As we wrap up 2025, our hearts are full. This year brought meaningful growth across the heat treat community — from stronger in-house innovation to new digital tools, expanded training resources, and stories that reminded us why this industry matters. We’re grateful for every reader, partner, and friend who walked with us through another year of learning and connection.
During this season of hope, we celebrate the joy and peace that Christ brings. May that light fill your homes, your work, and your days ahead.
Our offices will be closed for the Christmas holiday, but we look forward to returning in the new year with more news, insights, and encouragement for heat treaters everywhere.
Wishing you a blessed and Merry Christmas, The Heat TreatToday Team
For housekeeping purposes: our offices will be closed from December 22, 2025 to January 2, 2026. Happy holidays!
Heat Treat Todayis pleased to welcome this regular column spot, Answers in the Atmosphere, to David (Dave) Wolff, an independent expert focusing on industrial atmospheres for heat treat applications. This column explores various atmospheres with Dave and different industry specialists.
This informative piece on the critical role of atmosphere control in metal thermal processing was first released inHeat Treat Today’sOctober 2025 Ferrous & NonFerrous Heat Treatments/Mill Processing print edition.
Thermal processing of metals is critical to successful production of fabricated metal parts and assembled systems. Characteristics of parts and devices, including blades, springs, wire and cable, medical implants, and electric motors, all depend on successful thermal processing to produce metallic components with specific properties to meet the requirements of the part, assembly, or device. What is sometimes overlooked, however, is that atmosphere is as critical as the heat itself. The wrong furnace atmosphere can undo the best processing recipe, while the right one ensures that parts achieve their intended properties consistently.
Tune into the news, and you will find stories about metal parts incorrectly handled during thermal processing: gears that degrade to powder, camshafts that were too soft, electric switches that fail, materials with the wrong magnetic properties, knives that cannot hold an edge, and so on. These are all problems that occur too frequently and are expensive to resolve, because metal parts are often components in a more complex and expensive assembly. (Imagine the responsibility of parts-making for military jet engines or body-implanted parts. You do not want to be the shop supplying inadequate parts!) It is imperative that heat treating and sintering processes are completed correctly the first time.
Metals thermal processing requires more than just heat. As indicated above, atmosphere is essential to the heat treating process, coming alongside temperature, time, and a specific sequence of operations in a recipe that will ensure the material yields the desired performance. Much like baking bread, thermal processing of metals requires equipment, materials, conditions, and recipes. The furnace is the main equipment (other operations may be performed in a less expensive thermal processing oven). Then there are the materials — the parts being heat treated — which may be bulk metals, alloys, or compacted powder parts with unique blends and surface morphology. The conditions of time, temperature, atmospheres, and perhaps a quenching step come together in a specified recipe. Properly done, heat treating and sintering operations will yield parts that meet the hardness, toughness, appearance, surface finish, shape, dimensions, and other specialized and specified properties.
Since cost is an important driver, metals thermal processors strive to produce compliant parts in as few steps as possible. Innovations can assist in making it possible to consolidate steps, too. But mistakes in thermal processing may result in defective parts or require expensive rework or even additional (secondary) operations to correct deficiencies.
Each issue, this column will focus on the atmospheres component of heat treating. You’ll read interviews with industry experts focused on the atmospheres used in thermal processing — from relatively inert atmospheres, such as vacuum, nitrogen, and argon, to chemically active atmospheres used for annealing, hardening, and sintering. We will assist thermal processors by explaining how various atmospheres work, what the key properties are that determine successful results, how to buy and utilize the atmospheres, and precautions and alternatives for that atmosphere.
My hope is that this column will help Heat TreatToday readers become better buyers and users of atmospheres, so that you can run a smoother, more reliable, and more profitable operation.
About The Author:
David (Dave) Wolff Independent expert focusing on industrial atmospheres for heat treat applications
Dave Wolff has over 40 years of project engineering, industrial gas generation and application engineering, marketing, and sales experience. Dave holds a degree in engineering science from Dartmouth College. Currently, he consults in the areas of industrial gas and chemical new product development and commercial introduction, as well as market development and selling practices.
Jim Roberts of U.S. Ignition entertains readers in a Combustion Corner editorial about how the industrial gas industry evolved from its humble beginnings in the early 1900s into a precision-driven force that transformed combustion technology and modern manufacturing.
This editorial was first released inHeat Treat Today’sNovember 2025 Annual Vacuum Heat Treating print edition.
Let’s think about how young the industrial gas industry really is.
