VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

Formula 1 Partner Boosts Heat Treating Capabilities with Vacuum Furnace

A European subcontractor for the automotive and racing industries as well as a partner for teams participating in Formula 1 races has acquired a second vacuum furnace.

The order from SECO/WARWICK includes a Vector® vacuum furnace with 15 bar abs high pressure gas quenching, and high vacuum (HV). The furnace will process engine and gear components for vehicles racing large-scale motorsport competitions.

This partner provides carburizing, and various heat treatment services for titanium, aluminum and precipitation hardening of alloys. These services must be of aviation quality within the demanding timeframes required by European F1 teams.

In the new SECO/WARWICK furnace, the customer will execute vacuum heat treatment of titanium and its alloys and will perform vacuum carburizing processes for steel elements. Titanium alloys are very strong materials, but at the same time soft and plastic, which makes them difficult to machine. Low thermal conductivity and density creates an environment where the cutting material is subject to a strong thermal load and tends to harden.

The FIA regulations for Formula 1 racing specify in detail what material a part must consist of and how it must be manufactured. Titanium or titanium alloys are used for many engine parts and suspensions because they have high toughness, strength, and ductility, and are corrosion resistant. Formula 1 car components must be manufactured precisely and safely in both prototype and small series production.

The purpose of this particular model of Vector furnace will be unique, as carburizing and hardening of parts such as gears for engines and transmissions for high-performance F1 sports cars are not the typical processes for which SECO/WARWICK supplies its furnaces.

Commenting on this order, Maciej Korecki, vice president of the Vacuum Segment at SECO/WARWICK, explained, "The vacuum furnace system which will be delivered to England has numerous options such as cryogenic processing, convection, FineCarb® vacuum carburizing, pre-nitriding for PreNitLPC® carburizing technology or low-pressure carbonitriding LPCN."


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Siemens Energy Broadens Clean Heat Treating Potential

Siemens Energy, a recognized manufacturer of gas turbines and other energy technologies, has selected an eco-friendly vacuum furnace with high-pressure gas hardening (6 bar abs.) and high vacuum for one of its production facilities.

The vacuum furnace from SECO/WARWICK, known as Vector®, will execute efficient and ecologically clean processes in a high vacuum range. Consisting of a dry pump, a Root’s pump, and five Oerlikon/Leybold turbomolecular pumps, the furnace will meet the manufacturer's restrictive requirements.

headshot of Maciej Korecki
Maciej Korecki
Vice President of Business of the Vacuum Furnace Segment
SECO/WARWICK
(Source: SECO/WARWICK)

The Vector also contains a metal heating chamber, which prevents direct heat loss to the vacuum chamber’s wall and ensures high process purity. The efficiency is also influenced by the ability to conduct the heating and cooling process at 6 bars with two gases (nitrogen or argon).

Maciej Korecki, vice president of the Vacuum Segment at the SECO/WARWICK Group, states, “This is our first order from a Siemens Energy production facility, but in the past, we have supplied equipment to gas turbine manufacturers."

Commenting on the future of clean energy for the power industry, Korecki further notes, "Gas turbines can run on a variety of gases, including hydrogen. Green hydrogen, as an energy carrier without a carbon footprint, will gradually increase its market share not only in the energy industry, but also in other economic sectors, contributing to gradual decarbonization of the atmosphere."

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Vacuum Furnace for Jet Engine Components

A vertical vacuum furnace is heading to a company that provides repair and maintenance services for jet engines. The system has been designed to carry out clean brazing processes in high vacuum, ensuring protection of the treated part surfaces. The solution will be used to process jet engine components.

The system will improve production processes and significantly increase the commercial heat treater’s efficiency. "The vertical vacuum furnace is the answer to the challenges of annealing and brazing larger aviation components . . . the cooling system provides precision cooling rate control for the parts in process," explains Maciej Korecki, vice president of the Vacuum Segment at SECO/WARWICK Group, a heat treat technologies company with North American locations.


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Solar Atmospheres of Souderton, PA Adds Furnace for Titanium Reclamation

HTD Size-PR LogoSolar Atmospheres Souderton, PA incorporated a high-production vacuum furnace with a work zone of 48"x48"x72" and a weight capacity of up to 7,500 lbs/batch. The furnace doubles the facility's hydriding and de-hydriding capacity in the reclamation of titanium and tantalum materials.

Solar Atmospheres Souderton, PA installed the furnace with Solar Manufacturing's vacuum furnace technology. The technology is aimed at safety and efficiency and will help in the reclamation process.

