ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS

United States Air Force in UK Receives Aerospace Furnace and Heat Treat Training

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

HTD Size-PR LogoUnited States Air Force personnel stationed at Royal Air Force (RAF) Base Mildenhall in the United Kingdom recently commissioned and received full training on the use and maintenance of a heat treating furnace for aerospace parts. The furnace will help maintain KC-135, CV-22, C-130 aircraft, and F-15 fighter jets assigned to RAF Mildenhall or nearby RAF Lakenheath air stations. The installation was interrupted by an impromptu visit from the U.S. President.

Richard Conway
Chief Technology Officer
Delta H Technologies

The DELTA H® TECHNOLOGIES dual chamber heat treating furnace for aerospace (DCAHT®) was designed by the supplier to rapidly heat treat all common aviation grade metals and alloys necessary for aircraft maintenance and is fully compliant with USAF/NAVAIR Tech Order 1-1A-9 and SAE-AMS2750F. The training received by the USAF airmen at RAF Mildenhall included essential instructions in heat treating, as well as furnace calibration practices like temperature uniformity surveys (TUS) and system accuracy tests (SAT) and culminated with each airman receiving Certificates of Training.

The specialized furnace features an upper chamber convection system, 18" wide x 12" high x 48" deep, capable of Class 1 (+/-5°F) from 200°F to 1200°F and a lower chamber radiant heat system, 12" wide x 12" high x 36" deep, capable of Class 3 (+/-15°F) from 1000°F to 2000°F with air or argon atmosphere. A roll-away quench tank features dual baths for water and oil quenchant. The controls and data acquisition provide detailed batch records of heat treated parts, including quench delay, as well as automatic tracking of thermocouple usage and calibration intervals.

Air Force One at RAF Mildenhall

The training was interrupted by an unexpected visitor to RAF Mildenhall. The hangar next to the Metals Tech Shop, where the furnace was being commissioned and the training was being conducted, was the epicenter for the arrival of a top-secret VIP. When the Air Force Band began practicing "Hail to the Chief," it became obvious that U.S. President Joe Biden would be making an unexpected visit to the base. While the President’s visit was not related to the furnace commissioning, Richard Conway, DELTA H® founder and chief technology officer, and wife Mary Conway, witnessed this presidential visit and got a few candid photographs of Air Force One (see above).

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Soil Lab Workshop Receives Heat Treat Furnace as Part of 2021 Chicago Architecture Biennial

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

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L&L Special Furnaces Co., Inc.

A high-uniformity box furnace has been delivered to Soil Lab, a community-based workshop based in Chicago, as part of the 2021 Chicago Architecture Biennial. The furnace received a fast-track shipment of four weeks to be part of the biennial workshop program in which local community groups will experiment and gain knowledge of ceramic production and various processes.

The L&L Special Furnace Co., Inc. Model XLE 3636 is a front-loading, refractory-lined box furnace and has an effective work zone of 34” wide by 34" high by 32" deep. There is a horizontal double pivot door with a safety power cutoff switch. A ceramic hearth and standoffs are provided as a workspace for various ceramics and ceramic-based products. Additionally, the furnace has a series of inlets on the side and an outlet on the top. These can be capped off when not in use to preserve heat, and can provide a "candling" effect where various ceramic byproducts can be removed from the furnace. Some of these byproducts can be corrosive and need to be removed from the system.

Pictured in the main image above: Soil Lab team photo, (L to R) Vester, Bruun, Martin, Ni Chathasaigh

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Heat Treat Pot Furnaces for Aerospace Applications

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

Lucifer Furnaces four pot furnaces

HTD Size-PR LogoA multi-unit modular pot furnace system has been set for an aerospace manufacturer in the U.S. to help the end user increase heat treat capacity.

Each of the four Lucifer Furnaces Model 2057 pot furnaces is connected to a single freestanding NEMA 1 control panel. Each furnace is heated electrically with 18 KW of power to heavy duty coiled elements in removable holders on all 4 side walls. Roof and side covers bolted to the frame of each furnace can be removed for easy service access.

The units are insulated with 5" of multi-layer insulation consisting of dry-fit hot face lightweight firebrick backed by cold face mineral wool. A vestibule at the top of each furnace reduces heat loss between the pot wall and firing chamber. Controls onboard include Honeywell DC3500 digital multiprogrammable cascade controllers which automatically interpret multiple thermocouple readings and adjust the inside/outside pot temperature to achieve the desired set point. Additional energy efficiency and power uniformity is maintained with SCR power units.

