtained in the process.
Source: SECO/WARWICK

During the process, the consumption of the costliest energy factors was monitored and calculated, and the results per one load are as follows:

  • Electricity – 550 kWh
  • Liquid nitrogen – 160 kg
  • Acetylene – 1.5 kg
  • CO2 emissions – 0 kg

Cooling water and compressed air consumption have not been included as they have a negligible impact on process costs.

Summary: Efficiency and Economy

As a result of the process, all technological requirements have been met, obtaining the following indicators of efficiency and consumption of energy factors calculated for the entire load and per unit net weight of the load (700 kg):

  • Capacity: 3h/load; 233 kg/h; 5 thousand tons/year (6500 h)
  • Electricity: 550 kWh; 0.79 kWh/kg
  • Liquid nitrogen: 160 kg; 0,23 kg/kg
  • Acetylene: 1,5 kg; 2,1 g/kg
  • CO2 emissions : 0 kg; 0 kg/kg

On this basis, it is possible to estimate the total cost of energy factors in the amount of approximately EUR 100 per load or approximately EUR 0.14/kg of net load (assuming European unit costs of 2021). It is important that these costs are not burdened by CO2 emission penalties, as can happen with more traditional furnaces.

To sum up the economic aspect, based on an example process, a CMe furnace capacity of 1,500 net tons of parts per year was achieved for 6500 hours of annual furnace operation, at a cost of energy factors of about 100 EUR per load, or 0.14 EUR per kg of parts. The economic calculation is very attractive, and the return on investment (ROI) is estimated at just a few years.

Conclusion

While the advantages of this type of vacuum application are clear from this case study, the example discussed here does not represent the full capabilities of the CMe-T6810-25 furnace, even this process can be optimized and shortened, thereby increasing the furnace's efficiency, and reducing costs. It is possible to carry out carburizing processes (LPC) or hardening alone in a 1.5 h cycle, which would double the capacity of the furnace and similarly reduce the cost of energy factors and shorten the ROI time.

 

For more information:

Go to www.secowarwick.com


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Bundle Up for Fall with 4 Vacuum Heat Treat Articles

OCGetting excited for the November print edition? In 2021, Heat Treat Today released the inaugural Vacuum Heat Treating print edition. This edition is set to release every November to help heat treaters better work their vacuum furnaces and vacuum heat treat processes. 

This Technical Tuesday original content round-up shares the hottest vacuum heat treating articles from this past year as you bundle up for the cool weather this fall. Enjoy!


Graphite in Vacuum Furnace Fixturing

The Use of Graphite for Vacuum Furnace Fixturing

Let's talk about carbon/carbon composite --- C/C.

Why is the vacuum furnace industry excited about its use in graphite vacuum furnace fixtures, grids, and leveling components? Because it can be readily machined for special shapes and applications. The lighter-weight material is mostly composed of carbon fibers and a carbon matrix (or binder).

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As the authors of this article explain, "They are among the strongest and lightest high temperature engineered materials in the world compared to other materials such as basic graphite, ceramics, metal, or plastic. C/C composites are lightweight, strong, and can withstand temperatures of over 3632°F (2000°C) without any loss in performance." Intrigued, are you not?

Read the article by Solar Atmosphere's Roger Jones and Real J. Fradette, "The Use of Graphite for Vacuum Furnace Fixturing."

 

Step-by-Step Guide To Choose Heat Treating Equipment (English / Español)

If it's time to choose an industrial furnace, let's break it down step by step:

Step One: Quote Request

Step Two: Supplier Selection

Step Three: Study and Evaluation of Offers

Step Four: The Price

Follow this guide and avoid saying things like "The substation and/or the cooling tower did not have the capacity"; "The equipment is not what we expected"; or “They never told us that the furnace needed gas in those capabilities." If there are steps you take when selecting an industrial furnace, let us know in a Reader Feedback note here.

Read the article by Carrasco Hornos Industriales' Carlos Carrasco, "A Guide to Selecting Heat Treating Equipment" or "Guía para la Selección de Equipos para Tratamiento Térmico."

 

Pressure vs. Velocity and the Size of Your Furnace

Vacuum Gas Cooling: Pressure vs. Velocity, Part 1 of 2

If you like the R&D world of heat treat, but also like to be grounded in practical heat treat solutions, this is the article for you. Read about what this commercial heat treat found out about how size relates to the pressure and velocity of vacuum furnace cooling rates. Here are the facts you will learn:

  1. The greatest impact on the cooling performance in a vacuum furnace is to increase the___ ______ within ___ _____.
  2. This is achieved by ______ __ ______ of the ______ ____.

Read the article by Solar Atmosphere's Robert Hill and Gregory Scheuring, "Vacuum Gas Cooling: Pressure vs. Velocity, Part 1 of 2."

 

Energy at Large: A Heat Treat Vacuum Furnace Case Study

Harnessing the Sun: A Heat Treat Case Study with General AtomicsIf you like to read about how heat treaters can be game changers in multinational science projects, this is the article for you. A specially designed vacuum heat treat furnace was commissioned to heat treat critical components in a large energy generator. The heat treating of these components takes 5 weeks to complete; talk about a long, uniform heat treat period.

Read about the energy experiment, the heat treat furnace, and the heat treating process in this technical feature.

Read the article by SECO/VACUUM's Rafal Walczak, "Harnessing the Sun: A Heat Treat Case Study with General Atomics."


