VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

Heat Treater To Receive 2 Furnaces

François Studer SA, a Swiss commercial heat treater with 45 years of experience, will advance their hardening capabilities with the order of two furnaces: a vacuum furnace with 15 bar abs high-pressure gas hardening and a furnace for tempering with vacuum purging.

The new solutions from SECO/WARWICK will help increase processing capacity while maintaining the processed element’s high precision and quality. This is important to the heat treater, a hardening plant that processes two truckloads of charges every day.

“We are constantly developing,” commented Francois Studer, CEO of Francois Studer S.A. “We needed to add the capacity to utilize vacuum carburizing, pre-nitriding for carburizing technology and low-pressure carbonitriding, and the new Vector fits these needs perfectly. The retort furnace, on the other hand, significantly increases the hardening plant’s processing capacity in terms of time-consuming tempering and nitriding processes using ZeroFlow technology.”

The vacuum furnace on order by the hardening plant enables efficient processes to be carried out at a vacuum level in both medium and high ranges. The round heating chamber allows for oversized loads. Combined with dedicated LPC, HPGQ technology and a high vacuum system, the furnace will meet the heat treater’s requirements for hardening and carburizing a wide range of various parts.

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

The partial pressure system used helps to prevent evaporation and sublimation of alloying elements from the load surface during the vacuum heat treatment or vacuum brazing process. Partial pressure control is important when processing many materials to prevent the heating chamber evaporation and contamination. Isothermal quenching provides control of the cooling process by automatically managing the load temperature and the gas blower motor control using a frequency converter. The carburizing and low pressure carbonitriding (LPCN) options, which the furnace for François Studer SA is equipped with, enables precision processing to increase the steel surface hardness during the entire thermal process.

“The Vector furnace will streamline and increase the hardening process capacity and improve process efficiency. The advantage of this product is a large working space which can be adjusted to an oversized load, using the round heating chamber’s advantages. This is the so-called golden mean for many commercial heat treaters, also because it can be equipped with numerous additional options. With limited production areas, multifunctional, failure-free furnaces are worth their weight in gold for commercial heat treatment,” added Maciej Korecki, VP of the Vacuum Furnaces Team at SECO/WARWICK.

The second furnace on order is a horizontal retort furnace for gas nitriding using ZeroFlow technology and for high tempering with vacuum purging.

The press release is available in its original form here.


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Vacuum Furnace for Nitriding Service Provider

A nitriding service provider in Brazil will increase their production line with a single-chamber vacuum furnace from a manufacturer with North American locations.

Peter Lutz, president of Nitrion do Brasil says, “We were looking for a solution that would help not only increase our metal processing capabilities, but also efficiency and effectiveness.”

The SECO/WARWICK Vector vacuum furnace will operate in a new production hall and will handle Nitrion do Brasil’s increasing order volume. This order is a result of cooperation between SECO/WARWICK and their strategic partner in Brazil, Combustol.

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

“Combustol supports SECO/WARWICK not only in sales but also in service activities and the supply of spare parts. Such a partner in such a remote location is a huge advantage,” commented Maciej Korecki, VP of the Vacuum Furnaces Segment in the SECO/WARWICK Group. He added, “[Nitrion do Brasil] bought a furnace that we could deliver quickly.”

The furnace on order will solve the commercial heat treater’s problem of hardening larger elements, because the furnace is equipped with a large working space. This will affect the process economics (energy savings and the graphite chamber’s increased efficiency) as well as the process cleanliness and speed. The furnace is equipped with convection heating – a system that improves the heat transfer efficiency when heating at lower temperatures, as well as directional cooling, which allows the system to efficiently cool parts with problematic shapes in various ways.

The original press release is available here.


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Solar Atmospheres Acquires Certified Metal Craft Inc.

Solar Atmospheres, Inc. announced their most recent acquisition, Certified Metal Craft (CMC) located in El Cajon (an East County suburb of San Diego). With nearly 55 years of serving the Southern California region, CMC and the Wiederkehr Family have established themselves as a source for heat treating and brazing services. With the addition of CMC to the Solar Family of Companies, CMC establishes Solar’s 6th nationwide location and bolsters their West Coast presence.

