Combining Foundry Processes in Heat Treating Systems

Combining Foundry Processes in Heat Treating SystemsConsolidated Engineering Co. (CEC), Kennesaw, Ga.

Traditional production of aluminum castings is costly andenergy intensive. The flow of many casting processes con-

sists of several independent steps, carried out without any con-nection to previous process steps. Castings are usually cooledto be able to carry out subsequent processes, such as removalof gating systems, mechanical de-coring, and manual cleaning.In many cases the castings are subsequently heat-treated. Indi-vidual processes and plants necessitate more labor, space, andenergy; additional transportation; and increase costs.

Technologies are available for castings made in both semi-permanent and precision sand molds, where the casting is placedinto the heat treatment furnace immediately after solidification.This patented Sand Lion 3-in-1 technology incorporated intoCleanCast designs processes hot castings by carrying out threefoundry processes simultaneously in one automated machine:de-coring and sand removal, thermal sand reclamation, and so-lution heat treatment.

Sand binders in the core and mold release substantial energywhen exposed to hot, oxygen-rich furnace atmosphere. Castingsemerge from the solution heat treatment process free of sandmolds and sand cores. Sand is collected in the hopper-type bottomof the furnace, which is equipped with the fluidized bed for finalcleaning of the sand wherein fine particles and binder residualare removed. Clean sand is automatically discharged as re-claimed sand for reuse without undergoing any furthertreatment. Exhaust and waste gases are collected andtreated downstream from the furnace in cyclone,oxidizer, and heat exchanger, and finallycleaned in a bag house.

The combination of several main alu-minum casting processes results in asignificant reduction in productioncosts. The process is environmentallyfriendly and efficient. Audits infoundries using the 3-in-1 processshow an average reduction in pro-duction costs of more than 30%.www.cec-intl.com.

Microwave-AssistedThermal ProcessingCeralink Inc., Troy, N.Y.

Ceralink Inc. is helping manufacturersaddress thermal process energy issues

by making cost savings technologies avail-able, such as microwave assist technology(MAT). The technology is a hybrid heatingmethod that offers faster productthroughput, decreased energy con-sumption, new materials develop-ment, and in general, lower manufac-turing costs. MAT combines twocomplementary methods of heating.

Microwave energy is applied simultane-ously with radiant gas or electric heat. The mi-crowave energy targets the product, and createsheat throughout the product via dielectric friction.The radiant heat provides the bulk of the heat to the

rest of the furnace, and prevents radiation cooling from the sur-face of the product. The result is a highly uniform tempera-ture profile across the thickness of the product, which minimizesthermal stresses. MAT enables faster heating cycles because ofthe temperature uniformity, which in turn enables greaterproduct throughput. MAT is applicable to almost all thermalprocesses, including surface treating, binder removal, sintering,and calcining. This technology is proven in production firingtrials to reduce the cycle time for a variety of products by an av-erage of 50% leading to decreased energy consumption.

The advantages of using MAT to heat highly insulating ma-terials such as refractories, ceramic insulators, bricks, sanitary-ware, ceramic filters etc. are proven. For sintering structural ce-ramics, studies show faster MAT firing can retain finer or evennano-grained materials. An application having great poten-tial is the use of MAT for binder removal. Microwave energy

can penetrate into the part, heat the binder in the center ofthe part, and help drive it outward. Amore complete

binder removal is possible with MAT, as the mi-crowave energy will couple (heat) any residual

pockets of binder preferentially. MATbinder removal can be applied to ce-

ramics or powder metal components.In sintering powder metal compacts,surface species that coat fine metalparticles, as well as the size of theparticles, result in direct microwave

heating. MAT also can be used topreheat investment castingmolds and other ceramic toolingto reduce thermal gradients andimprove casting uniformity.Determining whether MAT can

benefit a process requires goodcost benefit and manufacturability

analyses that take into account factorsincluding energy costs, environmental

benefits, through-put, process control,and the speed of upstream processes. Cer-alink is taking the risk of out MAT imple-mentation by offering low-cost feasibility

studies, which if process benefit isshown, can lead to full scale cost

benefit analysis through to pilotscale testing before any large cap-ital equipment expenditure is re-

quired. Manufacturers can be as-sured of the benefit to their

products/process prior to equipment pur-chases. Ceralink also seeks state and federalgovernment funding to assist companies inoffsetting MAT process development costs.www.ceralink.com.

OUTLOOKEQUIPMENT/SERVICES/

SUPPLYREDUCED ENERGY CONSUMPTION

INCREASED PRODUCT THROUGHPUT

SOLUTION-BASED TECHNICAL SERVICES

MEETING QUALITY CONTROLAND ENVIRONMENTAL

REGULATIONS

Advantages of microwave assist technology.

HEAT TREATING PROGRESS • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 39

Long Lasting IndustrialPolymer Water-CoolingTowers Delta Cooling Towers Inc., Rockaway, N.J.

Molded polymer water-coolingtowers provide significant savings

in maintenance, downtime, and energycosts over traditional towers of metal con-struction. In the past, polymer coolingtowers were considered too small formany industrial processes. For thatreason, galvanized metal cooling towerswere deemed the only choice for appli-cations above 250 tons. Unfortunately,processors requiring such high-capacitycooling were forced to build thesecustom-designed towers on site, at a highcost in labor and materials. However, fac-tory-assembled polymer towers such as

Tooth by Tooth Gear Induction HardeningInduction Tooling Inc., North Royalton, Ohio

The passage of the wind-energy bill hasstimulated manufacturing in many

areas of the power transmission industry.Gear and bearing manufacturers have beenchallenged to provide economical, efficient,and long-lasting components for the wind-generator transmissions and platform com-ponents. Bearings and gears that requireoutside heat treating services are now beingconsidered for in-house control to savetransportation costs and processing time.More specifically, gears that require toothhardening for strength and wear resistancemay be hardened in-house using the tooth-by-tooth method of induction.

Induction Tooling specializes in de-signing, building, and repairing inductorsfor applications used in selective hardeningincluding gear tooth hardening. Recently,several commercial and captive heattreating customers have asked for a versa-tile, affordable induction gear hardeningmachine, resulting in a need to design andbuild basic multipurpose machines. Entryinto this market is specific to small andmedium size ring and pinion gears rangingup to a 2,000 lb (910 kg) and 60 in. (1,524mm) in diameter. Straight and helical gears,both inside and outside diameters, can beprocessed. Because the unit is versatile, it iscapable of being used in many other induc-tion hardening applications including scanball race hardening, sprocket hardening,and various single shot or scan hardeningapplications that are typical to the induc-tion process.

Short Time Cycle Heat TreatingCore Furnace Systems Corp., Coraopolis, Pa.

