Marle Group, a global manufacturer of orthopedic prosthetics, has purchased and will install an additional vacuum furnace at its Marle Nowak facility, expanding in-house processing capacity for cobalt-alloy orthopedic implants and surgical instruments. The new system responds to the company’s need for rapid cooling of large loads — capable of handling full 800 kg workloads — and supports efforts to improve production control and delivery times for medical device manufacturing, including serving demand in the North American market.
The facility in Pancé, France, specializes in the production of orthopedic implants, surgical instruments, spinal devices, and OEM manufacturing for the medical sector. This third vacuum furnace from SECO/WARWICK operating at Marle Group facilities will enable Marle Nowak to perform hardening processes internally rather than relying on external services.
Vice President of Vacuum Furnace Segment
SECO/WARWICK
“Hardening cobalt alloys requires processes that achieve extremely high temperatures, and the heating processes for these materials demand high purity, temperature uniformity, and very fast, efficient cooling,” said Maciej Korecki, vice president of the Vacuum Furnace Segment at SECO/WARWICK Group. “Our equipment will allow our partner to become independent from external hardening services, providing greater control over the entire production process.”
The vacuum furnace features a 600 × 600 × 900 mm working area with a round heating chamber, convection heating, directional cooling, and isothermal hardening for controlled cooling of complex components. It includes partial-pressure argon to protect alloy surfaces, dew point sensors to reduce oxidation risk, and a rapid-cooling blower capable of quenching at up to 15 bar abs.
SECO/WARWICK secured the contract following successful reference trials conducted in its research and development department, where the furnace demonstrated cooling performance that met Marle Nowak’s process requirements. The addition of this vacuum furnace is expected to support certification of heat treatment processes in line with ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 standards, which are important for medical device production.
Press release is available in its original form here.