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Fringe Friday: GreenIron Furnaces To Recycle Oxidized Metals

HTD Size-PR Logo

Sometimes our editors find items that are not exactly "heat treat" but do deal with interesting developments in one of our key markets: aerospace, automotive, medical, energy, or general manufacturing. To celebrate getting to the “fringe” of the weekend, Heat Treat Today presents today’s Heat Treat Fringe Friday press release: an agreement between GreenIron and SECO/WARWICK for a reduction furnace line will allow for the recycling of oxidized metals without emissions.


Swedish company GreenIron H2 AB has signed an agreement with the SECO/WARWICK Group, a global manufacturer of metal treatment equipment, for the delivery of a series of furnaces for fossil-free metal production including ore, residuals, and waste recycling.

Edward Murray
CEO
GreenIron
Source: LinkedIn

"We feel that our partnership is a great foundation for rapid growth and a positive impact on emissions and climate change," commented Edward Murray, CEO of GreenIron. "GreenIron has high ambitions in regard to CO₂ reduction, starting with the first furnace, delivered by SECO/WARWICK, and the subsequent first shipment of commercial fossil-free iron in 2023."

The furnaces ordered by GreenIron will be used to recycle oxidized metals without emissions. They will therefore directly contribute to CO₂ emission reduction as each furnace has the capacity to reduce emissions by 56.000 metric tons/yr. The technology will help many enterprises implement "green" solutions and function in harmony with the natural environment.

Sławomir Woźniak, SECO/WARWICK Branded
Sławomir Woźniak
CEO
SECO/WARWICK
Source: secowarwick.com

The metals are extracted from ore or recycled without the release of fossil gases. Iron oxide (magnetite, hematite, wustite) is converted to pure iron by the hydrogen reduction process. In traditional technology, this process takes place in coke furnaces, which results in CO₂ emissions. In the GreenIron furnaces, CO₂ emissions are zero.

“It is also an opportunity for SECO/WARWICK, because together with GreenIron we are creating a production line of completely new furnaces. For the first time, we are working closely with an external partner with technology that comes from outside of our organization,” adds Sławomir Woźniak, CEO of SECO/WARWICK Group.

Reduction furnaces will be available to companies throughout the entire lifespan of iron and other metals – including mining, steelmaking, milling stations, foundries, metal workshops and heavy ashes from incinerators.


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Fringe Friday: GreenIron Furnaces To Recycle Oxidized Metals Read More »

IHEA’s Combustion Seminar: New Knowledge for New Improvements

op-edWith no new knowledge, no new improvements can be made. In the North American heat treating industry, new knowledge is constantly available, whether that be a new technology emerging, a new focus or agenda, or a wave of new people bringing a fresh perspective. The Industrial Heating Equipment Association’s Combustion Seminar wants to welcome these newcomers, both the new technologies and the new faces.

Read all about it in the Combustion Corner installment by Anne Goyer, executive director of the Industrial Heating Equipment Association, in Heat Treat Today's September Trade Show print edition.


Anne Goyer
Executive Director
Industrial Heating & Equipment Association
Source: IHEA

Held alongside IHEA’s Safety Standards and Controls Seminar at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis, the Industrial Heating Equipment Association’s Combustion Seminar will take place on Monday, October 3rd and Tuesday, October 4th. The Combustion Seminar is the longest-running annual heat treating training seminar in the industry. Year after year, IHEA’s Combustion Seminars receive high evaluation ratings from attendees, giving each engineer, manager, technician, and sales representative something he can implement at his individual facility. The Combustion Seminar is a place for heat treaters to learn anything and everything, making it the ideal space to improve manufacturing processes through implementing new information.

This year’s seminar, the 53rd consecutive Combustion Seminar, boasts a new technical session, one that is at the front of everyone’s mind. In the line up this year is a session on hydrogen combustion and decarbonization, an appropriate topic for current times when environmental and safety concerns are particularly important. Hydrogen combustion and decarbonization are beginning to play key roles in manufacturing, and given the uptake in interest, every heat treater is trying to learn how to face the challenges and benefits of these trending topics. How much of the coverage of decarbonization and hydrogen combustion is hype, and how much is legitimate? How many of the big promises these technologies make can be fulfilled? To combat the myth and uncertainty on the subject, the IHEA Combustion Seminar will provide accurate and valuable information for seminar attendees on these important and burgeoning topics.

Heat Treat Today lanyards for
show attendees
Source: IHEA

IHEA’s two-day seminars are for engineers, project managers, sales staff , customer service representatives, maintenance managers, combustion technicians . . . if the job has anything to do with combustion, these seminars will be valuable. New people, both young and not so young, are continuously entering the heat treating industry. These novices need to be trained in combustion basics, but veteran heat treaters also need to learn about new and changing technologies.

With mingling opportunities at lunch and break periods each day, the IHEA Combustion Seminar comes with built-in networking times. Since the seminars also include complimentary registration to Furnaces North America, attendees can continue networking on the FNA show floor. The 17 seminars will include topics such a System Troubleshooting, Combustion Systems & the Environment, and the Problem-Solving Workshop. These 17 sessions will make for a well-rounded perspective on combustion systems.

Pulling together new knowledge, new technology, and new connections for new improvements in the manufacturing process — that is what IHEA’s Combustion Seminar is all about.

For more information on IHEA’s Combustion Seminar, as well as for a complete description of all technical sessions, please visit ihea.org/events.


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IHEA’s Combustion Seminar: New Knowledge for New Improvements Read More »