Core’s furnace designs and technical inno-vations provide efficient, cost effective, and

reliable heat treating furnaces and relatedequipment. The company also provides solu-tions for production, quality, energy, and envi-ronmental challenges facing the metals industry.An example of this focus is its STC (short timecycle) furnace for which engineering andsupply is provided through a technology li-censing agreement with Daido Steel(www.daido.co.jp). The STC furnace is a roller-hearth batch-type furnace that processes up to 20% faster and than a conventional boxor bell type furnace, and also uses 40% less fuel than conventional furnaces. Productvariability after spheroidizing and cold shear annealing is less than 2%. The furnacecurrently is being used for wire, wire rod, casting, and slugs, as well as long bar heattreating applications, and it also can process long pipe and tubular products.

Although the STC already has a proven short heating cycle compared with otherfurnace types, technological developments planned for 2008 will allow the STC toprocess loads even faster. The general concept of the technological development in-volves automated monitoring of the amount of fuel required to heat a load and accu-rately determining when the actual soaking portion of the heating cycle has ended,which will provide even shorter cycles with higher overall production rates and po-tentially greater energy savings.

In another area, the company now designs its rotary hearth furnaces to be equippedwith self-recuperative burners to lower energy costs. The self-recuperative burnersprovide a significant energy savings compared with a central recuperator design.

Core also provides melt shop equipment, advanced process control, and automa-tion, as well as a full range of technical services. Solution-based technical services forthe heat treating industry, such as energy studies, furnace training, equipment tune-ups, furnace rebuilds, and evaluations, are being continually improved to meet evolvingcustomer needs. www.corefurnace.com

Short time cycle furnace.

Compact Induction PowerSupply

Huettinger Electronic Inc., Farmington, Conn.

Huettinger’s line of power supplies for induc-tion heating range in power from 5 to 500

kW, and have frequencies ranging from 5 kHz upto 13 MHz, which permits matching to many dif-ferent materials and processes. A new mediumfrequency generator, the BIG Super Compact (BigSC), for induction heating applications is avail-able from 10 to 40 kW output with a frequencyrange of 5 to 100 kHz. It can be in a broad rangeof applications, from classic heating processes,such as hardening, soldering, and annealing, tohigh tech applications, such as epitaxy and crystalgrowing. The compact size and universal mainsinput makes it easy to integrate the Big SC intonew or existing equipment. Huettinger also offerscustom designed work coils, temperature sensors,and controllers. An extensive application lab,staffed by experienced engineers, is available tosupport customer tests and process qualification.www.huettinger.com.

The Big SC medium frequency generator.

OUTLOOKEQUIPMENT/SERVICES/SUPPLY

40 HEAT TREATING PROGRESS • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008

Delta’s TM Series can now be combinedto provide up to 2,000 cooling tons in asingle modularized unit.

Aluminio del Caribe in Humacaro,Puerto Rico, installed a $3 millionpolymer cooling tower to maintain thecorrect temperature of water used to coolits hydraulic press oil. The company hastwo hydraulic extrusion presses (1,850-ton and 1,670-ton models) that are cooledby copper loops in the presses that func-tion as heat exchangers. The hydraulicoil temperature must be kept below 130°F(55°C) at all times. The press has to beshut down if the oil gets too hot, whichwould mean losing four hours or pos-sibly an entire shift. Not only would thatbe lost production, but it would also re-quire pushing orders back, which wouldalso mean delayed shipments. To meetthese challenges, Aluminio del Caribeconsulted with various industry repre-

sentatives, and based on the advantagesof maintenance-free design, installed aDelta 200-ton polymer cooling tower, andadded a second tower when the secondpress became operational.

Modular cooling towers facilitate anextra margin of cooling capacity that canbe advantageous in adjusting to opera-tional heat load or outflow changes, or inupgrading to meet future cooling require-ments. The modular design of polymercooling towers also offers flexibility inconserving valuable real estate. Bymolding towers in a rectangular shape,some manufacturers enable users tocluster cooling towers in a group that oc-cupies a much smaller footprint.www.deltacooling.com.

Polymer water cooling towers offer savingsin maintenance, downtime,

and energy costs.

Planning is essential. The gear product must lend itself to thetooth-by-tooth method. Considerations include material, heattreat specifications, production requirements, gear-tooth profile,and part size and weight, as well as the selection of an appro-priate power supply and operating frequency. Since the tooth-by-tooth hardening method involves precise positioning of theinductor to the gear tooth, a repeatable method tohold and introduce the gear to the inductor needsto be established. The level of automation is alsoconsidered. A partly manual to a fully automatedsystem is budget dependent. Since the motion con-trol is expandable, a partly manual machine couldbe upgraded to a fully automated system at somelater date at nominal cost.

A basic tooth-by-tooth induction hardener unitconsists of:

• A platform to hold and position various gears• A vertical tower to precisely move the inductor• An expandable touch screen motion control

• An automatic or manual gear tooth indexing mechanism• An inductor with quench heads• A stainless steel tank to collect the quench fluid• A quench pump, heat exchanger, filter, and plumbing• An appropriately sized induction power supplyTraining is considered the single most important aspect of any

induction hardening process. For the operator technician, tooth-by-tooth hardening can be a particularly fussy procedure to ini-tially set-up. Inductors must be designed and built for specificgear tooth pitch, inside or outside diameter, helical or straight.Inductor gaps must be repeatable and precise, power must be ac-curately measured and monitored, starting dwell and scan ratesmust be defined, and quenching must be exact. A mistake could

be very expensive.To facilitate training, Induction Tooling has ini-

tiated a pre-purchase familiarization program forthe purpose of instructing a potential buyer in the

art of gear tooth hardening. Using the inductionand metallurgical laboratory, individual instruc-tion is conducted using a tooth-by-tooth scan-ning unit coupled with a 10 to 30-kHz powersupply. Some of the instructional items covered

are gear and inductor set-up, quench monitoring,and power calculation and scan rate. Final validation

of the process is demonstrated by sectioning ahardened gear and metallurgical evaluation.www.inductiontooling.com.

Tooth-by-tooth induction gear hardener.

Inductor gap with guides.

Hardened gear-tooth pattern.


Innovation Breeds Growth

G-M Enterprises, Corona, Calif.

The future is bright for manufacturersand suppliers of heat treat equipment

and services to captive and commercialheat treaters specializing in niche andaerospace-related process industries. Keyto growth in these unique heat treat in-dustries is innovation, high performance,productivity, reliability, and low opera-tion and maintenance costs. Supportingthese high growth markets requires prod-ucts to meet growing demand for highperformance and highly productive heattreat furnaces. Over the past 32 years, G-M Enterprises developed many innova-tions to meet tough customer require-ments in two major market areas:vacuum furnaces and retort atmosphereand coating furnaces with control sys-tems to manage the processes.

