A North American manufacturer has bolstered its heat treatment capabilities for annealing steel parts after induction hardening. The two-zone belt conveyor furnace shipped to the facility ensures precise temperature control, energy efficiency, and compliance with AIAG specification CQI-9.
“The customer chose to enhance the operating efficiency of the oven with the E-Pack™ Energy Efficiency Package. Depending on utility rates, operating temperature, and weekly usage, customers may achieve significant annual energy savings with this upgrade,” said Tom Trueman, senior application engineer for Wisconsin Oven Corporation.
Tom Trueman Senior Applications Engineer Wisconsin Oven Corporation
Wisconsin Oven Corporation designed the conveyor furnace with the capacity to heat 2,400 pounds of steel per hour from 70° to 350°F with a maximum temperature rating of 500°F and the ability to anneal the components after induction hardening. The recirculation system features a top-down airflow design with a 32,000 CFM blower, with each of the two zones utilizing 16,000 CFM. The temperature for both zones is controlled by a Watlow F4T digital recorder/controller, which provides Ethernet communication capabilities and PID temperature control with adaptive tuning. As a factor in its CQI-9 compliance, a temperature uniformity survey was conducted, documenting uniformity of ±10°F at 350°F with verified part soak.
To maximize energy efficiency, the oven has been upgraded with an E-Pack™ Energy Efficiency Package, which includes 2” thicker insulation in the walls, floor, and roof, as well as variable frequency drives on the recirculation blowers.
The press release is available in its original form here.
A major ship builder has acquired a vacuum furnace for the Additive Manufacturing Division at the company’s new Manufacturing Center of Excellence. The single chamber vacuum furnace will be used primarily for annealing powder metal 3D printed parts, with additional capabilities for on-demand tool hardening applications.
Piotr Zawistowski Managing Director SECO/VACUUM Source: SECO/VACUUM
The 3D printing shop and annealing furnace supplied by SECO/VACUUM will enable rapid fabrication of critical replacement parts faster than traditional manufacturing methods, allowing the manufacturer to get ships out of dock and back underway sooner. The Vector furnace is equipped with a 36 x 36 x 48 inch metal hot-zone, a high-vacuum diffusion pump, and a 6-Bar high-pressure argon and nitrogen gas quench.
“To get their 3D operation up and running quickly, we were able to pull off some clever production schedule juggling in order to accommodate their special request for an accelerated delivery schedule,” said Piotr Zawistowski, managing director of SECO/VACUUM.
This vacuum furnace provides a wide range of additional processes, including hardening, tempering, solution heat treating, brazing and sintering, and low-pressure carburizing. Vector produces clean, uniform, high-quality parts with repeatable accuracy and no oxidation.
The press release is available in its original form here.
We’re celebrating getting to the “fringe” of the weekend with a Heat Treat Fringe Friday installment: a project that targets reducing the environmental impact of the bright annealing process. Learn more about this EU-funded initiative that is expected to impact industries using high-hydrogen-content atmospheric gas.
While not exactly heat treat, “Fringe Friday” deals with interesting developments in one of our key markets: aerospace, automotive, medical, energy, or general manufacturing.
Energy efficiency, specifically reducing the environmental impact of the bright annealing process in seamless stainless steel and nickel alloy tube production, is the goal of a new European Union-funded initiative. The recently launched LIFE H2ReuseProject seeks solutions for hydrogen recovery and reuse.
The project, coordinated by DMV (Cogne Group, formerly Mannesman Stainless Tubes) in partnership with Tenova, is expected to impact industries using high-hydrogen-content atmospheric gas, which could apply the project’s results to reduce their carbon footprint, optimize resource use, and lower operating costs.
In the bright annealing process, 100% hydrogen is used in high-temperature furnaces to produce high-performance tubes with superior surface quality, corrosion resistance, and durability. Currently, hydrogen is flared after each production cycle, leading to significant waste. The LIFE H2Reuse project aims to address this issue by developing two innovative technical solutions: recovering the wasted hydrogen from the annealing process and reusing it as fuel in radiant tubes working 100% of hydrogen. This approach represents a market-first innovation, as the recovery of atmospheric gas for reuse in industrial processes is not yet commercially available.