A Short Pipeline in Time
The first real industrial usage was way back in the 1800s somewhere. But there was no infrastructure, no supply other than bottled gas for industrial applications. The gas industry, as far as we recognize it, did not really take off until somewhere around the early 1920s when the first welded pipeline was installed. Then, as usage increased, it became apparent that safety was going to be a concern. The addition of mercaptan (rotten egg smell) was not until the late 1930s.
With the growth of commercial and residential usage, the demand for gaseous fuels grew by 50 times the original market size anticipated between 1910 and 1970! What does that demand look like? Today there are over 3 million miles of gas distribution lines connected to 300,000 miles of big transmission pipelines in the U.S. alone. All that growth in a span of 100 years, essentially. That means the transmission pipeline system in the U.S. could stretch around the planet 12 times!
USS coke gas pipeline in the foreground with the Conrail Port Perry Bridge spanning the Monongahela River, Port Perry, Allegheny County, PA (Lowe, 1994) Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Most of that construction occurred during the post-war 1940s to 1960s timeline. That’s one busy industry! And it dragged all the thermally based markets and industries along with it. Now, we have come to accept the availability of natural gas as so commonplace that we cannot imagine life without it.
Responding with Precision
So, now you ask yourselves, “Why this history lesson, Jim?” Well, because we are supposed to be learning about combustion and the era of major combustion advancements — and if I would quit veering off into side topics we might actually get there. But it is all interconnected.
If you recall the story of the heat treater with the bedpost burners (October 2025 edition), he had no inspiration to improve efficiency or performance because those darn bedposts would burn gas just fine. So, what changed? Firstly, the world had been through a couple of military conflicts during this rise of the gas industry. And sadly, sometimes the best technological advances occur in times of conflict; engineering becomes more precise. All of a sudden, instead of hammering out horseshoes for the cavalry, we were heat treating gun barrels and crankshafts for airplanes. We needed to be more than precise — actually, we had to be perfect. So, we stepped away from the old heat treatment ways and developed systems that we could control to within a couple of degrees.
As a result, burners became specialized. Each process became unique and precise. Instead of pack carburizing components, a company called Surface Combustion developed a piece of equipment called an Endothermic generator. This device made carbon-based atmosphere out of natural gas or propane- and nickel-based catalysts. All of a sudden, we could do very precise non-scale covered heat treating. And the burners from companies like North American Combustion, Eclipse Combustion, Maxon, Hauck, Pyronics, Selas, W.B. Combustion, and on and on, all scrambled to develop the specific types of burners that the heat treaters and iron and steel makers needed.
Another important milestone hit around 1963: the Government got involved (gasp!). The Clean Air Act of 1963 essentially said we needed to burn our fuels cleanly and not spit smoke into the air. Those laws got reviewed again in 1970, 1977, and again in the updated Clean Air Act of 1990 with some of the biggest revisions.
With all of these changes, we had several drivers for innovation in the combustion world. Again, precision became a must. Heat treating became a very standards-driven industry. Metallurgists roamed the planet inventing both new materials and the processes to achieve them. Gas companies themselves became huge drivers of innovation and developed think tanks, like the GRI (Gas Research Institute), where people learned and laboratories hummed with development projects investigated in conjunction with burner and furnace companies. Academia became involved with industry in the form of organizations like The Center for Heat Treating Excellence (CHTE) and the Metal Treating Institute (MTI). Suddenly, the industry was more than just blacksmiths.
We’ll talk about how burner companies became design specialists and system efficiency experts and what that meant to various burner styles in next month’s offering.
References
Lowe, Jet. 1994. Panorama of Industry (Conrail Port Perry Bridge, Spanning Monongahela River, Port Perry, Allegheny County, PA). Historic American Engineering Record, HAER PA,2-POPER,1-2. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
About The Author:
Jim Roberts President US Ignition
Jim Roberts president at U.S. Ignition, began his 45-year career in the burner and heat recovery industry focused on heat treating specifically in 1979. He worked for and helped start up WB Combustion in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. In 1985 he joined Eclipse Engineering in Rockford, IL, specializing in heat treating-related combustion equipment/burners. Inducted into the American Gas Association’s Hall of Flame for service in training gas company field managers, Jim is a former president of MTI and has contributed to countless seminars on fuel reduction and combustion-related practices.
For more information: Contact Jim Roberts at jim@usignition.com.
In this Technical Tuesday installment, Jim Roberts of U.S. Ignition entertains readers in a Combustion Corner editorial about how fuel sources became more affordable over time and aspects of combustion burner design. Stick around for his side story on the “innovative” use of bedposts.
This editorial was first released inHeat Treat Today’sOctober 2025 Ferrous/Nonferrous print edition.