Vacuum furnaces: The design of high-performance vacuum furnaces includes

unique components such as venturi stylegraphite nozzles, low mass graphite ele-ments, and variable speed vacuumpumps. Screw-in venture-style graphitenozzles accelerate gas flow through theplenum, having a Cv (constant of ve-locity) of 0.97, which drives the coolinggas onto the parts with increased coolingefficiency. Thin curved, low-massgraphite elements provide rapid heatingand cooling, approaching 90% the per-formance of molybdenum elements.Curved elements are supported in a free-floating two-point support system, re-ducing stresses on the elements for longlife. Variable-speed vacuum pumps re-duce vacuum pump down time for morereliable, lower maintenance operation.

Obtaining high-quality parts after heattreating reduces rework and post-heattreat machining. Repeatable controlledheating and cooling rates via automatedcomputerized control provide stable partdimensions during metallurgical transi-tion temperatures. Reduced parts distor-tion can be achieved by reducing the dif-ferential temperature across the partduring quenching via bi-directional (frontand back exit) gas flow. GM Enterprises’Advanced Quantum Quench directionalgas quench control is achieved by varyingthe inlet direction of the cooling gas tothe zones (top, bottom, left and right),which allows the cooling to be focusedto where it needs to be. All control is doneoutside the furnace to minimize mainte-nance and downtime.

Operational costs can be reduced usingvarious design features. Heat loss fromthe hot zone is a constant drain on theheating system in the furnace. This losscan be reduced by using higher grade,higher purity, and thicker graphite felt toinsulate the hot zone. Heat losses can bereduced as much as 60% over thinnerboard and fiber insulation methods.There is also a substantial energy-costbenefit in more closely matching the fur-


High Alloys for all ApplicationsRolled Alloys, Temperance, Mich.

Rolled Alloys continues to partner with the heat treating industry to providenew materials options along with technical assistance to ensure customers

are using the most cost effective alloys for their applications. With metals pricesremaining near all time highs and with projections for this to continue in 2008,making good materials decisions is critical to control costs. The company’s ma-terials engineers and a materials laboratory can assist with material selection.In some cases, alloy 600 (76% Ni) or RA330 alloy (35% Ni) have been used fordecades out of habit, when a less expensive alloy may do the job.

In non-carburizing service, a lower nickel alloy may make sense dependingon the temperature. Therefore, the RA 253 MA alloy product line (11% Ni) hasbeen expanded to include round bar in addition to plate, sheet, and pipe inven-tory. The material offers the potential to reduce material costs by 50% versustraditional nickel-base alloys. Beyond the initial cost advantage, RA253 MAis ac-tually stronger than alloy 600 and is useful up to 2000°F (1095°C), as a result, itmay also provide longer service life.

Another trend is the need to increase production; More heat needs to be addedto the furnace to heat-treat more parts. While the temperatures that the partssee is unchanged, the radiant tubes, muffles, and retorts operate at higher tem-

peratures to transfer more heat in a shortertime. Alloy strength is reduced by roughly 33%for every increase of 100°F (55°C). High-per-formance alloy RA 602 CA offers higherstrength and greater scaling resistance thanboth alloy 600 and 601, so it can operate hotterwithout sacrificing service life. For example,its strength at 2000°F is equal to that of alloy600 at 1800°F (980°C). Alternatively, the ma-terial could extend the operating life of amuffle, for instance, because it is twice asstrong as alloy 600 at 1800°F. In this case in-creased production comes from less frequentshutdowns for muffle replacement. RA602 CAcan be used to temperatures through 2200°F(1200°C). www.rolledalloys.com.

RA 253 MA radiant tubes after 10 months in a neutral

hardening furnace.

SAR H2 CVD retort atmosphere coatingfurnace with external cooling.

Thin curved, low-mass graphite elementsprovide rapid heating and cooling.


nace and parts temperatures duringheating. A furnace temperature substan-tially higher than the load temperatureincreases heat loss through the insulationto the vessel cold wall. This also improvestemperature uniformity throughout theload during heating. Additionally, aslower heating and cooling rate also ex-tends the life of the hot zone. It is impor-tant to balance the furnace load size anddensity with production requirements.

Total cost per piece or part is directlyrelated to the number of parts per load.Optimizing fixturing to provide a max-imum load size and density yields max-imum productivity. Traditionally, aero-space parts are lightly loaded onto heavyfixtures that may have a part weight-to-fixture weight ratio of 1:10. Today’s ad-vanced materials allow parts-to-fixtureweight ratios close to 1:1, thereby sub-stantially increasing productivity. Today’smodern fixtures are often made fromcarbon fiber composites (CFC) and ce-ramic materials. CFC fixtures have littlethermal expansion, reducing stresses andmovement of the hearth posts, extendinghearth life.

Low maintenance costs can beachieved by using stronger, lighter ma-terials to protect the insulation. CFCwoven graphite bonded fiber providesprotection of the leading edge and faceof the hot zone insulation, which pro-vides a bullet proof-like surface for thevacuum furnace. The strong, durable hotface material protects insulation fromphysical damage from parts and oper-ator contact. Hearth longevity can be im-proved by using stronger materials suchas TZM molybdenum hearth posts andhigh density ultrastrong graphite ma-terials for the graphite hearth post andrails. In addition, low maintenance-vesselpenetrations can be achieved using non-threaded ports, high-temperatureseal materials, and nonferrous flange materials to minimize vacuum leaks.

Retort atmosphere coating furnaces areused to perform hydrogen brazing, pro-tective annealing, CVD/VPD aluminideand platinum-aluminide surface coating,and many other atmosphere processes.A retort furnace offers advantages overtraditional pit-style furnaces. A visibleload hearth facilitates parts loading. In

special coating processes, individualcoating cans used for gas containmentare stacked onto the hearth. The retort islowered over the parts and is heated in aheat chamber that is open at the bottom.

The heat chamber configuration iscoupled with a dual work base, whichprovides about a 33% improvement inproductivity over a single pit-style fur-nace because while one retort is running,the other retort can be loaded, purged,and unloaded without affecting produc-tion. The bottom-load configuration ismore efficient to run because loadingand unloading the heat chamber doesnot allow heat to be lost upward, butrather it is trapped in the heat chamber.Automatic computerized control withvacuum and pressure testing atmos-phere purge provides fast, completeoxygen purging within the retort. Tem-perature uniformity surveys (12 or 9point) are easily accomplished withbuilt-in atmosphere-sealed thermo-couple jacks, eliminating the difficultyin certifying temperature uniformitywithin the retort. www.gmenterprises.com.

Dual, 4 lobe camshaft hardening.

Thermal image of a 10-in. heated length of pipe at 1100ºF using Fluxmanager technology.

New Induction Heating TechnologiesInductoheat Inc., Madison Heights, Mich.

