ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS

Auto Supplier Expands Heat Treating Capabilities with New Oven

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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Heat Treater Expands Operations in Pesqueria, Mexico

HTD Size-PR LogoTernium, a high quality steel manufacturer in the Americas, recently had two new 400 t/h walking beam furnaces (WBF) started at their hot strip mill facility in Pesqueria, Mexico.

Walking Beam Furnace at Ternium new hot strip mill facility

Features of the WBFs will reduce emissions and provide energy savings. The Tenova furnaces are designed to heat steel slabs up to 39 t at 2282°F (1250°C), with a specific consumption of 1.16 MJ/Kg, while keeping NOx emissions lower than 60 ppm. This emissions level is well below the required limit.

The furnaces features include a SmartBurner Monitoring System (SBMS), which enables the monitoring and optimizing of the burner’s performance, operation and maintenance. The SBMS is a network of embedded sensors connected to the Tenova digital infrastructure through secure connection protocols and intrinsic system reliability. The collected data is post-processed locally on an edge computing unit as well as remotely on the Tenova cloud. By constantly monitoring the status of the burner, the SBMS offers breakthrough approaches to inspection, maintenance and tuning, as well as reducing safety risks related to on-site operations.

Paulo Lopez
Pesquería Plant Director
Ternium

“The Ternium Industrial Center started its first phase in 2013 focused on downstream products as cold rolled and galvanized for the industrial market. Now, we have started up the main production line of the 2nd phase, a new hot rolling mill with a capacity of 4.4 million tons," said Paulo Lopez, Pesquería plant director at Ternium. "The two new WBFs are part of the plant’s new lines and will produce coils to be used in the automotive market in the USMCA area [. . .]."

"This new Tenova equipment joins the previous walking beam furnaces built for Ternium at its plants in San Nicolas, Argentina and in Monterrey, Mexico [. . .]," stated Nicola Cavero, senior vice president of Tenova Italimpianti. "This represents an important new reference for Tenova in the reheating furnaces market."

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Metals and Mining Company to Add Furnaces For Automotive Heat Treating

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A large metals and mining company has awarded a contract to design and manufacture two 50,000 lb load capacity  furnaces. These custom engineered furnaces will support the manufacturing of critical metal hot rolling machine components used in the production rolling of high value-added automotive steel sheet and plate.

Hot Rolling car-bottom in operation, open door, Can-Eng International Furnaces Ltd.

Can-Eng Furnaces International, Ltd. (CAN-ENG), a global provider of thermal processing systems, was able to identify areas of improvement within the customer's existing heat treatment system which allowed them to develop a concept that suited the customer's needs.

The two systems, although located side by side, will utilize completely independent control systems allowing for ultimate flexibility for schedule and maintenance.  Both furnaces will be interconnected to the larger plant wide system for data acquisition and trending capabilities with Can-Eng’s support.

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Heat Treatment System to Expand Specialty Automotive Fastener Manufacturer’s Capabilities

HTD Size-PR LogoOne of the world’s largest producers of high volume, specialty automotive fasteners based in Italy has awarded two contracts to Canadian heat treat supplier in order to expand their manufacturing capabilities with a mesh belt fastener heat treatment system.

The two systems being supplied represent CAN-ENG Furnaces International Ltd. (CAN-ENG) high-capacity line of mesh belt fastener heat treatment systems.

The client returned to the furnace manufacturer in order to receive a furnace with proven low energy consumption, reduced part mixing, reduced part damage potential, and high uptime productivity when compared to conventional cast link furnace designs.

The system will include: computerized vibratory loading system, rotary phosphate removal washer, mesh belt hardening furnace, oil quench system, post quench wash system, mesh belt temper furnace, soluble oil, and part containerization system.

CAN-ENG Furnaces International Ltd. (CAN-ENG) high-capacity mesh belt fastener heat treatment system

These fully integrated systems will feature CAN-ENG’s Process Enhancement Technology – PET™ System (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System) which provides the client with complete product traceability through the critical thermal process, process data collection, historical event archiving, process variable trend monitoring, scheduling optimization, and energy consumption features which are unique to CAN-ENG systems.

These new systems will be commissioned to the EU in early 2022.

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Heat Treat Options Advance for Canadian Ceramic Coating in Aerospace Industry

HTD Size-PR LogoA Canadian leader in the coating industry will expand their heat treat capabilities with a floor-standing box furnace used for ceramic coating applications for parts in the aerospace industry.