A furnace guy walks into a heat treat facility and sees burners everywhere. Furnace guy says to the faces in the room, “Why did you pick those types of burners?” Thinking this is a trick question, the heat treaters respond, cautiously, “To make things hot?” Of course, they are correct, because making fire and heat is the name of the game, right?
But as we have considered burner styles, designs, flame shapes, and air delivery types with our last couple of Combustion Corner columns, I suspect there was a good deal more analysis given to the selection of burners.
To appreciate the history of burner design, “furnace guy” should realize why burners evolved in the first place: fuel source. When the first burners were starting to be used on box furnaces, they used oil, kerosene, and fuel that had to be pumped. Over the years, many different fuels have been used. Yet, we have a tendency to think of gaseous fuels as the only option for burner performance.
Bedpost Burners
I recall the first time I got called into a facility to try and improve the performance of the furnaces (yep, I truly am a furnace/burner guy). It was a big box furnace that could handle 3-ton quench and temper loads. At that point, I was unaware of the multiple types of burners that were out in the market.
The owner of the shop opened the furnace door for me to see the combustion system. I stared. Sticking into the walls of this big box furnace were bedposts. These “burners” were purchased at 50¢ a post from some hotel auction, and they had about 50 spare posts to boot.
Grinder slots had been cut into the top of these posts. Refractory had been mudded into the mounting blocks to protect the fuel feed, which was being forced, or should I say blown, in through the bed posts and atomized by the pressure of being squeezed through these slots in the knob at the top of the posts!
The fuel? Diesel fuel. Regular, old, out-of-the-pump diesel fuel. Or kerosene, for that matter. I was told the system could also use fire pulverized coal, sucked into the bedpost by pitot feeds of compressed air. They lit the burners with burning oily rags tossed into the chamber and quickly opened the valves controlling the fuel.
I was there to sell new modern high-efficiency gas burners.
I declared that this was antiquated, unsafe, archaic, dirty, and said about a thousand other denigrating comments.
The owner of this heat treat said, “Yep, it’s all those things, and more!” He continued, “It’s also reliable, simple, and predictable.” He mused, “I suppose that that thing hasn’t really broken down or shut off in the 25 years since we built it!”
I’m a fairly quick study and surmised that I was not going to make this sale. Duh! This furnace had everything they needed. And the gas system I was going to propose was going to be expensive.
A Burgeoning Gas Industry and Our Next Column
That furnace was still running when I made a move to another city some 10 or so years later.
Eventually, the gas industry that cropped up made fuel cheap…and I mean cheap. I thought, “I bet that guy and his accursed bedpost burners will talk to me now!” So, I went back, and that fella said, “Yeah, we got out of the business that used that old process and moved on. We’d be glad to talk about modernization.” And we did.
That same outfit that operated bedposts for burners for 50 years became a vanguard for modern efficiency and process improvement.
Natural gas as a fuel source is quite modern. Nowadays, that is essentially the truth: natural gas and sometimes other gaseous equivalents tend to be the most widely used fuels in the industrial world.
When looking at the rapid developments of burner configurations and why they developed, it is best first to understand some of the history of these developments. See you in the next installment to talk about the history of the industrial gas industry.
About The Author:
Jim Roberts President US Ignition
Jim Roberts president at U.S. Ignition, began his 45-year career in the burner and heat recovery industry focused on heat treating specifically in 1979. He worked for and helped start up WB Combustion in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. In 1985 he joined Eclipse Engineering in Rockford, IL, specializing in heat treating-related combustion equipment/burners. Inducted into the American Gas Association’s Hall of Flame for service in training gas company field managers, Jim is a former president of MTI and has contributed to countless seminars on fuel reduction and combustion-related practices.
For more information: Contact Jim Roberts at jim@usignition.com.
Get your kicks out of today’s edition of Heat Treat Humor, featuring jokes from Publisher Doug Glenn, Heat Treat Todayeditors, and contributions from around the industry.
If you have a heat treatment joke to share please forward it along for the humor enthusiasts here at Heat Treat Todayby emailing editor@heattreattoday.com. It may just end up being featured!
1. Why did the steel need therapy after quenching? It had too much unresolved stress.
Which happens to any of us when we’re not treated right.
2. Why don’t metals gossip during annealing? They’re too busy relaxing.
Cue the shamisen music.
3. What did the furnace say to the cold titanium? You need to warm up to change.
The titanium felt it’d be hardened by the experience.
4. Why did the aluminum fail its heat treatment exam? It lost its temper under pressure.
Don’t be like aluminum.
5. What’s a heat treater’s favorite genre of music? Heavy metal.
And their favorite band? Metallica.