Inductoheat is focusing on leading the market in quality induction heating and heattreating equipment by providing innovative, flexible systems for long-life perform-

ance. The company will build on its innovation in power supply design more than40 years ago to develop today’s breakthrough technology. New products for heattreating, annealing, shrink fitting, bar/billet heating incorporate modular design usingpatented and/or patent-pending technology.

Inductoheat is part of the Inductotherm Group of some 40 companies worldwide toserve the metals and materials industries. Inductoheat offers full service capabilitiesincluding comprehensive process development and metallurgical laboratory, engi-neering design and equipment manufacturing, induction coil build and repair depart-ment, customer training, and aftermarket support and service. Customers get all theadvantages plus flexibility in one company.

Equipment for Increased Production, Low Operating CostsRecent developments include its InductoScan induction heat treating system and

InductoForge billet heating system in a standardized modular design, which providesflexibility in power supplies, mechanical fixtures, controls, and operation. InductoScanallows a wide range of power supplies, controls, and components to be integrated intoa common base to better match production needs. It can be customized to handle var-ious heat treating applications such as scan, single-shot, lift/rotate, pick & place, ro-tary index, and linear transfer, an advantage because it can also be reconfigured byswapping in different scanning towers, power supplies, and other mechanics to ac-commodate an entirely new part or family of parts.

The IROSS line-frequency (60 Hz) system is a new product that heats a large varietyof parts including: pipe-end, stators, rotors, and armatures. The system includes patent-pending Fluxmanager technology that enables deep, uniform temperature distribu-tion using a shaped intensifier that focuses the electromagnetic field in the inductioncoil, resulting in fast, precise, repeatable, and efficient heating.

InductoForge modular billet heating system enables assembling an induction systemto exactly match application requirements by adding or subtracting power modulesfor future production needs. The system uses power modules capable of running ata wide range of frequencies (500-6,000 Hz) with minimal change. Each module is in-dividually controlled, resulting in a finer, more accurate control of the billet temper-


ature, thus reducing energy, utility, andoperating costs.

A revolutionary technology for theforging industry is the IHAZ tempera-ture profile modeling computer programdesigned to set up an advanced temper-ature control for the InductoForge. IHAZcan be used to customize the billet tem-perature profile (induction heat affectedzone) to best suit each application. It gen-erates optimum running parameters andset points for standby and rapid start,which are stored as a recipe in its PLC.The operator can access stored recipesfrom the part number or die numberidentifier. Also, the billet heater’s oper-ating parameters are stored in the recipe,

and together, they run the system, thusimproving quality control and speedingup system set up.

Quality Control and Environmental Regulations

Conventional heat treating uses largeamounts of energy with inefficient gas-fired furnaces. Inductoheat addresses thisissue with the development of highly ef-ficient, induction heating equipment, andimplements quality management sys-tems by being ISO 9001:2000 compliant.Inductoheat’s induction heating and heattreating systems are high efficient, effec-tive, and eco-friendly products. www.inductoheat.com.

Heat Treating Solutions WorldwideSeco/Warwick, Meadville, Pa.

Seco/Warwick is looking forward tocontinued growth in 2008 throughout

the global organization in the Americas,Europe, China, Russia, and India. Newproduct development in all groups is fo-cused on reducing cycle times along withenergy and atmosphere consumption,process control, and system automation.Each of the company’s four productgroups continues to develop technolo-gies to improve final process qualitywhile reducing total production costs.

Aluminum solution heat treating. A vi-able alternative to drop-bottom solutionheat treating furnaces, Jet ImpingementTechnology provides high volume pro-duction with faster heating rates andtight uniformity using a semicontinuoussolution heat treat furnace, water quench,and age oven. Faster heating ratesachieve the soak cycle in less time, re-ducing the overall cycle. The furnace hasachieved temperature uniformity per-formance as low as ±1°F of the tempera-ture set point throughout the soak period.The furnace loads, heat treats, quenches,and discharges continually without op-erator assistance.

Vacuum furnace technology. The VacuumGroup introduced its ZeroFlow gas-ni-triding option to standard horizontal re-tort tempering furnaces with vacuumpurge. The new technology, a viable al-ternative to current industry practices,offers:

• High accuracy of nitrided layer for-mation using precise atmosphere control

• Process control by ammonia propor-tioning and flow stopping (ZeroFlow)

• Significantly lower process gas con-sumption and low exhaust gas emissionsthan in traditional processes

• Quick, accurate real-time atmospherecomposition-monitoring system (no com-plex sampling system)

• Simple gas train system• Low cost of ownership• Easy adaptablility to existing nitiding

systemsThe group is also introducing the

SimVaC software package to work withthe FineCarb vacuum carburizingprocess software as a tool to design

vacuum carburizing process cycles.Users save time and reduce processerrors by simulating steel carbur-izing process cycles prior to run-

ning actual trials. The system allows theuser to choose carburizing and diffusionspecifications, process, temperature, and


Automated Pulsed Plasma NitridingEltro GmbH, Germany and Eltro Services Inc., Oxford, Mich.

Eltro offers modern plasma heat treatment technology using its EltroPuls pulsedplasma technology. Hundreds of Eltro furnaces are in use today to cost effec-

tively process parts to very strict customer requirements. The controller is the coreof plasma nitriding, offering the shortest power-up times, loss-free storage of theprocess cycle, and plug and play support for external bulk memory and printers.A high resistance to interference is generated through a CAN based BUS, a deter-ministic control and regulation based on real-time software. Therefore, processingspeed is a multiple of a SPS or a Windows-based system, which is necessary todesign a reliable and effective plasma process.

To assist users inexperienced in writing an ideal treatment program, the systemincludes multiple well-proven programs. In addition, the furnace system nowcan run automatically via the process controller. An expert system in the back-ground of the new-generation furnace supervises the plasma process, optimizinghigher level algorithms, which is considered a further milestone in in-dustrial plasma heat treatment.

Eltro offers solutions to industry-wide issues such as high en-ergy costs, shortage of skilled labor, and increas-ingly stringent environmental regulations andincreased production. The company’s furnacesare characterized by low consumption of energyand gas. Treatment programs are optimized toreduce treatment times, and, thereby, consump-tion of resources. The Eltropuls nitriding processis 100 % environmentally friendly and can easily be in-tegrated into a production line. Treated part quality isrepeatable, consistent, and predictable load after load. www.eltropuls.de; www.eltroservices.com.

Three-module InductoForge system.

Double bottomfurnace configurationsallow robotic parts loadingand unloading.


precooling and soak times. A steel gradeis then selected from a menu of prepro-grammed U.S., European, and Russianspecifications along with part geometry,radius, and surface area. The system au-tomatically computes the batch weightand surface area.