Derek Dennis
President
Solar Atmospheres California

CMC has extensive capabilities to include vacuum, aluminum, atmospheric, endothermic, salt bath and cryogenic processing and currently employs 25 dedicated employees. Servicing the aerospace, medical, and commercial markets, CMC is Nadcap-accredited and holds a long list of customer and prime approvals. Tim Wiederkehr will immediately assume the role of V.P. of Operations and report to Derek Dennis, president of Solar Atmospheres of California, Inc.

Derek Dennis states “Solar is excited to welcome the dedicated CMC team into the growing nation of Solar companies.” He adds, “Together, we will continue to grow our west coast footprint while solidifying our industry leading approach of being the ‘go-to’ choice for all heat treating & brazing needs with an unwavering commitment to honesty and integrity in all relationships.”

This press release is available in its original form here.


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Heat Treater Completes Michigan Move

Source: Solar
Robert (Bob) Hill, FASM
President
Solar Atmospheres of Western PA
Source: Solar Atmospheres

Solar Atmospheres of Michigan has successfully relocated from the old Fraser and Warren facilities to a new location in Chesterfield, Michigan. All ten furnaces (both new and existing) are fully operational at the Chesterfield plant, heralding a new era of efficiency and productivity.

This spring, construction will begin on a 15,000 square foot expansion on an adjacent lot. The expansion will allow for the investment in cutting-edge vacuum furnaces from Solar Manufacturing.

Bob Hill, president of Solar Atmospheres of Michigan, states, “Our future is very bright in Michigan. The consolidation and expansion will allow us to elevate our service standards and meet the evolving demands of our clientele across Michigan and the surrounding states. Solar of Michigan remains steadfast in its dedication to innovation, service excellence, and customer satisfaction as it ventures into this new chapter of growth and expansion.”

This press release is available in its original form here.


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Car Bottom Furnace Increases Large Component Heat Treat for Solar Atmospheres

Solar Atmospheres of Western PA recently commissioned their third car bottom air furnace. This Class 2 air furnace has a maximum operating temperature of 1350°F measures 60” wide x 38” high x 168” deep.

The newly installed equipment, manufactured by Heat Treat Equipment Inc., joins two other HTE car bottom furnaces that are 14’ long and 20’ long respectively.

“After successfully hardening in vacuum at 1850°F +/- 10°F, the fully hardened die was transferred to the air car bottom furnace for the triple temper operation of 1025°F +/- 10°F.” – Bob Hill, President, Solar Atmospheres WPA and Michigan
Source: Solar Atmospheres
Source: Solar
Robert (Bob) Hill, FASM
President
Solar Atmospheres of Western PA
Source: Solar Atmospheres

Bob Hill, president of Solar Atmospheres of Western PA and Michigan, states, “the addition of this large air tempering/aging equipment compliments our five (5) state of the art vacuum car bottom furnaces very nicely. Instead of hardening and triple tempering this 6000 pound H13 die exclusively in a vacuum environment, Solar can save our customers and our company over 100 hours of valuable and expensive vacuum processing time.”

He continues, “After successfully hardening in vacuum at 1850°F +/- 10°F, the fully hardened die was transferred to the air car bottom furnace for the triple temper operation of 1025°F +/- 10°F. These large and uniform car bottom furnaces are a win/win for both the customer and for production — not exclusively for heavy parts, but also when treating long components.”

This press release is available in its original form here.


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New Furnace Line for Railroad Component Manufacturer

A supplier to the railway industry has ordered a technological line consisting of two vacuum furnaces, three tempering furnaces, and two washers. The line will be utilized for hardening processes of steel parts used in railway rolling stock.

The SECO/WARWICK line for voestalpine Fastening Systems consists of an electric chamber furnace, a washer, a cooling station, and an endothermic atmosphere generator. The hardening process will be carried out in a controlled atmosphere with temperatures up to 1742°F.