6. Heat treatment impacts almost every faucet of our lives.
It’s far reaching.
7. Why did Heat Treat Joe burn out in his job? He didn’t take enough time for stress-relief.
A mistake any of us can make.
8. Why did the metal fail its quenching process? Because it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.
We and metal have that in common.
9. What kind of worship does a heat treater like? Metalliturgical.
Honey for lovers of the refiner’s fire.
10. Why did the knife adjust so easily to marriage? It had tempered expectations.
In this Technical Tuesday installment of Combustion Corner, Jim Roberts, president of U.S. Ignition, examines various burner nozzle shapes, sizes, and effects.Use this helpful resource to evaluate whether your own in-house heat treat burners are the right choice for your applications.
This informative piece was first released inHeat Treat Today’sSeptember 2025 Annual People of Heat Treat print edition.
A furnace guy walks into a bar and shouts “Straighten UP!” The other furnace guys turn to furnace guy #1: “It won’t work!” Just like last month. Let’s continue this topic.
What would you say if I asked you, “What does fire look like?” How would you describe fire to me — color, size, smell, temperature? It’s kind of a weird thing to try and do.
Figure 1. Fives Group’s North American Tempest
Last month, we ended by talking about how “air staged” burner design can make the flame exit the nozzle at a whopping 270 mph. There’s a reason that trade names for some of these burners are “Therm-Jet” and “Tempest” and “Hot Shot.” In these instances, velocity and turbulence are the game. The flame appearance is almost always a pinpoint tip, not dissimilar to what we have all seen spitting out of the tail of a fighter jet aircraft.
And, as an interesting aside, these high-velocity industrial burners can be victims of the same phenomena as a jet engine: flameouts. A tremendous amount of design time and testing has been dedicated to keeping the flame “retained” on the nozzle. If the flame lifts off the nozzle, cup, etc., it risks being blown out by the high-velocity stream of gases being produced in the guts of the burner. At these speeds, you cannot count on the burner backlighting, so a flame failure is imminent.
More Burner Types
The other types of nozzle-mixing burners are flat flame burners. These are sometimes called wall huggers or radiant wall burners. In these designs the idea is to have as little forward momentum to the flame as possible and to run the burners in a fuel-rich or highly luminous state. The design features are such that the whole wall of the furnace will be glowing radiantly and using radiation from the glowing walls to heat the product.
There are also infrared burners, where the burners are like a porous foam or screen grid and flame just glows on these surfaces. Again, the intent is radiant heat as opposed to velocity gases. These are very prevalent continuous production processes where radiant, consistent heat is required.
There are also radiant tube burners, where the flames are fired through an alloy or ceramic tube, and the flame is isolated from the process completely. The idea here is that the tube does not allow the products of combustion to make contact with the parts. Also, in most radiant tube furnaces, some sort of process atmospheres — comprised of a variety of gases to protect the products in the furnace from oxidation or to impart a metallurgic property to those parts — have been introduced to the chamber and the process.
As such, burner design engineers have to figure out how to give a very uniform heat delivery to the tube they are firing into. Many times, a burner will need to mix the air and gas very slowly (compared to direct fired furnace burners) to ensure the flame releases its radiation at a very uniform rate, so as to not distort the radiant tube itself. And the users of these variety of burners range from flame hardening to direct fired to indirect fired atmosphere processes and many more.
Figure 2. Fighter jet aircraft
We will continue this discussion point in subsequent columns because understanding these burners is critical to using them correctly. As for the original idea that flame shapes can affect all sorts of process performance, we will revisit this topic and others, because it’s all important. Different flame shapes can significantly impact combustion performance by influencing factors like flame speed, stability, heat release, and certainly one of the big design goals now, emissions reductions. We’ll tackle these topics in future columns.
Until then, I would suggest that you take a walk into the plant and check out the variety of burners that you may have. Let’s endeavor to find more about them and consider, “What would make this burner the right choice for this application?” Then, discover what you can learn about them and their history. We will tie that all together when we discuss the next installment.
Jim Roberts President US Ignition Contact Jim Roberts at jim@usignition.com
Heat treatment is a hands-on science and it can be easy to forget about continuing education. In today’s edition of Combustion Corner, Jim Roberts, president of U.S. Ignition, encourages readers to continue cultivating their own heat treat learning and offers specific and practical educational resources to do just that.
This informative piece was first released in Heat TreatToday’sJune 2025 Buyers Guide print edition.
So, a furnace guy walks into a heat treating facility and says, “What’s that?”