Atmosphere furnaces and generators. TheThermal Process Group updated andreintroduced a rotary retort furnacesystem designed to maintain consistentlysuperior quench hardening performancerequired for fast, economical, and uni-form heat treating of small parts. Smallparts are moved through the retort by

means of internal flights conveyance, andmechanism-free fluid conveyancethrough the quench bath minimizes lost,mixed, or damaged parts. The patentedWhirl-A-Way system is designed to pre-vent atmosphere contamination in thefurnace. The system handles a wide va-riety of part configurations while con-stantly maintaining individual quenchresults, providing deeper, uniform casedepths. Acantilevered, one-piece cast re-tort is supported at one end and sealedat the charge end of the furnace. Thereare no seals or bearings in hot areas or atthe discharge end.

Controlled atmosphere brazing (CAB).This unique air-cooled chamber designcan be purchased new, or can be addedto existing furnace lines. Consider re-placing water jackets and piping with anair-cooled hood and fan assembly ifutility costs and water quality issues area problem. Seco/Warwick will size thenew chamber, fan, and ductwork for thespecific application and can provide thematerial, engineering, and labor for theequipment upgrade. www.secowarwick.com.

ENGINEERED FOR PRODUCTIVITY

Custom InductionS y s t e m s

Custom InductionS y s t e m s

ENGINEERED FOR PRODUCTIVITY

Global Sales& Service

Pillar Induction Heating Systemsmean profitable business for forgers and formers. As the orginators ofthe solid state power supply, Pillarprovides solid reliability, efficiencyand economy in designing and building your entire heating system.

We design customized handling systems with automation, speed andproductivity in mind. We view ourcustomer relationships as partnershipsand work to give you all theadvantages of our patented technology.

21905 Gateway RoadBrookfield, Wisconsin 53045

800-558-7733262-317-5300 • Fax: 262-317-5394

W e b s i t e :

w w w . p i l l a r. c o m

24-Hour Support :

8 0 0 - 8 9 6 - 7 9 5 4

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Aluminum solution heat treating and aging furnace system.

ZeroFlow gas nitriding option for retort tempering furnace with vacuum purge.


Large Furnaces Provide Economies of Scale, Improved TurnaroundSolar Atmospheres Inc., Souderton, Pa.

Large vacuum furnace capabilitiesSolar Atmospheres continues to invest

in the largest capacity vacuum furnacesto handle the heaviest payloads. In early2008, Solar Atmospheres of Western PA,Hermitage, Pa., will commence start upof the largest commercially availablevacuum furnace, having workload di-mensions of 5 ft × 5 ft × 36 ft long (1.5 ×1.5 × 11 m), and capable of handling loads weighing up to 150,000 lb (68,000kg) using Solar’s patented double ended load-car design. The maximumoperating temperature is 2850°F (1565°C),while maintaining vacuum levels to the 5 × 10-5 torr range. The company continues to push the envelope invacuum furnace size to meet market de-mands including:

• The need for less post-heat treat met-allurgical testing; running multiplesmaller chamber loads with multiple wit-ness pieces requiring individual testingis eliminated by running all in one loadwith only one battery of testing

• Economies of production; large ca-pacity furnaces fulfill the need for fasterproduct turnaround

• Achieving better build-to-finishedgoods ratios; goals are to produce lessmachining chips and nearer net shapes,meaning less distortion, which is dramat-ically reduced via inert-gas quenching

• Elimination of typical post heat treatoperations such as pickling, shot blasting,sand blasting, descaling, burnishing, and passivation

• Enhanced pyrometry control;temperature measurement is en-hanced with 48 different thermo-couple locations

• Maximized cooling rates byquenching using two 300-hp motorsat 5,000 rpm, and very light inert gases such as helium

• Newer alloy development pred-icated on the advantages of vacuum(no carburized or decarburizedlayers)

• Maintaining critical part straight-ness at high temperatures using ro-bust load-car design

Vacuum carburizing production ap-plications and materials continue toexpand. Solar Manufacturing’s 24in. wide × 24 in. high × 72 in. deep(609 × 609 × 1,828 mm) vacuum car-burizing furnace with a unique in-


Providing Solutions to High Energy CostsLucifer Furnaces Inc., Warrington, Pa.

The year 2008 brings with it a myriad of problems for manufacturing industries in-cluding soaring energy costs topping the list with concerns for the environmental

regulations and pollution issues following close behind. Lucifer Furnaces is addressingthese issues in the heat treating industry by designing and offering economical, en-ergy efficient heat treating furnaces and ovens.

One way for a manufacturing company to reduce energy costs and reduce its en-vironmental impact is to bring heat treating in house. Advantages of this over out-sourcing the heat treatment step in the manufacturing process includes eliminatingcosts of transportation and shipping. Performing heat treating in house saves timeand avoids minimum-lot charges. In addition, improving part processing turn aroundtime translates into increased production. In house heat treating allows better controlover the quality of processed parts.

Lucifer Furnaces produces a range of products for many different applications.All furnaces are built with energy efficiency in mind. Insulation includes lightweightfirebrick insulation and mineral wool block, or ceramic fiber insulation for evengreater energy savings. A well insulated furnace prevents heat from reaching theshell of the furnace where it is lost to the environment. Solid, continuous insulationaround door components further reduces unnecessary energy consumption. Wellinsulated furnaces heat up at faster rates, saving energy consumption while increasingproduction.

One must consider the cost of purchasing a furnace compared with outsourcing heattreating. Lucifer Furnaces offers a variety of furnaces to meet every budget. Its economyline of furnaces, the Red Devil Series, is particularly suited for the occasional heattreater whose goal is to reduce energy costs, save money and shorten turn around timefor heat treating. Red Devil furnaces are available as single or dual chamber batch fur-naces or as recirculating ovens for tempering applications. Dual chamber models arespace saving, stacking a hardening furnace above a tempering oven to reduce demandson floor space. Economical and dependable, the Red Devil models make heat treatingaffordable. www.luciferfurnaces.com.

Solar Atmosphere 36-ft vacuum furnace.


situ quenching system offers improvedhandling and process control, which elim-inates intergranular oxidation and minimizes distortion. This results inbrighter parts requiring less post-carbur-izing work, and parts having a better casefor improved wear life.

Vacuum gas nitriding offers the advan-tages of gas nitriding with the surfacequality and turnaround capabilities of ionnitriding. This is possible because thevacuum environment enables rapid, uni-form product heat-up followed by in-ternal gas cooling. Precise temperatureand gas flow-control systems enable spec-ified properties to be obtained while min-imizing white layer. Part loading is facil-itated with unobstructed handling usingthe Solar designed horizontal furnace andload truck.

These vacuum furnace developmentsare examples of the expansion and needfor improved metals processing. Signifi-cant advancements in vacuum processingstarted with the requirements of newaerospace alloys in the 1960s, and that dy-namic is still in play; that is, new metalalloys and parts having more exact met-allurgical specifications require the moreprecise processing of vacuum thermalprocessing.

Environmentally clean vacuum heattreating could in some applications en-courage heat treaters with environmen-tally hazardous processes to consider itsuse. With improved gas quenching capa-bilities, vacuum heat treating is now pro-cessing selected oil quench materials andparts.