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Captive Heat Treater To Receive Mesh Belt Furnace System

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

HTD Size-PR LogoA Michigan-based captive heat treater in the precision automotive and specialty fastener industry will receive a 6000 lb/hr continuous mesh belt furnace to complete its new line.

Can-Eng Furnaces International, the provider of the furnace, utilized their Level 2 Automation to enable the heat treater to track product status, diagnose equipment, and provide process data. The system will lower the heat treater’s energy requirements for the hardening furnace and reduce required atmosphere by one-third. The system is equipped with an  automated bin-dumping loader, pre-washer, atmosphere-controlled mesh belt hardening system, oil quench, post wash system, temper furnace, in-line soluble oil system, and bi-directional conveyor discharge.

 

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Ovako’s Transformational Heat Treat Benefits with Electric Retrofit

/ ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES TECHNICAL CONTENT, BURNERS & COMBUSTION SYSTEMS TECHNICAL CONTENT, BURNERS COMBUSTION SYSTEM NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT

HTD Size-PR LogoFor Ovako, a centuries old manufacturer of engineering steel, innovative approaches to producing their product has taken the form of electrifying their roller hearth furnaces over the course of the past decade.

The process of converting to electric heating began in 2014, each furnace installed with up to 86 Tubothal® metallic heating elements from Kanthal. Now, 14 roller hearth furnaces are electrified. The estimated CO2 savings is around 1,400 to 2,000 tons per year per furnace.

“[In] our heat treatment shop in Hofors,” shares Anders Lugnet, a furnace technology specialist at Ovako (pictured above), “we originally had around 450 gas burners, and there was always a problem somewhere in one of them. Since replacing them with 300-odd Tubothal® elements, the daily maintenance is simply not there. Occasionally, an element needs to be replaced, but it is nothing compared to the way it was.”

He continues that, previously, NOx and CO2 emissions were problematic. But with green electricity, emissions are zero, and with no flue-gas losses, total efficiency has improved significantly.

You can read more about this gas burner to electrification retrofit piece of news here: “Clean and Simple: How Electric Heating Transformed Ovako’s Heat Treatment Furnaces”

 

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Silica and Quartz Product Manufacturer Receives Box Furnace

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

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L&L Special Furnace Company ben-mounted box furnace

Worldwide manufacturer of high-purity fused silica and high-end ceramic products is set to receive another bench-mounted box furnace from North American furnace supplier. These materials are used in the semiconductor and photonics industry as well as many other ceramic and composite industries worldwide.

The L&L Special Furnace Co. furnaces are part of the research and development department and are an important component of the testing and quality control department. The Model GS1714 has internal dimensions of 17” wide by 12” high by 14-1/2” deep and the operating voltage of 208, 220, 240 volts single phase, 60 or 50 hertz. It is also equipped for adjustable PID logic and finer temperature control around setpoint.

The furnace is constructed from 3” lightweight IFB firebrick, backed up with 2” of board insulation. The elements are oriented in the furnace to have long life and easy replacement as well as deliver consistent heat distribution with a uniformity gradient of ±7.5°F.

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U.S. Automotive OEM Receives Furnace for Heat Treat

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

HTD Size-PR LogoA U.S. manufacturer is set to receive a dual chamber furnace to heat treat automotive parts. This heavy duty furnace-over-oven features 12-gauge sheet steel construction with reinforced members for a solid framework and each chamber is 24” H x 24” W x 36” L.

This is the 7th large Dual Chamber 8000 Series Furnace from Lucifer Furnaces, Inc. that it has shipped to the U.S. auto manufacturer. The upper hardening chamber heats with 45 KW power to banks of elements on sides, door and back. The heating elements are designed with heavy gauge wire mounted in removable holders.

The upper chamber cast hearth plates support the workload and can be easily replaced without disturbing the heating elements. The lower tempering oven with 20 KW power features a stainless-steel liner shielding heating elements from the workload. This liner was designed as a 3-sided liner with a cast hearth plate for durability. A high cfm, ½ hp fan recirculates air past the elements and back through the chamber in a uniform pattern.