The Flame and Man
Since the invention of fire, we as upright, walking, opposing-thumb-equipped critters have been learning to control it. We have learned at the elemental level that we can change the properties of just about anything on the planet simply by exposing that item or material to the flames. Certainly, we hold fire as one of our most fascinating benefits of our existence.
Yet, in the grand scheme of things, we are just now really learning to control at levels that our Neanderthal cousins would never have conceived, and they didn’t! Conceive the possibilities, that is. I mean, for the first 400,000 years of our human existence, (that’s a mindblower, isn’t it?), fire had four basic purposes: warmth, light to see in the dark, protection from predators/enemies, and to cook our food. Later, we discovered that by heating up the tip of certain sticks, you could make the stick useful over a longer time. It didn’t wear out as fast. And from there we figured out ways to change other materials at our behest by using the flame. Weapons and tools followed.
In the bigger picture, we only have figured out the really cool uses in the last 5,000 years — and the really, really cool stuff in the last 300 years. So, the learning curve for us has been relatively late when it comes to the heat and the flame and the ability to understand it — to really control it.
Furthering the Science of Heat
How did we get to this stage of significant control over temperatures and systems that would melt a Cro-Magnon’s noodle right there in his big ol’ skull? We used our ever-developing brains. We used intelligence to advance the art of using the flame. Others before us thought their way into our present-day future. Shouldn’t we keep the ball rolling? Isn’t this ever-evolving commitment to responsible use of the flame what we need to do? We accept the gift of those before us and strive to improve on it for the upcoming iterations of humankind. Idealistic? I think not.
The premise of temperature is basically fixed. We can put it in a furnace, we can put it in a vacuum, we can melt the very rocks our planet is made from. So, let’s use the very latest available knowledge to further the science of heat. Let’s improve the situation, both at work and personally, by using our brains and by learning about what is going on with the furnaces, the parts, the fuels, and all the methods of heating. Let’s keep learning about the latest technologies. Let’s actually control this wondrous element.
To do that, we must embrace the knowledge, we have to know what we are looking at. We need to know the history and have a vision for the future. We need to teach and be taught.
Learning the Industry
If you or your reports need to get up to speed with our industry, indeed our very science — GO TO SCHOOL! The fact you are even reading this publication shows that you are open to learning. Let’s ace the test!
Heat Treat Today runs a drink-from-the-firehose learning experience calledHeat Treat Boot Camp. You can learn the latest and greatest technologies and new technologies on the horizon in heat treating. Send yourself, send your people.
The Metal Treating Institute (MTI) runs an online certification school that teaches the ins and outs of the heat treating industry. The Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA) runs an annual Combustion Seminar. Almost all the major furnace and equipment suppliers offer seminars on their specialty niche.
SECO/WARWICK produces a Global Training Seminar on continuous improvement and heat treating
Can-Eng offers analysis of specific inquiries
Ajax Tocco will come to your facility to conduct the latest schooling on your equipment
All you must do is decide that you are going to continue to learn more. How can you not with these kinds of services around you?
Don’t forget Safety. National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) seminars are available from NFPA themselves. Industry experts who have certified trainers, like Rockford Combustion, also offer multi-day seminars on equipment safety.
I can attest to the effectiveness of these kinds of learning commitments. I have been both a student and a teacher at some of the aforementioned seminars. The scope of learning can be broad or focused. It’s up to us to keep mentally expanding, so that the lessons learned don’t get lost, and the future technologies get a fair review.
I have been watching with interest how over the last 25 or so years precise control over combustion has been evolving. The major controls and process monitoring companies have been striving to gain precise control and safety on furnace equipment for years. I might add, they have been successful in varying degrees, and safety and maintenance have improved greatly.
I just spoke recently with a company in Erie, Pennsylvania. They have developed a program that monitors each individual burner. Not only does it tell if the burner is running, but if there has been a component failure, if the burner is out of tune, it can self-correct, and if there is a failure, they shut it off. Oh, and they do that for you, from THEIR office. The technology just grows and grows, doesn’t it?
So, I know some of you were wondering where I was going with the Caveman intro, and some of you probably would have preferred that I kept going up to the point where we were cooking mammoth steaks on sizzling rocks with our Cro-Magnon buddy. But we are better than him, and we need to keep proving that. Don’t you think?
Besides, this is the final month before school is out for the summer. Let’s give education a nod here.
I am sorry if I did not mention your company, no slight intended. If so, contact your customer base to alert them to any learning experiences that may be available.
Keep learning. Until next time…
About the Author
Jim Roberts President US Ignition
For More Information: Contact Jim Roberts at jim@usignition.com.
