heat treat vacuum furnace

Vacuum Furnaces: Finding and Managing Leaks

Best of the WebSource: Solar Atmospheres

Keep that furnace running! Obviously, a furnace leak can be quite counterproductive and make it troublesome or even impossible to keep it going. What can be done? Thankfully, there are several solutions. This best of the web article gives helpful measures in defining leaks, detecting leaks, solutions for effectively stopping a leak, and much more.

As you move through the post, you'll encounter a tutorial that starts with the basics. A furnace leak if defined with differences described between a normal leak and something such as an outgassing problem. Then, other information is presented with descriptions on the rate of the leak and possible locations for said leak. The article continues with methods for leak checking and wraps up with a check list of sorts for vacuum furnace users.

An excerpt:

Some operators or leak checking personnel will often use a stethoscope when checking for leaks, as its ability to transmit low-volume sounds and eliminate external noise is exceptional. Often in gross leaks or some smaller leaks, a standard paint brush and soapy wash solution is helpful. Brush the solution around suspected leak areas. Big leaks will blow big bubbles at the leak while smaller leaks will form very fine foam.

Read more: "Vacuum Furnace Leaks and Detection Techniques"


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North American Heat Treat Manufacturer To Ship 10 Furnaces

HTD Size-PR Logo

Trevor Jones
President
Solar Manufacturing, Inc.
Source: Solar Manufacturing, Inc.

A vacuum furnace manufacturer in North America has acquired purchase orders for ten vacuum furnaces this 3rd quarter.  The furnaces will be shipped to companies in the following market sectors: aerospace, commercial heat treating, and additive manufacturing.

Solar Manufacturing Inc. is based out of Pennsylvania, and the new systems will be sent to locations throughout North America. The various types of new furnace orders ranged in size from the compact Mentor® and Mentor® Pro series to a large production furnace with a work zone of up to 72” in length.

“[S]trong quotation activity levels seem to indicate customers are optimistic to expand after the pandemic ramifications continue to ease," commented Trevor Jones, President of Solar Manufacturing.


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Vacuum Furnaces: Time To Buy? Tips To Help Make Decisions

Best of the WebSource: Ipsen

Shopping for a new heat treat vacuum furnace? Much thought and research goes into preparing for such an investment. Expanding heat treat capabilities or replacing current equipment are big decisions in business growth. Take the time to ensure wise decision making. This best of the web article helps examine what specifically is needed in the vacuum furnace purchase. Following these tips will help you make an informed and industry-savvy furnace purchase.

First, the article encourages knowing what the new furnace's "process and production" specifically will be. Next, a list of many of the furnace's capability options is examined. Finally, choices regarding technology on the furnace are presented.

"Always keep in mind your process, parts and industry regulations as you begin your research. Choosing a furnace is a big investment, one that, if chosen wisely, can streamline your processes and save critical time and resources."

Read more: "Choosing the Right Vacuum Furnace for Your Needs"


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General Atomics Heat Treats 7 Modules for Superconducting Magnet

HTD Size-PR LogoGeneral Atomics has heat treated the seventh and final module for a large superconducting magnet for ITER, a multi-national science experiment, with a vacuum furnace from a heat treat furnace supplier in Pennsylvania.

In order to convert the 6 km long stainless-steel-jacketed coil of Niobium-Tin conductors into superconductors for the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) experiment, each of these 4-meter by 2-meter 110-ton solenoid sections had to be heat treated for five weeks, exceeding 650°C (1202°F) at its peak. The heat treatment served to alloy the Niobium and Tin strands together into Nb3Sn, which becomes a superconductor when chilled with liquid helium to 4 Kelvin.

No such heat-treating furnaces existed, so General Atomics turned to SECO/VACUUM, a SECO/WARWICK Group company in Meadville, PA, to build a heat-treating furnace large enough to fit these solenoids and packed with all the technology needed to meet the strict quality control standards of this experiment.

Peter Zawistowski
Managing Director
SECO/VACUUM TECHNOLOGIES, USA
Source: secowarwick.com

"SECO/WARWICK Group did a great job designing in backup systems and robust design," commented Nikolai Norausky, program manager at General Atomics. "Any time we had questions or needed maintenance they were there to help."

The vacuum furnace that the supplier provided had to perform multiple tasks, including to bake off residual impurities from coil fabrication and to anneal internal stresses introduced at different stages of part fabrication. “General Atomics put so much time and money into these coils we really didn’t have any room for error," added Peter Zawistowski, managing director of SECO/VACUUM, "so nearly every component had to be doubly redundant."

Explore the experiment in Heat Treat Today original content article.


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Time To Evacuate Atmospheric Pressure

Source: Ipsen Harold

Time to evacuate! When it comes to evacuating atmospheric pressure from vacuum furnace chambers, the addition of a diffusion pump can help attain a lower system pressure than the typical roughing pump and vacuum booster pump allow.

This best of the web article identifies the basics of vacuum furnace pumps and then explains how diffusion pumps in particular work and identifies a few considerations to think about to determine if you need this addition or not.

An excerpt:

"For the diffusion pump to function properly, the main and foreline valves must be open, allowing the furnace to operate in high vacuum. Fluid at the bottom of the pump is heated to boiling and forced up through the center of the jet assembly."

Read more at "Ask the Expert: How Does a Diffusion Pump Really Work?"


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