While hydrogen burners are already on the market, they remain in a developmental phase. The initiative will focus on enhancing their efficiency and effectiveness in real-world industrial environments. The project’s expected outcomes include significant reductions in carbon footprint, energy consumption, and resource waste, all of which will be rigorously tested to demonstrate their technical, environmental, and socio-economic benefits.
The press release is available in its original form here.
Main image: Technologies used by Tenova in the bright annealing process
Steelmaker Sanbao Group has expanded its heat treatment operations with three annealing and coating lines for non-grain oriented (NGO) silicon steel. The equipment enhancement is part of the company’s entry into the field of silicon steel production.
Sanbao contracted with Tenova LOI Thermprocess, an industrial furnace supplier, for the heat treatment furnaces intended for processing metals. Two electric arc furnaces (EAF) previously supplied by Tenova Group have been installed and put into operation.
A signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of Sanbao Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., in Zhangzhou, China, as part of the company’s “Cold rolled Silicon Steel and Metal Products Deep Processing Project”, a new greenfield project for electrical steel that aims to obtain the highest surface quality and best magnetic properties in NGO electrical steel for Southeast China.
Sascha Bothen Senior Vice President of Sales Tenova LOI Thermprocess Source: LinkedIn
“Tenova and Sanbao have already collaborated successfully establishing Tenova’s Consteel® technology and the successful references of Tenova LOI Thermprocess in the heat treatment of electrical steel and great efforts in the research & development in this sector fully convinced us to this investment,” stated Wang Guangwen, chairman of Sanbao Group.
“It was a great honor for us to participate in the signing ceremony of the Sanbao Group in Zhangzhou, which emphasizes their trust in our technology,” stated Sascha Bothen, senior vice president sales, Tenova LOI Thermprocess. “We are proud to further strengthen the cooperation and work together to help propel forward the green energy transition in the steel industry.”
Included in the featured image: Wang Guangwen, chairman of Sanbao Group; Dong Guibo, vice general manager of Sanbao Group; Sascha Bothen, senior vice president of sales, Tenova LOI Thermprocess; and Wolfgang Eggert, general sales manager, Tenova LOI Thermprocess.
The press release is available in its original form here.
An aerospace, industrial gas turbine, and automotive market leader has expanded its heat treatment operations with a recently purchased air atmosphere furnace. Connecticut-based Doncaster Precision Castings will use the new furnace to support annealing, tempering, and heat treatment of steel and castings.
Doncaster Precision Castings previously received a similar model for use in its heavy-duty industrial processes within the aerospace and automotive sectors. The furnace, supplied by L&L Special Furnace, has a maximum temperature of 1850°F (1010°C) and a capacity to handle a typical load weight of 2,000 pounds.
The press release is available in its original form here.
Two aluminum homogenizers and two coolers are set to enhance U.S. operations for an aluminum manufacturer with locations across America. One of each unit will be sent to locations on opposite sides of the U.S.
The supplier of these systems is SECO/WARWICK USA. Homogenizers are a type of annealing furnace used in the aluminum industry to prepare log billets for extrusion. They heat the aluminum alloy logs to near-melting temperatures, then allow them to cool slowly, leaving a uniform molecular structure free of stresses or irregularities that compromise extrusion quality.
While proper homogenization requires a slow cool-down period, the large loads at this manufacturer’s location in the western side of the U.S. would take far longer than necessary to cool passively. So, after homogenizing, the load is removed from the homogenizer and placed into a cooler unit. The cooling is accomplished using a bank of high-power fans to keep fresh air passing over the hot ingots but cooling aluminum alloy to room temperature from close to 1000°F is not as simple as just placing the load in front of the fans. Instead, the cooler has walls that contain the heated air so it can be safely ducted to the exterior.
