ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS

News from Abroad: Furnace Updates and Lowered Emissions

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, ATMOSPHERE/AIR FURNACES 2, FOUNDRY CASTING, FOUNDRY CASTING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS / Leave a Comment

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 article, international companies scale up their equipment and scale down their carbon emission. 

German Steelmaker Dillinger Completes Slab Pusher Furnace in Rolling Mill

"The stock corporation of Dillinger Hüttenwerke (Dillinger) has successfully converted its slab pusher furnace 2 in the rolling mill." (Source: Furnaces International)

"For the customer, this means that the availability of large, heavy sheets increases. With these, weld seams can be saved and, thanks to more efficient production, more offshore foundations can ultimately be produced and installed. The modernization of the slab impact furnace, as well as the new edge milling machine for the delivery of “fabricated” offshore wind sheets, is one of a number of investments in the offshore wind market that are currently being planned and implemented at Dillinger."

 

Read More: “Dillinger: Investment in slab pusher furnace successfully completed" at heat processing

 

 

Global Steel Producers Partner To Cut Carbon Emissions

Heat transfer supplier Alfa Laval has created a partnership with Finnish steelmaker Outokumpu to cut carbon emissions. (Source: Furnaces International)

“Most of the Alfa Laval steel purchased from Outokumpu, a global steel manufacturer, will now be the low carbon stainless steel variety. This change applies to heat exchangers used in the energy transition towards a more sustainable energy supply, including energy efficiency, waste heat recovery, and heat pumps. These heat exchangers are currently produced in large quantities with the potential for future growth, says Alfa Laval.”

 

Read More: “"Outokumpu and Alfa Laval partner to cut emissions"  at furnaces-international.com

 

Japanese Steelmaker JFE Steel Plans To Build New EAF To Replace Blast Furnace

JFE's plans for an electric arc furnace will be used for the automotive industry and will reduce carbon emissions. (Source: heat processing)

“The steelmaker is considering building an EAF that can produce 2Mt of high-grade steel when the No.2 unit is due for refurbishment, JFE president Yoshihisa Kitano said. He added that the EAF would reduce CO2 emissions by 2.6Mt/yr from current levels emitted by the blast furnace."

 

Read More: "JFE mulls building 'one of the world's largest' EAFs" at furnaces-international.com

 

 

Indian Manufacturer Refratechnik Group Opens New Factory for Metals Industry  

"The Refratechnik Group opens its new factory in India." (Source: heat processing)

"The state-of-the-art greenfield factory was built to produce MgO-C refractory products, high-alumina bricks, as well as monolithic products for the steel, cement and non-ferrous metal industries. The plant will employ more than 300 people in the short term and more than 400 people in the long term."

 

Read More: "The Refratechnik Group opens a modern factory in India" at heat-processing.com

 

 

 

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Aluminum Rolling Company Expands Operations with Heat Treat Software

/ ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

The aluminum rolling division of ElvalHalcor S.A., Elval, has placed an order for a sustainability suite with a heat treat supplier with North American locations. This technology will be used for Elval’s flat-rolled aluminum manufacturing plant based in Oinofyta, Greece.

Drakotos Athanasios
Electrical & Electronic Maintenance Deputy Director
Elval
Source: LinkedIn

The Viridis Energy & Sustainability Suite from SMS group will contribute to Elval’s goal to reduce carbon emissions and optimize overall production processes. With the installation of two modules of the Suite, Viridis Performance and Viridis Grids, Elval will be equipped to meet the ever-increasing demands for responsible and energy-efficient management in the aluminum industry.

The automated machine learning (Auto ML) resources of Viridis Performance calculate targets automatically, maintaining relevance in changing production conditions. It will comprise over 70 equipment assets, such as melting furnaces, preheating furnaces, hot and cold rolling mills, among others. Viridis Grids will support Elval to precisely and autonomously calculate energy consumption forecast based on the production plan via automated machine learning resources.

Stated Drakotos Athanasios, the electrical & electronic maintenance deputy director at Elval, “Our partnership with SMS group represents a significant step in our sustainability journey. The Viridis Energy & Sustainability Suite aligns perfectly with our commitment to sustainable aluminum production and reducing our energy and environmental footprint. We are confident that this investment will have a positive impact on our operations and support our carbon footprint reduction pathway”.