This unit was customized with a free-standing control panel providing the ability to separate control operation from the furnace environment. Each chamber has been outfitted with Honeywell Multi Program Controllers with a High Limit Backup Controller to prevent temperature excursion events.

 

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Large Car Bottom Furnace for US Heat Treater

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

HTD Size-PR LogoFrom the southeastern U.S., a leading manufacturer of specialty alloys, pipes, tubes and fittings has placed an order for a large gas fired, car bottom furnace that is scheduled for delivery in Q4 2021.

The furnace from L&L Special Furnace Company will be used for normalizing various steels and specialty alloys at temperatures up to 2,200°F (1,200°C). It will also be used to preheat, stress relieve and temper various steels and large pipe fittings.

The L&L model FCG4410 has working dimensions of 48” wide by 48” tall by 120” deep. Uniformity of ±25°F ( 12.5°C) or better is expected throughout the work zone. Complete factory testing and on-site commissioning is included.

The gas fired furnace uses six medium velocity burners that fire over and under the load. The furnace car moves in and out of the unit on supplied railroad type rails. The door is mounted to the car and is motorized with all required stops and clearances. The side seals are pneumatic and seal to the car bottom once the car is inside the furnace. Castable piers provide good support for up to a 10,000 pound load. The furnace is completely insulated with ceramic fiber modules.

The control is a floor-standing NEMA12 panel with fused disconnect at the source. All fusing and interconnections are included. The furnace is controlled by a Eurotherm Nanodac program control with two slave units. Three-zone control is provided to promote uniformity. Overtemperature protection is provided along with a six-input paperless chart recorder and jack panel.

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Manufacturer of EV Chassis Components Orders Furnaces for In-House Tooling

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

HTD Size-PR LogoAn international electric vehicle (EV) automaker has ordered high-pressure gas quenching (HPGQ), tempering, and nitriding furnaces for heat treatment of large high-pressure casting dies, which will be used in the production of aluminum underbody components for electric vehicles.

The tool & die market serving traditional and EV automotive markets use vacuum heat treating technology extensively to produce bright, high-quality parts. SECO/VACUUM Technologies, a SECO/WARWICK Group company, will provide two furnaces and auxiliaries with working zones that can accommodate loads with dimensions up to 1000mm x 1000mm x 2400mm (40″ x 40″ x 96″) and up to 7.5 metric tons of weight.

“[We] have built a reputation with [this client’s] engineering team,” explained Piotr Zawistowski, managing director of SECO/VACUUM, “[and so] we are capable of achieving the required quenching rates within such a large envelope, which will be accomplished with a powerful 500kW quenching system. The [client] also appreciated the custom engineering that we put into handling such a heavy workload.”

The Vector® vacuum hardening furnace is equipped with a convection heating system to improve heat transfer at lower temperatures, thus reducing internal stresses; the cooling system can quench with nitrogen at pressures up to 25 bar. The furnace will exceed NADCA 207 requirements for the quenching process and Class 2 temperature uniformity requirements per AMS2750F.

The nitriding furnace is a pit-type configuration, with working dimensions to match the hardening furnace. The patented ZeroFlow® nitriding process uses uniform high convection heating, precision nitriding potential, and ammonia control, along with vacuum purging to reduce operating costs.

 

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Auto Supplier Expands Heat Treating Capabilities with New Oven

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

HTD Size-PR LogoA leading automotive supplier in the U.S. recently received a large oven for its operations. This furnace was customized with a heavy duty cast work tray which sits on the floor of the chamber inside the liner area to support the workload and protect the floor brick.

4000 Series Oven from Lucifer Furnaces

The 4000 series oven from Lucifer Furnaces is a Model 42-T36 and has a chamber size of 30″H x 30″W x 36″L, heating to 1200°F with 35 KW of power.

This model is complete with a high CFM rear mounted fan assembly to recirculate the heated air uniformly throughout the chamber. A stainless-steel liner isolates the heating elements from the work area and directs air forward over the heating elements and back through the chamber in a horizontal pattern for uniform heating.

The horizontal swing door is lined with lightweight pyroblock insulation with a ceramic fiber gasket to reduce heat loss around the chamber opening. A safety microswitch automatically shuts off power to heating elements and fan when door is opened, eliminating electric shock and heat blast hazards to oven operator. Controls include a Honeywell digital time proportioning temperature controller accessorized with a high limit controller for safety in the event of a high temp excursion.

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