The L&L Special Furnace Company Inc. model XLE214 is used for curing and bonding ceramic coatings to various steel bodies. This process provides extra strength to aerospace parts that are subject to various heats and stresses under normal operating conditions.

The furnace has an effective work zone of 22" wide by 16" high by 20" deep. A horizontal door with ceramic hearth and support bricks is included to incorporate the customer’s loading system. Nickle chrome elements are used in the furnace that are resistant to any potential contamination the process may cause. Heat shields provide a safe-to-touch case temperature under operating conditions.

Model XLE MDS from L&L Special Furnace Company, Inc.

The model XLE214 is controlled by a Eurotherm program control with overtemperature protection, chart recorder with jack panel, solid-state relays, and zone controls for balance of temperature gradients. Thermocouples, fusing and electrical interconnections are included. The furnace control circuit is completely tested to ensure proper operation prior to shipping.

The furnace case is sealed for use with inert atmosphere to help reduce oxygen impregnation with the parts. The furnace has a manual inert flow panel to control the inert gas flow into the oven.

The model XLE214 also includes a high-convection fan for uniformity of ±10°F/5.5°C above 500°F/260°C to 1,875°F/1,023°C. There is a 4" diameter venturi with a variable frequency drive to evacuate outgassing that occurs during the curing of the ceramics to the steel part. The system is completely automated through the program control logic.

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Eurometal S.A. Heat Treating Expands with Annealing Atmosphere Furnace

HTD Size-PR LogoEurometal S.A., member of the Eko-Świat Group and manufacturer of highly processed aluminum products, purchased an aluminum coil annealing atmosphere furnace. This solution will be used by the only rolling mill currently in operation in Poland, with Polish-owned equity.

The new equipment is the third for this client from the parent company of North American furnace manufacturer, SECO/VACUUM. The SECO/WARWICK solution will consist of a Vortex® furnace for aluminum coil annealing and will be equipped with an external cooling system. The by-pass cooler will be for cooling under a nitrogen atmosphere, and SeCoil® — the control and simulation software — enables aluminum coil manufacturers to significantly shorten the production cycle.

The SECO/WARWICK solution will be used by the only rolling mill currently in operation in Poland, with Polish-owned equity.

As a result, Eurometal S.A. will benefit from the system in energy saving, increased productivity, and improved the surface quality of the processed coils. The key feature of the system is the increased heat-transfer coefficient, due to directing the atmosphere at a high speed simultaneously on both sides of the coil.

Sławomir Woźniak, SECO/WARWICK Branded
Sławomir Woźniak
CEO
SECO/WARWICK
Source: secowarwick.com

Aluminum is an extremely plastic and light material, resistant to corrosion and many chemicals. Precise parameters of aluminum sheet enable its use for manufacturing various types of products and semi-finished mill products. Aluminum is used in the aerospace, automotive and machinery industries. Also, the construction sector uses aluminum sheet made with alloys characterized by high corrosion resistance and good forming ability. The ship building industry has also many applications for this alloy. Aluminum is certainly a crucial material for the development of many sectors.

"Aluminum replaces other conventional metals, in particular in modern state-of-the art products," commented Jarosław Śliwakowski, Eurometal S.A. "The automotive industry, with the dynamically growing share of aluminum, is at the forefront of replacing conventional metals[. . .] We have chosen Vortex due to the shortening of the total process time, even heating of the batch and reduced natural gas, protective atmosphere and electricity consumption in comparison with the products proposed by the competition."

"Eurometal has been our partner for many years," said Sławomir Woźniak, CEO of SECO/WARWICK Group. "[. . . ] From the very beginning, our cooperation has been based on trust. We always focus on approaching each order individually. We create a flexible system design, custom-made for the needs of a particular rolling mill."

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Heat Treat Furnace Received for Annealing RF/Microwave Components

HTD Size-PR LogoA US manufacturer of radio frequency (RF) and microwave components recently received a small box furnace reaching 2300°F. This furnace will be used for precision heating to anneal their parts before milling.

The small load custom box furnace was delivered by Lucifer Furnaces. It is their furnace model HL7-A12 with a 6” x 6” x 12” chamber and is insulated with a combined 5” hot face insulating firebrick and cold face mineral wool backup. This box furnace is complete with a cast hearth plate to protect the floor insulation and heats with easy-to-replace coiled heating elements in cast assemblies for easy replacement, while still being built at the same quality as larger models.