Solar Manufacturing also produceselectrically efficient furnaces. Improvedpower efficiency is accomplished usinga state-of-the-art power transformer (FCS2000 Smart Power Supply). To make amajor increase in output power, the FCS-2000 ramps smoothly to the new desiredlevel and decreases power with lesser de-mand. It is designed to extend compo-nent life in both the power supply andfurnace. The transformer is built by Mag-netic Specialties Inc., an affiliate companyof Solar Atmospheres. Although vacuumfurnace use of electrical power is signif-icant, precise temperature control makesthe process lean; only the required energyis used because of programmable con-trols and the MSi Smart Power supply.www.solaratm.com.

Energy-Efficient Magnetic Heating TechnologyMTECH, Rochester Hills, Mich.

MTECH’s patented environ-mentally friendly Core

Thermal Technolgy (CTT) offers advantagesover conventional heating methods such as fur-nace and induction heating by focusing mag-netic fields to create precisely controlled heatuniformly in all metals. The technology is fast,competitively priced, and energy efficient. Ben-efits include:

• Simultaneous uniform heating of core, halfcore, and surface of the workpiece

• Up to 50% energy savings over inductionand more over furnace heating

• Rapid heating (measured in terms of seconds)• Precise temperature control• Operating simplicity• Producing quality metallurgical results• Lower capital and operating costsHeating needs that could warrant the consideration of using CCT include lower en-

ergy consumption, shorter heating cycle, heat uniformity, temperature consistency,minimal space requirement, new product development (investigate new technology),simplicity of use, temperature requirement lower than 1300°F (700°C), accuracy anddependability, and flexibility to heat a single part, batch, or automate line.

CTT heating systems can be adapted to modular and flatbed configurations.Modular heating unit: CTT systems in modular form enable heating large workpiece

areas. Modules can be inverted to sandwich the workpiece to intensify the heat andshorten the cycle time. Applications include preheating molds, preheating for welding;stress relieving, annealing, and tempering.

Flatbed heat unit: This table top or free standing unit (~ 3 ft sq) heats to a temperatureof 1000º F (540°C) in minutes, and is intended for lab purposes, but also can be used inindustrial applications. Applications include heating test samples, metal sheet heating,preheating molds, and stress relieving.

CTT is a true uniform thermal heating technology. Temperature can be precisely con-trolled—stepped up, maintained, and stepped down—within several degrees of ac-curacy, which enables better control of microstructures. Furthermore for particular ap-plications, CTT can be incorporated into robotics, automation, on-line, or stand aloneprocesses. www.mtech.se.

Core Thermal Technology SandwichSeries 20-kw magnetic generator.

Advanced Heat Resistant AlloysSteeltech Ltd., Grand Rapids, Mich.

Rising energy costs and the competitive nature of theglobal market has put a strain on the heat treat in-

dustry, which leaves heat treaters searching for ways tolower operating costs and become more competitive. Steel-tech’s alternative energy saving (AES) alloy radiant tubes.AES radiant tubes reduce natural gas consumption andlower ramp-up time, saving time and money. The tubesalso provide extended life compared with standard alloytubes.

Another product to fight rising operating costs is Steel-tech’s Advanced Alloys (AA), designed to outperformtraditional heat resistant alloys in operations such as nor-malizing, annealing, carburizing, nitriding, and carboni-triding atmospheres. Compared with traditional heat re-sistant alloys with the same load configuration and at thesame temperature, furnace parts made of AA have a sub-stantially longer service life, which reduces the numberof costly shutdowns, resulting in more output and lowermaintenance costs. www.steeltechltd.com.


Surface Combustion has been a leaderin thermal processing equipment

since 1915. Innovative developmentsover the past nine decades have beenamong the most sought after technolo-gies. Whether atmosphere, vacuum, con-tinuous, or batch furnaces, Surface be-lieves constantly developing innovative,more efficient designs is the key togrowth in today’s dynamic business at-mosphere.

Process control and flexibility. Well-developed products like Surface’s Allcase® furnace line offers add-on capability to grow as production require-ments grow. Similarly, Surface’s newvacuum carburizing technology providesmodular add-on capability of chambersas production scales up. The technologyis based on a high-purity, low-cost carbonsource that is easy to control, repeatable,and dependable.

The use of 20-bar high-pressurequenching offers the benefit of lower partdistortion. The technology is available aspart of the Surface CloverleafTM vacuumcarburizing system. Gas quenching alsoeliminates the need for parts washing, as required with conventional oilquenching. Vacuum oil quenching isavailable for conventional lower gradematerials. In addition to vacuum carbur-izing, the Cloverleaf also can do conven-tional vacuum processing such as hard-ening, annealing, and brazing. Cloverleaffurnaces equipped with both oil and gasquenching offer a heat treater the ulti-mate in flexibility.

The company’s simple, rugged designstranslate to years of dependable servicewith minimal maintenance requirements.Soon to be released is an enhanced ver-sion of Surface’s Heat Treat Management(HTMTM) software. The new system iseasier to use and more powerful, pro-viding data reporting, remote viewing,and load/part number tracking.

Environment. Surface offers patentedgas-fired vacuum furnace designs inwhich the customer can substitute elec-trical heating with the fuel source for en-ergy savings. RX® generators are the stan-dard for endothermic gas, and with anindustry-leading 6:1 turndown ratio, pro-duction consumption is minimized byautomatic controls adjusting capacityneeds. Maintaining heat by using recu-

perative technologies and simply by re-taining heat in loads rather than coolingin between processing steps are alsogaining more favor. Environmental con-cern for thermal processing exhaust emis-sions is growing, leading Surface to pur-chase the Morgan-Isley ejector stackproduct line and to make new develop-ments in incinerators, such as ammoniaincinerators for gas-nitriding furnaces,to enable better control of process offgases.

Reliability. Surface Combustion isknown for rugged construction and longequipment life, and the company standsbehind its equipment with RebuildRetrofit and Aftermarket Services, in-cluding an inventory of original equip-ment spare parts and field service tomaintain equipment or facilitate trainingof the next-generation workforce.

Surface continues to be a leader in theheat treat market by dedicating thou-sands of hours to various professional organizations, including many board-level positions and committee assign-ments in organizations such as the ASM Heat Treating Society, MTI, CHTE,and IHEA. In this way, the company offers its experience as a foundation for the advancement of the entire thermal processing industry. www.surfacecombustion.com.


Innovative Developments in Thermal ProcessingSurface Combustion Inc., Maumee, Ohio

Ejector stack.Vacuum carburizing system.

Rich-fume incinerator.