Marcus Lord Managing Director at SECO/WARWICK Corporation Source: SECO/WARWICK
Headed to the eastern side of the U.S., the furnace and cooler are of a different style and customized to fit within the tighter footprint available in the facility. It is configured as a two-position traveling furnace with car-bottom loading, which means the furnace is mounted to roll on rails, with a door at both ends, so the load can be staged in open floor space, then the furnace rolls over the top of it. The cooler system is mounted on parallel rails, with an extendable roof and end walls, such that it can enclose the load, still stacked on the same furnace car-bottom. The furnace will replace the first traveling furnace that SECO/WARWICK ever fabricated, installed back in 1975, when the plant was under different ownership.
“We have provided this industry partner with equipment and support for decades and we share their commitment to a cleaner, greener future. These homogenizers and coolers will help them meet that commitment by increasing the energy efficiency of their aluminum production process,” commented Marcus Lord, the managing director at SECO/WARWICK USA.
Jupiter Aluminum Industries (JUPALCO), a newly established aluminum factory which will be part of the Jupiter Group in India, has ordered three furnaces for annealing aluminum coils from a heat treat furnace manufacturer with North American locations.
The equipment ordered by the Jupiter Group from SECO/WARWICK includes three Vortex® 2.0 furnaces for aluminum annealing, two cooling chambers, and one loader. A system configured in this way will ensure the optimal production volume of the Indian rolling mill.
The aim of JUPALCO’s new plant will be to achieve the highest level of domestic aluminum production in history and to create an ecosystem of comprehensive aluminum-based solutions. This is the first cooperation between SECO/WARWICK and the Jupiter Group.
The three Vortex furnaces are effective systems for annealing aluminum coils. In the Vortex 2.0 version, a system of straight nozzles has increased the heat transfer efficiency. The systems key feature is the increased heat transfer coefficient, achieved by directing high-velocity air to both sides of the coil. This allows air to flow over the coil edges, not just through its outer layer.
Piotr Skarbiński, Vice President of (Source: secowarwick.com)
With the use of patented air flow technology, the aluminum coil annealing systems operate with process cycles that are significantly shorter. This in turn ensures energy savings, increased efficiency, and improved surface quality of the finished coils.
“In the case of coil annealing,” commented Piotr Skarbiński, VP of the CAB andAluminum Products Segment at the SECO/WARWICK Group, “the challenge is to optimize the process by reducing the cycle time as much as possible while maintaining the desired metallurgical properties throughout the entire load.”
The Jupiter Group plans to recycle over 50,000 tons of aluminum scrap every year once fully operational. This scrap will come from both in-house and customer scrap, purchased scrap, and recycled cans/foils etc. The new rolling mill in India will help the Group expand its footprint in the aluminum industry and produce Made in India products which will be known for its quality and reliable products and services.
“Since the 1990’s,” says Mr. Sandeep Bajaj, CMD of Jupiter Aluminum Industries, JUPALCO, “the Jupiter Group processes aluminum as a partner of the converting and packaging industries. Ecology is an important value for us. It is included in our mission, just like our Partner’s. The rolling mill in India will be one of the most modern facilities of this type in this region, which is why we are equipping it with the best solutions available on the market.”
This press release is available in its original form here.
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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.
An Ultra Low NOx HPH®-flameless bell-type annealing plant at thyssenkrupp Hohenlimburg has achieved CO2-neutral heat treatment of precision strip.
Tenova LOI Thermprocess, a company which is part of Tenova, continues to prove that CO2-neutral heat treatment can go together with low nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in a cooperation project with thyssenkrupp Hohenlimburg GmbH. Tenova LOI Thermprocess is part of Tenova and is one of the leading companies supplying industrial furnace systems for the heat treatment of metals. Tenova, a Techint Group company, is as a worldwide partner for sustainable, innovative, and reliable solutions in the metals and the mining industries.
In bell-type annealing plants, which have so far been mainly operated with natural gas, precipitation and spheroidizing annealing of steel coils is carried out to specifically adjust the mechanical properties for subsequent rolling processes or the required product properties at the end customer.
At thyssenkrupp’s Hagen-Hohenlimburg site, Tenova LOI Thermprocess’s heating hoods with LOI’s patented Ultra low NOx HPH®-flameless concept has been used for around 12 years. By increasing air preheating temperatures to 1112°F (600°C), this technology has led to energy and therefore CO2 savings of up to 12%.