In this Technical Tuesday installment featuring Combustion Corner by Jim Roberts, president of U.S. Ignition, readers are enlightened about how upcoming policies might impact their burner systems, fuel mixtures, and equipment. Could certain policies impact technical requirements of heat treating? Find out more below.
This informative piece was first released inHeat Treat Today’sJuly 2025 Super Brands print edition.
A furnace guy goes into a bar and says, “This looks like a fast crowd… and all the players nod in agreement.”
Where are we? It’s the future! And in heat treating and combustion circles, the changes that will occur in the next several years will be very impactful to our industry. We’ve all heard these things, and we have some of the very best experts in the world working for us in this industry to make sure that we continue to grow and to be a leader in the legislation and rules that could cripple the wonderful world of heat treating and metals.
We are lucky to have industry associates at the Metal Treating Institute (MTI)who understand the impact of some of these new regulations. In this year’s Air & Atmosphere issue of Heat Treat Today magazine, Michael Mouilleseaux (Erie Steel LTD) provided updates on the proposed decarbonization initiatives. I have seen presentations by Michael and his committee composed of Heather Falcone (Cook Induction Heating Company) and Ben Gasbarre (Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems). This is critical knowledge for us all, and we should be staying as vigilant and supportive as we can. Michael’s interview is a must-read in that February issue – if you missed it, go back and read it. Please.
And then you say, “What’s this got to do with combustion equipment and the stuff that this Roberts guy is normally talking about?”
Well, not only does the decarbonization mandate mean the possibility of costs through government burdens and penalties, but the equipment and process change requirements are going to be staggering if we don’t prepare.
As long as I’m in a name-dropping mood, I’m going to mention Brian Kelly of Honeywell. Brian is a degreed aerospace engineer, and yet he decided to come play in the mud with us furnace guys for a career. Brian has several detailed presentations online about some of the prime initiatives for all the combustion equipment companies — hydrogen Combustion. Yep, the “H” word. The holy grail of zero pollution. One of those presentations includes fascinating detailed data on hydrogen and other emission initiatives, given by Brian Kelly and Todd Ellerton on YouTube regarding future combustion technology requirements.
“So, what does the “three times faster” thing mean, Jim?”
Well, all major combustion equipment companies, like Honeywell, understand that hydrogen requires three times the amount of fuel to generate the same amount of available heat as natural gas. Hydrogen also burns with seven to eight times the “flame speed” of natural gas. It burns, on average, about 400 degrees hotter (F) than natural gas. And so, from an engineering standpoint, there are a fantastic number of variations that must be considered as we look forward, especially when addressing CO₂ and other emissions. Add propane, butane, methane, producer gas, landfill gas, and anything else that is presently being utilized in the heat treat circles, and that provides a lot of possible variations!
Now, it needs to be said that a good many burners can burn hydrogen already. The anticipation of this level of scientific and ecological requirements was seen a long time ago. Conversely, many cannot. Brian Kelly explains that 17% of the present pre-mix/blended fuel systems cannot utilize this fuel. It also bears mentioning that there are three different grades of hydrogen production levels.
So, let’s start doing the math on how many iterations it will take. But here is the biggest tidbit of hydrogen science in the combustion world – hydrogen is the smallest molecule and the lightest in a molecular sense. Helium is smaller and lighter, for fact-checker purposes, but we aren’t trying to burn helium, are we? So, as we blend hydrogen with our other fuels (i.e., the most practical way to maintain some of the infrastructure and equipment), we need to have our combination equipment suppliers test and verify that which exists will work.
Obviously, if it takes three times the fuel volume, existing gas delivery lines will be an issue. At the molecular level, smaller and lighter means that many existing seals, connections, and control valves may no longer be gas-tight and may leak. That’s not good! If the flame speed of these fuels is five to eight times that of existing fuels, temperature profiles within the process will need to be reviewed and re-calibrated. And if it burns 400 to 500 degrees hotter, certainly that will require a review of the former materials of construction.
So, how does this tie into the original theme of “The future is coming fast?” Well, we have just touched briefly on one possible fuel transition that is on the horizon. Carbon points/credits are already being taxed in Europe. We can bet that these global decarbonization efforts will be moving ahead. We will need a review so that a “head in the sand” mentality does not catch any of us in the thermal processing community flatfooted and ill-prepared.