Additionally, the technological line includes an electric chamber furnace designed for the heat treatment of steel parts in a protective nitrogen atmosphere at temperatures up to 1292°F, along with a washer, cooling station and endothermic generator. The line will include a loader operating in automatic mode, a set of roller tables and a closed loop water system. The number of the supplied technological line units is selected to ensure the quality of manufactured components.

Mariusz Raszewski, Deputy Director of the Aluminum Process and CAB Furnaces Team, SECO/WARWICK (Source: SECO/WARWICK)

Mariusz Raszewski, deputy director of the Aluminum Process and CAB Furnaces Team at SECO/WARWICK said, “The line is configured in such a way that if the volume of the company products decreases, the customer can also offer commercial processing due to the wide technological spectrum of this main furnace unit.”

The whole solution will be supervised by a master system, which is used for the continuous monitoring of the heat treatment equipment operation and provides advanced data analysis for the production processes.

Mariusz Fogtman, COO, voestalpine Fastening Systems (Source: voestalpine Fastening Systems)

“The universal furnace solution will allow [us] to process details in various configurations,” Mariusz Fogtman, COO of voestalpine Fastening Systems commented. “Apart from technological parameters, it is important for us to limit the processed details’ deformations, which is possible in the ordered solution. SECO/WARWICK presented a partnership and flexible approach to the challenge of this order”

This press release is available in its original form here.

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Aerospace Manufacturer Adds LPC Furnace

An Asian aircraft parts manufacturer has chosen a horizontal vacuum furnace intended for vacuum carburizing aircraft parts. The furnace will produce gears used in aircraft structural sub-assemblies.

Maciej Korecki, VP, Vacuum Furnace Segment at SECO/WARWICK (source: SECO/WARWICK)

The SECO/WARWICK furnace is designed for low-pressure carburizing (LPC), equipped with a horizontal chamber with dimensions of 900 x 600 x 600 mm and a graphite chamber with a gas hardening system at a pressure of 6 bar.

“LPC technology,” said Maciej Korecki, Vice-President of the SECO/WARWICK Group Vacuum Segment, “is an increasingly popular solution. Its main advantage is the ability to carry out an efficient and effective carburizing cycle in a much shorter time than in atmospheric furnaces. This furnace ensures higher productivity and consequently, lower process costs and a quick return on investment. Carrying out the process in vacuum, on the other hand, increases the operational safety, because it does not involve explosive and flammable gases. LPC eliminates direct CO₂ emissions from the carburizing atmosphere.”

The original press release from SECO/WARWICK is available here.


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Vacuum Furnace for Global Wire Mesh Products Supplier in Auto Industry

A U.S.-based engineered knitted wire mesh solutions company and global supplier for the automotive, food service, and janitorial industries will receive a vacuum heat treat furnace. The furnace will be primarily utilized for vacuum annealing materials that are susceptible to adverse effects of their mechanical properties when exposed to any levels of oxygen or nitrogen.

Solar Manufacturing Mentor® Pro Model HFL-3036-2IQ furnace
Source: Solar Manufacturing
Jason Davidson
Northeast Regional Sales Manager
Solar
Source: solarmfg.com

This vacuum furnace features a molybdenum shielded hot zone measuring 18” wide x 18” high x 36” deep. It is capable of operating temperatures up to 2400°F and has a workload weight capacity of up to 1,000 lbs. Additionally, it includes the SolarVac® Essentials PLC-based control system. The internal gas cooling system with a 50 HP drive motor can reach quenching workloads at 2-bar positive pressure in either nitrogen or argon.

Jason Davidson, regional sales manager at Solar Manufacturing, states, “Our customer started running trials with our affiliate commercial heat treater, Solar Atmospheres. Once the trial results proved the heat treat cycle, and the [Mentor® Pro Model HFL-3036-2IQ] furnace demonstrated it could process the required quantities, the customer had confidence to place the purchase order with us.”

This press release is available in its original form here.


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Solar Atmospheres Increases Heat Treat Capacity for Superalloys

Mike Moyer
Vice President of Sales,
Solar Atmospheres, Eastern PA

Solar Atmospheres of Souderton PA commissioned a new vacuum furnace capable of utilizing high pressure gas quenching (HPGQ) at 20-Bar (about 300 PSI) to meet demanding cooling rate specifications for the heat treatment of nickel-based superalloys in the aerospace and power generation industries.