Dr. Gökhan Gula Project Manager and Process Engineer Tenova LOI Thermprocess.
In a campaign involving several annealing cycles, a further step has been taken towards decarbonizing steel production as part of the joint project. In production trials, the fuel gas supply for the heat treatment of hot-rolled narrow strip was gradually converted from natural gas to up to 100% hydrogen. Tenova indicates that, for the first time in the world, 70 t of steel strip were heat treated in a bell-type annealing plant in a locally CO2‑neutral process. The flameless concept demonstrates its advantages here because despite the higher combustion temperature compared to natural gas and thus a tendency towards higher nitrogen oxide emissions, it results in remarkably low NOx emissions.
Using the bell-type annealing plant, up to 2600 kg of CO2 can be saved per annealing cycle by using regenerative produced hydrogen, while maintaining productivity and product properties.
“The combustion of hydrogen is technically more complex than the direct use of electricity or the combustion of natural gas. This project has provided us with further insights into the decarbonization of the bell-type annealing process and is helping us on our joint path towards the transformation to climate-neutral steel production,” says Dr. Gökhan Gula, project manager and process engineer at Tenova LOI Thermprocess.
Heat Treat Today is partnering with two international publications:heat processing, a Vulkan-Verlag GmbH publication that serves mostly the European and Asian heat treat markets, and Furnaces International, a Quartz Business Media publication that primarily serves the English-speaking globe. Through these partnerships, we are sharing the latest news, tech tips, and cutting-edge articles that will serve our audience — manufacturers with in-house heat treat.
In this installment, explore important company partnerships with wide-spread industry effects as well as innovative new technologies from abroad.
TECHMO CAR Welcomes Anthony Tropeano as New Senior Advisor
Founded in 1961, TECHMO CAR drives innovation in the engineering and manufacturing of mobile and stationary equipment for the aluminum and metal production sector. (Source: Furnaces International)
"Anthony Tropeano of TT CONSULTING INC. has joined TECHMO CAR as a Senior Advisor for the US and Mexico market. Mr. Tropeano has spent over 40 years in the primary, secondary and downstream aluminum and metals worldwide market.”
New Tin Plate Complex from Partnership Between Danieli and Habaş Group
Caption: Situated in Aliağa near Izmir, the new facility will serve the needs of the packaging industry and the increasing need for cold-rolled and annealed thin sheets. (Source: heat processing)
"The facility, with a capacity of 900,000 tons per year, will produce a diverse range of steel grades, including T1 to T4 and DR7 to DR10. Among its offerings are 250,000 tons of tinplate, 150,000 tons of thin, continuous annealed cold-rolled coil, and 500,000 tons of semi-finished products. The complex comprises four crucial process areas: electrolytic cleaning, cold rolling and tempering, electrolytic tinning, and continuous annealing.”
SMS Group Partners with Turkish Plant Operator Kardemir to Digitize Blast Furnace 5
Using BFXpert solution from Paul Wurth, SMS Group has digitized a blast furnace belonging to Kardemir, Türkiye’s oldest blast furnace operator. (Source: Furnaces International)
"The Paul Wurth BFXpert system is a comprehensive package of systems for the chemical and thermal control of blast furnaces. It is an integrated level-2 process control and operator guidance system for superior blast furnace operation, utilizing the benefits of artificial intelligence to take process optimization to the next level and towards a fully autonomous blast furnace."
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Develops New Process for Sustainable Pig Iron Production
“By integrating the blast furnace and coking plant as well as the consistent recycling of process gases and heat, CO₂ emissions in steel production can be reduced.” (Source: heat processing.com)
"Around eight percent of global CO₂ emissions are caused by the steel industry. Professor Olaf Deutschmann from the Institute for Technical Chemistry and Polymer Chemistry (ITCP) at KIT is of the opinion that this must change quickly. In the long term, thanks to new hydrogen technologies, there is a climate-neutral perspective, but it will still be a few years before sufficient green hydrogen is available worldwide and newly built plants go into operation.”