It’s easy to think that it won’t affect you. When I mentioned “three times as fast,” of course, I was alluding to the fuel references, and the best way to be prepared for the future is to see it coming. Be alert and stay current, and we will adapt as an industry, as we have so many times before. Until next time …
About The Author:
Jim Roberts President US Ignition
Jim Roberts president at U.S. Ignition, began his 45-year career in the burner and heat recovery industry focused on heat treating specifically in 1979. He worked for and helped start up WB Combustion in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. In 1985 he joined Eclipse Engineering in Rockford, IL, specializing in heat treating-related combustion equipment/burners. Inducted into the American Gas Association’s Hall of Flame for service in training gas company field managers, Jim is a former president of MTI and has contributed to countless seminars on fuel reduction and combustion-related practices.
For more information: Contact Jim Roberts at jim@usignition.com.
Despite an increasing cyber threat landscape, many small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) in the Department of Defense (DoD) supply chain remain unprepared for compliance with NIST SP 800-171 R2 and CMMC 2.0. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 aims to improve cybersecurity across the defense industrial base (DIB), but many SMBs struggle to meet the standards, putting them at risk of losing crucial contracts. Surveys suggest that nearly 70% of SMBs are unready for the new requirements, and the real figure could be even higher due to some businesses inaccurately reporting compliance by inflating their assessment scores.
This is the final installment of the Cybersecurity Column penned by Joe Coleman of Bluestreak Compliance (August 6, 1968 — April 1, 2025). Joe was as kind as he was committed to helping manufacturers understand and meet cybersecurity compliance standards. This column series was born from his genuine desire to walk alongside others as they navigated the complexities of regulation and risk. We honor his memory and are grateful for the time, insight, and encouragement he shared with our readers.
Understanding CMMC 2.0
CMMC 2.0 simplifies the original five-tier framework into three levels:
Level 1: Basic cyber hygiene for contractors handling Federal Contract Information (FCI)
Level 2: Advanced practices for those working with Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)
Level 3: Stringent requirements for contractors involved in national security projects
Compliance is mandatory for any contractor bidding on DoD contracts, including those working indirectly for federal contractors and subcontractors. SMBs should anticipate clients to inquire about their compliance as these standards will soon impact their business relationships. Achieving compliance is a lengthy process, typically taking twelve to eighteen months.
Low Readiness and Risks
The lack of readiness among SMBs threatens both business continuity and national security. Many smaller contractors lack the resources and expertise to meet CMMC 2.0’s standards. Given the defense sector’s reliance on a wide variety of contractors, this gap could create widespread repercussions.
Financial Implications of Non-Compliance
Compliance with CMMC 2.0 can be financially burdensome. Implementing measures such as multi-factor authentication, encryption, and continuous monitoring can be costly, especially for businesses with limited resources. The lack of in-house cybersecurity expertise compounds this issue, requiring companies to hire or train specialized personnel, further increasing costs.
Failing to comply with CMMC 2.0 could result in losing valuable DoD contracts, which can be a significant portion of SMB revenue. Such losses could lead to layoffs, revenue declines, or even business closures.
Challenges to Compliance
Several challenges contribute to the widespread unpreparedness among SMBs:
Challenges To Compliance Source: CanvaPro
Complexity of requirements: While CMMC 2.0 simplifies the original framework, its specific requirements remain difficult to interpret for many SMBs, particularly in identifying necessary security measures.
Resource limitations: The cost of achieving and maintaining compliance strains smaller businesses, which often lack the budgets for the required technology and expertise.
Lack of cybersecurity expertise: A shortage of qualified personnel poses a significant obstacle, as demand for cybersecurity professionals is high across industries.
Unclear timelines: Uncertainty surrounding DoD’s compliance timelines complicates planning and prioritization for SMBs.
Government Support Initiatives
To help SMBs, the DoD has introduced various programs, including training, grants, and educational resources. A phased implementation timeline also provides additional preparation time. However, industry experts suggest that further support, such as tax credits or subsidies, could help SMBs offset the costs of compliance. Clearer guidance from the DoD would also be beneficial in helping businesses navigate the certification process.
Path Forward for SMBs
To secure future contracts, SMBs must prioritize cybersecurity. This involves conducting internal risk assessments, identifying vulnerabilities, and creating compliance plans. Partnering with cybersecurity experts or managed service providers can help SMBs develop cost-effective strategies. Additionally, leveraging government resources and adopting critical security measures early will better position SMBs for CMMC 2.0 certification.
Conclusion
The widespread lack of preparedness for CMMC 2.0 poses significant risks to both SMBs and the defense supply chain. As deadlines approach, proactive measures from both businesses and the government are necessary to close the readiness gap and ensure the continued participation of SMBs in the defense sector.