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Automotive Parts Manufacturer Increases Production Capacity with Nitriding System

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, NITRIDING NEWS

Nikola Dzepina
Nitrex Regional Manager – Asia
Source: NITREX

An automotive parts manufacturer, Baida Electronic Equipment Co. Ltd., has recently increased its production capacity with the acquisition of nitriding system from a heat treat supplier with North American locations.

The newly integrated large pit-type nitriding system, model NX-1630 from Nitrex, will play a pivotal role in supporting Baida’s production targets, with a load capacity of 15,400 lb. (7000 kg) and load size of 61″ (1550 mm) in diameter by 118″ (3000 mm) in height.

Says Nikola Dzepina, account executive at Nitrex, “Baida and Nitrex have fostered a strong and enduring partnership over the years. Nitrex engineering and aftersales teams consistently provide essential support and expertise to ensure optimal furnace and application performance. This subsequent order not only strengthens Baida’s manufacturing capabilities but also reaffirms Nitrex’s standing as the preferred partner for companies seeking advanced nitriding solutions.”

 

 

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HVAC Manufacturer To Increase CAB Capabilities

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, NITRIDING

An HVAC manufacturer contracted a new controlled atmosphere brazing furnace. With this system, the company anticipates gains in both productivity and energy efficiency and reduction in their plant’s overall carbon footprint.

The contract for the system was awarded to SECO/WARWICK’s American subsidiary.

“Their manufacturing line is not a smooth, even flow of identical parts," remarked Marcus Lord, managing director at SECO/WARWICK USA, "Instead, part flow is intermittent and variable sizes. It is why we made the Active Only® CAB Furnace, to meet just such a demand.”

The operating sequence of the Active Only® CAB furnace is divided into stages, including: loading, drying in the dryer, nitrogen purging in the purging chamber, heating and brazing in a proprietary convection chamber, pre-cooling in the cooling chamber with an air-jacket, and the final direct air cooling in the final cooling chamber.

This semi-continuous furnace system will operate on a part-time basis; it will also allow for variable heating and cooling rates, depending on indexing times. Additionally, the furnace can braze the widest variety of heat exchangers when lower total production requirements are needed.

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The Technology that Is Turning North America Green

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

Due to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), United States investment in the energy and transportation sectors is increasing — by some calculations, increasing by about $26 billion USD.

One manufacturer of industrial furnaces, SECO/WARWICK Group, began an initiative to make the most of the IRA program. This initiative, launched as “SECO/ECO,” revolves around vacuum furnaces. Equipment such as the CaseMaster Evolution®, the UniCase Master®, and the Vector® were designed with reducing energy consumption, increasing production efficiency, and decreasing gas consumption in mind.

Ecology, economy, and efficiency are all related — so says SECO/WARWICK USA’s managing director, Marcus Lord, who commented on the importance of eco-friendly tech as a budget-friendly option available to North American heat treaters, “A well-designed furnace means greater efficiency, and thus lower media consumption. So, ecology also means economy. For the implementations protecting the environment to be accepted, they must also bring real profits. That is why we make sure that the innovation brings benefits in the form of shortening the processes time, greater efficiency, or lower gas consumption.”

To learn more about SECO/ECO and new, eco-friendly technologies available for the new, environmentally-conscious market, visit INTRODUCING SECO/WARWICK GROUP GREEN TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE USA or consult their ebook.

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The First of Eight Vacuum Furnaces Migrates Across Michigan

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

Solar Atmospheres of Michigan has begun the relocation of the first of eight existing vacuum furnaces from the old Vac-Met premises.

The first vacuum furnace (38” wide by 28” high by 72” deep), decommissioned from the Fraser Michigan plant, will be fully operational this week in the Chesterfield, Michigan, facility.

The migration of the next seven vacuum furnaces and other ancillary equipment, originating from both the Fraser, MI, and Warren, MI, plants, will occur every two weeks. By the end of 2023, the transferred assets will join the new existing Solar vacuum furnaces to form a new state of the art vacuum thermal treating facility in Michigan.

Robert (Bob) Hill, president of Solar Atmospheres of Michigan, comments, “To have all of our operations under one roof is a massive step for our employees and our company. Ownership of the vacant lot next to us gives the opportunity to grow the business more efficiently in one location. We are excited to get through this transition phase and look forward to 2024 and beyond!”