The vacuum furnace, manufactured by sister company Solar Manufacturing, has a working hot zone of 24” x 24” x 72” and utilizes unique hot zone design features to increase the quench rate. The furnace is rated for operation to 2400°F and temperature uniformity plus/minus 10°F.

Mike Moyer, vice president of Sales at Solar Atmospheres comments, “The furnace utilizes a 600-HP cooling motor and fan with a creative gas nozzle design to maximize gas flow as it moves through the hot zone and the heat exchanger and back across the workload.”

The full press release from Solar Atmospheres is available upon request.


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ZDT Glimag Leverages Vacuum Furnace for Mining Machines

Vacuum heat treat operations expand for ZDT Glimag, an entity providing services in the field of vacuum heat treatment, laboratory tests, and production of parts for mining machines.

The addition of this Vector® vacuum furnace will be the third vacuum furnace from SECO/WARWICK. The current design has an operating space of 600 x 600 x 900 mm and will be equipped with numerous options to allow a wide range of heat treatment processes for various steel grades. Main processes will include vacuum brazing, FineCarb® vacuum carburizing, and high-pressure hardening. The design of the chamber size will enable efficient heat treatment of large packages of test and research elements.

The efficiency of processes is also influenced by the ability to cool at 15 bar (which, unlike the old furnaces, eliminates the need to wash the parts after the process). In combination with inverter control, the system also helps reduce power consumption peaks, which are so problematic today. Another big advantage is low heat losses and appropriate temperature uniformity in the heating chamber, which is resistant to rapid wear and is easy to use and service.

Beata Kowalewska
President of the Management Board – Financial Director of ZDT Glimag
Source: LinkedIn

Beata Kowalewska, president of the Management Board – Financial Director of ZDT Glimag, comments: “Since the 1960s, we have been designing prototypes, conducting research and technological tests, and implementing new technologies for mining. We are currently in the process of materializing the project titled ‘Implementation of an innovative product resulting from research and development work: a brake pad with a composite friction layer with increased abrasion resistance,’ implemented under the European Funds for a Modern Economy (FENG) 2021-2027 Program. FENG is a program supporting entrepreneurs in the area of broadly understood innovation. It places great emphasis on R&D activities.”

He continues, “The new SECO/WARWICK furnace fits perfectly into the policy of broadly understood modernity implemented in this project. It will streamline and expand the scope of heat treatment processes and improve their economics, taking into account energy savings and the graphite chamber efficiency. It will also ensure the process cleanliness and velocity. With the FineCarb® vacuum carburizing option, the technology also increases our flexibility and research capabilities. Additionally, this technology will allow us to perform more difficult processes requiring extremely low contamination levels, thanks to the ability to obtain the appropriate vacuum needed for these processes.”

Maciej Korecki
VP of the Vacuum Furnace Segment
SECO/WARWICK
Source: SECO/WARWICK

Maciej Korecki, VP of the Vacuum Furnace Segment in the SECO/WARWICK Group, comments on ZDT Glimag saying, “It is a center very well oriented in the metal heat treatment industry, constantly testing new, innovative solutions that in turn make the mining industry more efficient. The new Vector will introduce revolutionary changes in the hardening plant, introducing innovation and a very wide range of precise processes.”

The Vector® line vacuum furnaces can be used in most standard vacuum carburizing, hardening, tempering, annealing, supersaturation, and brazing processes. At the same time, the solution can be adapted to the recipient’s individual requirements, and therefore to a specific industry, an attribute necessary for research centers that test innovative solutions for external customers.

The solution‘s characteristic features are convection heating, i.e., a system improving the heat transfer efficiency when heating at lower temperatures, and directional cooling, which allows complex, flimsy, and long elements to be cooled in various ways, minimizing their deformations. An additional advantage is the vacuum carburizing option, which allows users to carry out precise processes to increase the steel surface hardness (carburizing) during the entire thermal process.

The original press release from SECO/WARWICK Group is available here.


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