About the Author:
Joe Coleman Cyber Security Officer Bluestreak Consulting Source: Bluestreak Consulting
Joe Coleman was the cybersecurity officer at Bluestreak Compliance, which is a division of Bluestreak | Bright AM™. Joe worked for over 35 years in diverse manufacturing and engineering positions. His background included extensive training in cybersecurity, a career as a machinist, machining manager, and an early additive manufacturing (AM) pioneer. Joe presented at the Furnaces North America (FNA 2024) convention on DFARS, NIST 800-171, and CMMC 2.0.
You see a little orange light coming from your furnace while it’s operating. What if that was a clue that you were losing over $7,000 annually on one furnace? In today’s Combustion Corner installment Jim Roberts, president of US Ignition, shares more details about the long term costs of furnace insulation failure.
This informative piece was first released inHeat Treat Today’sMay 2025 Sustainable Heat Treat Technologies print edition.
A furnace guy walks into a bar and smells burning hair! A sure indication of wasted resources…
Normally, I would not concern myself, as a burner guy, with heat loss issues. But as a furnace guy, this is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to running an energy-efficient operation. Burner guys take it as an affront when the burners get blamed for being inefficient or hard to keep balanced. It’s the ultimate slap in the face when the burners (and sometimes the whole furnace) get labeled as a “gas hog.” The seasoned furnace guys who just read that are shrinking back in horror at the mention of a gas hog because they know there are many ways to waste fuel, and some of them are hard to rectify if equipment is not up to snuff.
This installment will provide an example of what can be done to avoid wasting fuel and why you should prioritize this problem.
Insulation and Energy Loss
The aforementioned smell of burning hair, of course, was rather dramatic and hopefully unlikely, but we have all walked into a heat treat facility and been hit in the face with some sort of otherworldly blast of heat. I know, you’re thinking, “Well, duh, Captain Obvious, we are in the business of making things really hot in here.” I get it. However, we all know that if the furnace insulation has broken down, or worse yet, failed completely in spots, energy loss is imminent and will affect the bottom line. And it never seems to be one big issue, but it’s a compounded effect that will add up to serious energy dollar loss.
A Tale of Two Furnaces
Our example today is the retelling of my own experience. I got called to a shop in the Northwest geo-zone a while ago (okay, a long while ago). There were two furnaces sitting side by side with matching load profiles. The manager of the operation walked me out into the work area, and staring at a pair of furnaces said, “One is using almost twice as much fuel. Same everything from an equipment standpoint but almost double the fuel usage.” I looked and observed that the furnace in question had visible orange around the door seams, around the burner flanges, and around the flue. The other furnace had a completely dark exterior. The work associates in this plant were all suffering from radiation blindness — they could not see this very visible damage because the insulation on this furnace had deteriorated slowly enough they were accepting it as normal. Only, it’s not.
Let’s Run the Numbers
If you can see any type of color around doors, the energy loss is massive. At 2000°F Flue gas temperatures, the heat loss from radiation alone is already around 40,000 BTU/hr per square foot of visible radiation.
If you consider that there are probably outside air ingresses through these gaps as well, you can estimate that will result in 10,000 BTU/hr per square foot of additional loss. Those numbers combine for a 50,000 BTU/hr per square foot of loss from the big orange leaks. That’s 50 cubic feet of natural gas every hour for every square foot. You might say, “Well, nobody would have a square foot of glowing furnace shell.” However, if you take it a 10-foot door opening, and the gap is 1 inch all the way around, the square foot of exposed area is leaking heat off at 4 times that square footage because it’s really just a ribbon of heat pouring out.
So now, I was witnessing 200 cubic feet of fuel leaking out every hour that this furnace was heating all day, every day. That is 200 cubic feet × 24 hours/day × 6 days/week × 50 weeks/year = 1,440,000 cubic feet of gas wasted on a single door.
If we estimate that gas is averaging around $5.25/1,000 cubic feet of industrial grid price, that leaky door costs $7,560.00 per year in fuel. If we consider that the gas that was being blown into the room was really intended to heat the load, we can argue there are production losses as well.
Become an Energy Hero
In the case of the client I was helping, I recommended refractory repairs to ensure there was no orange showing outside the furnace. The manager thought I had invented heat — I was his energy hero — and all of a sudden, the burners weren’t gas hogs, and the furnace was up to speed with its twin.
You, too, can be a burner/furnace/energy hero for your facility by not allowing yourself to become radiation blind. Look around, feel the heat that is there, and don’t accept it as the norm. When you see it, fix it. The money you save will almost always pay for the repairs many times over.
Be safe always, and we’ll chat more next month.
About The Author:
Jim Roberts President US Ignition
For More Information: Contact Jim Roberts at jim@usignition.com.