Graphite Products Meet Specific NeedsGrafTech International Ltd., Parma, Ohio

GrafTech (formerly UCAR Carbon Co.Inc.) has been involved in developing

innovative carbon and graphite solutionssince its inception in 1886. Its GRAF-SHIELD line of graphite insulation,GRAFOAM carbon foam and UCAR Per-formance Graphite products are used inhigh temperature, controlled atmosphereapplications.

The heat treating industry faces aunique challenge in its current growthphase. Historically high oil and energyprices are exerting cost pressure ongraphite products, which use an energyintensive manufacturing process and pe-troleum-based raw materials. High en-ergy prices and concerns about globalwarming have spurred adoption of windand solar based energy generation leadingto growth rates of about 15% and 30%, re-spectively, in those markets and a con-sequent demand for the high-tempera-ture graphite insulation used in theirmanufacturing process. Meanwhile, thebooming aerospace market, which isdriving growth in the heat treatingmarket, is consuming massive amounts


Trends in Ceramics Impact Thermal ProcessingBlasch Precision Ceramics, Albany, N.Y.

There are a number of factors working together to make thefuture very bright for using ceramics in heat treating. In-

novations continue to raise the performance of engineered ce-ramics to survive the challenges of heat treating applications.For example, new alumina-bonded materials provide betterresistance to degradation in hydrogen atmospheres for bothmetal and powder injection molding (MIM and PIM) furnace-tile applications. Alumina bonding also provides high hotstrength and resistance to hot load deformation for use in hightemperature applications.

In addition, the price of metals is rising much faster than theprice of ceramics. Consequently, as the cost of metals main-tains its climb, it becomes increasingly more attractive to useceramics in heat treating applications. Since the performanceof ceramics typically surpasses many metals in heat treatingprocesses, choosing ceramics is the smart choice for both performance and ROI.

Further, ceramic companies such as Blasch are constantly advancing the state of the art with re-gard to ceramic formulations suitable for heat treating applications and in sophisticated manu-facturing processes that produce near-net-shape ceramic parts having tight tolerances, lowshrinkage, and controlled porosity and density.

Expensive machining costs are avoided by casting rather than machining parts to the correctshape and dimensions. In addition to containing costs, this is significant because machining canintroduce stresses and microcracks, which can potentially lead to premature failure of the material, particularly during thermal cycling. Since heat treat-ment often produces severe thermal cycles, and sincethermal shock resistance is critical, the need to maintainthe integrity of the material is paramount. www.blaschceramics.com.

of carbon fiber in its shift to compositebodies and structures. The confluenceof these factors has led to a shortage ofhigh-temperature insulation, whichcomes at a time when high energy priceshave increased pressure on heat treatingcompanies to reduce costs through im-proved furnace efficiencies and reducedcycle times.

To help alleviate this material shortage,GrafTech has invested heavily to increaseits graphite insulation production ca-pacity in 2007. In addition, GRAFOAMwas introduced, providing structuralstrength to its insulative and handlingproperties. These products help reducecost through lower energy consumption,improved furnace efficiency, and reducedcycle times. GRAFOAM, the strongestknown thermal insulator for tempera-tures to 2500°C (4530°F), is easily ma-chined into complex shapes, and is espe-cially suited for applications where theinsulation panels need to provide struc-tural support or bear weight.

GRAFSHIELD heat management so-lutions include GRI, GRIG, GRAF

BOARD and AMW compact, light-weight, and durable products that effec-tively manage radiant, conductive, andconvective heat transfer, increasing fur-nace efficiency and operational prof-itability. GRI and GRIG products arecarbon-bonded carbon fiber rigid insula-tions with low thermal conductivities.They withstand furnace temperatures ofup to 5400°F (3000°C) and are signifi-cantly more cost effective than metallicradiation shields. Their low densitymeans a much lower thermal mass toheat up resulting in very low powerdraws to reach equilibrium operationtemperature. And, because graphite coolsrapidly, more run-cycles are possibleevery day. Unlike rolled felt insulation,GrafTech’s rigid insulations do not suffervoids or hot spots, nor do they distortwhen subjected to rapid changes in

Graphite products provide increased furnace efficiency and operational profitability.

pressure and temperature. Theirrigidity makes them easy to handle,easy to install, easy to repair and easyto clean.

GrafTech offers the largest sizes of rigidinsulation and carbon foam monolithicblocks in the market. Multipiece boardstock and hollow or solid cylinders canbe fabricated in larger sizes by the ma-chined “shiplap” joint techniques. Whenbonded with UCAR grade graphite ce-ment and cured, the joints are strongerthan the original insulation and will notlose joint integrity in normal operations.www.graftech.com.

Advanced ceramic kiln furniture.


As a leader in vacuum oil quenchingof large aerospace components, Vac

Aero is preparing for increases in com-mercial aircraft production that are fore-cast over the next few years. Despite thefact that production for portions of theseprograms continues to move offshore, thecompany expects to be installing addi-tional vacuum oil quench capacity to sup-port forecast increases in demand inNorth America. Some new large-aircraftprograms will require the largest vacuumoil quench furnaces ever constructed byVac Aero.

Vacuum oil quenching offers environ-mental and economic benefits over tra-ditional hardening techniques in salt bathand controlled-atmosphere furnaces. Be-cause vacuum furnaces are inherentlyleak tight, control of surface chemistry isprecise, and decarburization and high-temperature oxidation problems asso-ciated with traditional processes can beeliminated. Vacuum oil quenching alsoallows manufacturers of aircraft landinggear and structural components to finishmachine critical surfaces on componentsprior to heat treating, thereby reducingfinal machining costs. As a result, theprocess is favored for many aircraftlanding gear heat treating applications,which has made Vac Aero a key supplierof heat treating services for landing gearcomponents in legacy and recent aircraftprograms like Airbus A380, Boeing 777,and the new Boeing Dreamliner.

Vac Aero operates three of the world’slargest vacuum oil quench furnaces(some which have been used in servicecontinuously since 1989,) designed andmanufactured by the company’s FurnaceManufacturing Div. The largest of thesefurnaces can process loads up to 72 in. indiameter by 126 in. high (1,829 by 3,200mm). Large vacuum oil quench furnacesare complex in construction and requireskill and experience to operate and main-tain. Maximizing operation uptime is ofmajor importance to meet increasingcompetitive pressures from lower costmanufacturing regions abroad and in re-sponding to price reduction demandsfrom the customers. Technology transferand operator training is receiving greaterfocus, with education in the safety andquality aspects receiving as much atten-tion as technical training. Vac Aero holds

AS9100, NADCAP, and numerous cus-tomer approvals for heat treating,welding, and tensile testing.