Controls include a Honeywell digital time proportioning temperature controller and a TP1 Soak Timer which starts when the furnace reaches setpoint temperature and shuts off the elements at the end of the heating cycle. A door safety switch automatically disengages power to the elements when the door is opened. This furnace is part of Lucifer’s standard, general purpose, series 7000 box furnace line, a line which helps bring clients’ heat treating in-house and gain control over work flow and product quality.

 

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Heat Treating Capabilities for Medical Expand at Optical Laboratory

HTD Size-PR LogoAn optical laboratory in northeastern USA will receive a second floor-standing box furnace for heat-treating ceramics and optics used in the medical field.

The L&L Special Furnace Company model XLE 3636 has an effective work zone of 34” wide by 30” high by 32” deep. It features a double pivot horizontal door. The ceramic hearth is supported on lightweight castable piers. A series of heat shields are included to ensure a safe case temperature while at operating temperatures. The furnace is designed for use with inert blanketing gas for atmosphere control to minimize oxidization. A manual flow panel with regulator and flow meter is included.

A Eurotherm program control and high limit safety are standard. The furnace has a stack light mounted to the top of the control panel for an audible and visual indication of current furnace status. Solid-state relays drive the furnace, which is NFPA86 compliant. Startup and training packages are also included to help the customer set up the furnace and process.

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Aalberts Surface Technologies Heat To Receive a Vacuum Furnace with Nitrogen Quenching

HTD Size-PR LogoGlobal commercial heat treater with 17 locations in North America, Aalberts Surface Technologies Heat in Kalisz (Poland), will receive a vacuum furnace with nitrogen quenching and an atmosphere furnace at their specialized commercial hardening plant. This expansion of its production line builds on their acquisition of a high vacuum furnace at their Dutch branch in Eindhoven last year.

The new SECO/WARWICK furnaces, added to the furnace that they had supplied last year, will create a production line that will be used for successive vacuum carburizing (LPC) and gas quenching (with the new CaseMaster Evolution-T vacuum furnace, or CMe-T furnace), followed by annealing (with the new BREW atmosphere furnace) to reduce the internal stress of the treated metals. Performing so many processes is possible thanks to the combination of vacuum technology with atmosphere technology.

The commercial heat treater believes that this expansion in capabilities will progress their mission. "According to our mission statement," said Wojciech Matczak, plant manager at Aalberts Surface Technologies Heat Kalisz, "‘Best-in-class’ is not about our core technologies but about our commitment to do everything we can to make our clients successful."

Maciej Korecki
Vice President of the Vacuum Furnace Segment
SECO/WARWICK
(source: SECO/WARWICK)

The three-chamber CaseMaster Evolution-T furnace has 1 ton per batch capacity and an annual output of up to 2,000 tons of parts. It can replace 3 conventional atmosphere furnaces. Additionally, it has fast cooling nitrogen chamber, achieving results similar to helium and oil cooling, creating an environmentally friendly system. Using the nitrogen taken from and discharged to the air eliminates both the use of expensive and difficult to obtain helium and harmful quenching oil. This makes it possible to reduce CO2 emissions by 300 tons annually, which is the amount generated by three standard atmosphere furnaces.

“Aalberts Surface Technologies Heat had special requirements," explained Maciej Korecki, VP, of the Vacuum Business Segment at SECO/WARWICK, "regarding the components and solutions used, and thus [the vacuum furnace] will replace the existing semi-continuous processes under protective atmosphere followed by oil quenching with complete vacuum heat treatment with low pressure carburizing and nitrogen quenching (25 bar!), delivering process precision and repeatability. . ."

The second furnace, the BREW 6810 solution, will make it possible to perform the annealing process immediately after vacuum carburizing. It can operate between 572 and 1382°F (300 and 750°C) and is equipped with a system to enable treatment under nitrogen atmosphere, preventing oxidation on the heat-treated workpieces.

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Heat Treater To Receive High Temperature Pusher Furnace

HTD Size-PR Logo A specialty tungsten alloy products manufacturer in the eastern United States will receive a high temperature pusher furnace.

The furnace, from Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems, is designed for high temperature sintering with operating temperature capabilities up to 2750°F (1510°C). The system is electrically heated using molybdenum elements and utilizes the latest in refractory materials for efficient operation.

The pusher system processes trays 8” wide x 12” long under 100% hydrogen atmosphere and includes an automated return conveyor for effective loading and unloading.

Gasbarre was selected as the equipment provider based on their knowledge of high temperature sintering and ability to service and support the client.

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