To view a video of the relocation process, see here.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ySZJX9EIRr0?si=vGgkb67lIHWsxeYm

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Advancement in Automotive Industry with EV Contract

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT, CONTROLS NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, NITROCARBURIZING NEWS

A component supplier in the automotive industry has secured a multimillion-dollar contract to receive a turnkey automated nitrocarburizing furnace system for the production of electric passenger vehicle brake components.

Under the contract, Nitrex will design, manufacture, commission, and test continuous-line furnaces, part of the NXL furnace series, which are capable of processing millions of brake parts annually.

In addition to the furnace design, Nitreg®-C and ONC® technologies are integral to this order. This ferritic nitrocarburizing process with post-oxidation improves metal corrosion resistance and effectively reduces rust formation. It is designed to achieve lower non-effluent emissions associated with electric vehicle braking systems.

Furthermore, Nitrex will integrate QMULUS, an AI and machine learning IoT platform, to enhance the supplier’s manufacturing capabilities and drive continuous improvement throughout its operations.

"[This project] empower[s] our customers to thrive as the transition to electric vehicles and more advanced solutions accelerates,” expressed Nitrex CEO Jean-Francois Cloutier.

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Arrival of Atmosphere-Controlled Retort Furnace for Aerospace Applications

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, FEATURED NEWS

A leading manufacturer of aerospace components in the Midwestern U.S. has received one of two furnaces, which will be part of a CMC manufacturing facility providing lightweight aerospace components to commercial and military aerospace applications.

These two model XLC3348 furnaces were delivered by L&L Special Furnace. The nano threads in the CMC process are coated with proprietary resins which need to be completely removed from the substructure using heat. It is also vital that there is no oxygen present during the process as this will significantly weaken the part structure.

The model XLC3348 has a work zone of 23” wide by 23” high by 36” deep. It has a single zone of control with a temperature gradient of ±14°C/±25.2°F at temperatures between 1202°F/650°C and 1832°F/1,000°C using six zones of temperature control with biasing to balance any gradients. Constructed of low-mass insulating firebrick, which enables quicker cooldown times, the furnace also features a venturi cooling blower.

The parts are heated to a set temperature in a retort chamber that is pressurized with nitrogen. The byproducts of the outgassing part are directed by pressure and flow out of the rear of the furnace, and then heated in a vacuum furnace to temperatures in excess of 2300°F/ 1,260°C, resulting in a super-strong component that is lighter than titanium.

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Manufacturer in Energy Expands with Heat Treat System

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, ENERGY HEAT TREAT, NITRIDING NEWS, QUENCHING NEWS

A manufacturer for the energy industry has recently announced the installment of a roller hearth furnace system. The heat treat system is comprised of two (2) box furnaces with quench tanks, a dual directional load transfer car, four (4) companion draw batch ovens, and two (2) stationary load/unload tables.

The system from Lindberg/MPH has a maximum operating temperature of 1850°F for the box furnaces, which are designed for nitrogen-based atmosphere applications. The load space dimensions of the box furnaces are 48” W x 96” D x 36” H, with larger internal chambers to provide clearance for baskets or fixtures. A snake chain pusher assembly with a dual-directional pacecar is used by each furnace to transfer the loads from the chamber to the pneumatically operating quench elevator deck.

The glycol quench tanks are designed for quick and uniform quenching, featuring an immersion oil heater and an externally mounted air-to-quench media heat exchanger. The tanks’ agitation systems include four agitators with draft tubes. The gross load capacity of the car is 10,000 lbs., and it travels linearly in front of the equipment on two embedded floor rails.

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New Furnace Hits the Road To Heat Treat Steel Bar Stock

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT, TEMPERING NEWS

A mesh belt temper furnace has been shipped to a manufacturer in the U.S. South. The client will use this heat treat furnace for preheating and tempering steel bar stock.

Mesh belt temper furnace packed and shipped
(Source: Premier Furnace Specialists. Inc./BeaverMatic)
Steve Ignash
Sales Engineer
Premier Furnace Specialists, Inc./BeaverMatic
Source: Premier Furnace/BeaverMatic

"We had built the client a similar furnace in 2022," commented Steve Ignash, sales engineer at Premier Furnace Specialists, Inc./BeaverMatic. "Our furnace gave them the confidence to purchase five more of the similar style to replace outdated equipment and add to their current increase in production."

The remaining four furnaces from the recent purchase will be completed and installed through January 2024.

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