The company continues to expand itsinternational operations, such as inPoland, where it offers vacuum heattreating and brazing, thermal spray, andinorganic paint services to an increasingnumber of turbine engine-componentmanufacturers. The Polish operationswill continue to expand in 2008 by in-stalling additional processing equipmentand plant space. Vac Aero also is in-vesting in research into new coating tech-niques, such as cold spray, through itsmain coatings facility near Montreal,Quebec, Canada. A joint venture withHighTemp Furnaces of India has com-pleted its first vacuum gas quench fur-nace, which is being installed in the newHighTemp Vac Aero facility near Banga-lore. The joint venture offers both heattreating services and vacuum furnacemanufacturing to customers in India.Aerospace manufacturing continues togrow in India and is expected to be a bigmarket for Hightemp Vac Aero. www.vacaero.com.


Vacuum Oil Quenching of Aerospace ComponentsVac Aero International Inc., Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Model VAV72126 DOQvacuum oilquench furnacedesign includesa heatingchamber that israised and lowered on afixed gantry tosave floor space.The workload isplaced on thehearth using acustomizedloader.

Model VAV 72114 DOQ vacuum oilquench furnace used to harden a wide

variety of aerospace parts made from highstrength steels such as 4340, 4140 and300M. An included gas quench system

allows interrupted quenching processes likeausbay quenching.

Vacuum Pump RefurbishmentMetallurgical High Vacuum Corp., Fennville, Mich.

MHVis a supplier ofvacuum pumps and

rebuilding services to the thermalprocess industry. The companystrives to respond to customer needsquickly with the best solutionwhether it’s a full rebuilding job ortotally new pumps and vacuumequipment. Vacuum carburizationproduces optimum metallurgical mi-crostructures for durability, and alsominimizes part distortion so it is akey in the cost-effective manufac-turing of precision gearing. Cus-tomers rely on MHV to help keeptheir vacuum pumps and blowersworking. The company supportsTuthill/Kinney, Stokes, Leybold ,and other pumps with repair partsand exact replacements, which helpskeep customers’ costs in line. www.methivac.com.


Refractory Solutions for the Heat Treating IndustryHarbison Walker Refractories Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.

In 2002, Harbison-Walker, North American RefractoriesCo., and A.P. Green Industries Inc. affiliated as ANH

Refractories Co., which serves the heat treating industrythrough Harbison-Walker. The company offers a completeline of refractory products including acid and basic brick,acid and basic monolithics, insulating brick and mono-lithics, and ceramic fiber, and complimentary productsfrom other manufacturers including a family of high emis-sivity coatings manufactured by Wessex Inc. and soldunder the trademarked name of Emisshield. These prod-ucts incorporate emissivity technology used in the spaceshuttle thermal protection system and licensed fromNASA.

Emisshield adheres to all refractories used in heattreating processes, including dense refractory brick andmonolithics, insulating firebrick, and refractory ceramicfiber. In addition, there are several products designed tobe applied to various metallic substrates to protect metalfixtures and structural furnace components from heat.The products can also improve the thermal transfer effi-ciency of retorts and muffles.

Emisshield absorbs convective and radiant heat fromburners and furnace gases and re-radiates it to the furnaceload. It increases the radiant heating component and re-duces the convective heating component of a furnace,which reduces heat losses through the refractory and upthe furnace flue. More energy is directed to doing thermalwork on the furnace load and less energy is wasted.

For example, Emisshield was applied to an IFB-linedfurnace used to treat high alloy castings at 2250°F (1230°C).After three months service, the furnace operator reportedan average fuel savings of 15%. Burner cycling droppedfrom 25-30% active to 5-10% active. When inserting a coldload into the furnace, top temperature was recovered 30%faster, which allowed an additional 1 to 2 heats per day tobe run, depending on the length of the desired schedulehold. After coating, the temperature of the furnace shellwas 30°F lower than before the coating was applied. Theapplication of Emisshield to this furnace resulted in sig-nificant energy savings and improved productivity.

When applied to furnace muffles and retorts, Emisshieldincreases the heat flux through the vessel wall, which in-creases thermal transfer by up to 14%. This allows the con-tents of the muffle to be heated faster, using less energy.The coating designed for this service forms a pinhole-freeglaze when heated, providing protection from corrosionand oxidation to the vessel.

Refractory ceramic fiber coated with Emisshield is ex-posed to less heat in service, which results in less fibershrinkage, a higher effective service temperature, and lessenergy loss. www.hwr.com.

Kiln Rollers Take the HeatBolt Technical Ceramics, div. of Morgan Advanced Ceramics Inc., Fairfield, N.J.

The Bolt Technical Ceramics’ HALSIC high-performance siliconcarbide (SiC) materials and SILLIMANTIN mullite rollers for

continuous roller kilns provide absolute dimensional stability andthermal shock resistance despite extreme mechanical strain in hightemperature applications. Three HALSIC grades offered in the U.S.(HALSIC-R recrystallized SiC, HALSIC-I silicon infiltrated SiC, andHALSIC-RX, an extremely oxidation-resistant silicon carbide ma-terial that can be used in rotating roller applications up to 1650°C, or3000°F, are manufactured in MAC’s Haldenwanger facilities in Ger-many. Due to their high load-bearing ability, HALSIC rollers are idealfor kilns used for the production of sanitary fixtures, porcelain, heavyclayware, and technical ceramics, even at very high temperaturesand in highly-oxidizing atmospheres. Standard rollers are availablein diameters from 20 to 60 mm and lengths of over 3,300 mm (~0.75to 2.36 in. and 130 in.). All rollers are available with straight openends, notched ends, and with thermal fiber stuffed in the ends to help reduce heat loss. Bolt offers design assistance and customized solu-tions. www.morganadvancedceramics.com. HTP

High-performance kiln rollers for continuous kilns.

New Quenchant Extends ApplicationsDow Chemical, Midland, Mich.

New for 2008 are Dow’s next-generation Ucon polymer-basedquenchant products for the heat treating industry, formulated

without nitrites and providing superior corrosion protection and bac-teria resistance. Ucon Ultraquench Plus Series quenchants are non-flammable, aqueous polymer solutions that contain a nonnitrite cor-rosion inhibitor package, which protects not only the parts being heattreated but also the quenching bath and fixtures. The first product tobe introduced is Ultraquench RL Plus, which allows quenchingmedium to high carbon steels and most alloy steel grades including300 or 400 series stainless steels. The quenchant is particularly suit-able for induction hardening and direct quenching from the forge orcontinuous cast quenching processes. It outperforms other similarmaterials including water, PVA, and soluble oils.

Ucon Ultraquench Plus Series quenchants cut down on emissions;they do not produce smoke, soot, or other waste products relatedto oxidation. Reduction in the amount of soot and smoke is benefi-cial to those who must work in close proximity to these processes andit also helps support Dow’s 2015 Sustainability Goals, which repre-sent critical milestones in the company’s continuing transforma-tion and leadership in the area of sustainability and environmental,health, and safety performance. www.dow.com.

Emisshield coating on furnace refractory reduces energy costs.


Documents

Combining Foundry Processes in Heat Treating Systems