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Commercial Heat Treater To Increase Aviation Hardening Efficiencies

A service hardening plant in Spain will receive a vacuum furnace that is adapted to the aviation standard to perform production for this industry. The furnace will increase the company’s efficiency when hardening larger-dimension elements.

"The Vector [furnace] will enhance and increase the hardening processing capacity and will improve process efficiency," comments Maciej Korecki, vice president of the Vacuum Segment at SECO/WARWICK Group, a heat treat furnace supplier with North American locations. "The advantage of this product is a large working space with the capacity to adjust to an oversized load, utilizing the advantages of a circular heating chamber."


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New Vacuum Furnace for Aerospace Fasteners

An aerospace fastener manufacturer, operating since the mid-1900s, ordered a vacuum furnace. The equipment will process self-locking nuts, nut plates, barrel nuts, stud nuts, spline nuts, clamp nuts, as well as a wide range of washers and flanges.

The furnace from SECO/WARWICK Group, a global furnace technologies company that has locations in North America, will meet the AMS2750G standard in the second class (II) including B-type instrumentation for the aviation industry. The addition will become part of a modern production plant, in Italy, and will perform at high operating temperatures, up to 23720F.

“The heating process for these materials [fasteners] require extraordinary purity, which is why the presence of two gases is important: argon – used for partial pressure, and nitrogen – used mainly in the cooling process,” commented Maciej Korecki, vice president of the Vacuum Segment at SECO/WARWICK Group. “The customer required a very short cooling cycle, which is achieved with a 15 bar abs gas blower.”


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Heat Treat Furnace Shipped to Aerospace Fastener

A vacuum furnace recently shipped to a U.S.-based aerospace fastener manufacturer. The furnace will be primarily used to age-harden various fasteners of high strength alloys used in the aerospace industry.

This is the second Model HFL-5748-2IQ furnace for this manufacturer. Like the first furnace, the new furnace features a graphite insulated hot zone of 36” x 36” x 48” deep with a weight capacity of 5,000 lbs., a maximum operating temperature of 2400°F, and a 100 HP quench motor. The control system was customized to interface with the customer’s in-house automation system for recipe control and data acquisition.

“Our customer needed additional furnace capacity to keep up with demand,” commented Jason Davidson, regional sales manager, Solar Manufacturing.


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Heat Treat Solution for MTU’s Jet Engine Repair Service

MTU Aero Engines AG will receive a vertical vacuum furnace with the purpose of bringing heat treat in-house. The bottom-loading and gas cooling furnace will be used to process components for civil aircraft jet engines.

SECO/WARWICK Group, a global furnace technologies company with locations in North America, will supply the Vector® vacuum furnace.  The equipment has an internal cooling gas blower as well as internal heat exchanger. The system is in accordance with the AMS2750G standard in the second class (II) including B-type instrumentation for the aviation industry.

The aerospace/MRO industry is facing a major challenge. Interrupted supply chains and the difficult geopolitical situation in Europe means that many AEROSPACE/MRO companies have to revise their existing development and optimization strategies,” says Maciej Korecki, vice president of the Vacuum Segment at SECO/WARWICK Group. “[MTU’s] bringing the heat treatment process in-house with the purchase of this vacuum furnace allows the company to fully control the production process.”


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Heat Treater Commissions Brazing Facility with 6 Vacuum Furnaces

Recently, Solar Atmospheres Eastern PA commissioned a new 25,000 square foot brazing facility aimed at high-volume, high-quality braze production. The facility features six vacuum furnaces dedicated to brazing, including an all-metal hot-zone furnace designed for brazing stainless steel to copper with silver and gold-based braze filler metal (BFM).

The heat treater specializes in the brazing of high-value components utilizing filler metals based on nickel, silver, gold, and copper. The new state-of-the-art production facility has 4,000 square feet of climate-controlled workspace, where technicians assemble and inspect parts, ranging from tiny capillary-tube manifolds to large land-based gas turbine blades. The operation incorporates increased capacity for helium leak testing and pre-braze tack welding of braze assemblies.

“With Nadcap accreditation and AS9100 registration, our new facility operates as one expects from the Solar brand,” states Chip Lahneman, general manager of Brazing at Solar. “The investment in our new facility demonstrates Solar’s commitment to meeting our customers brazing needs, now, and in the future.”


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Firearms Manufacturer Adds Annealing Vacuum Furnace

A vacuum furnace was recently shipped to a firearms manufacturer based in the Midwest United States. The heat treat furnace will primarily be used to anneal firearm components.

Solar Manufacturing, based in Sellersville, PA, shipped a Model HFL-5748-2IQ furnace that has a graphite insulated hot zone of 36” x 36” x 48” with a weight capacity of 5,000 lbs., and maximum operating temperature of 2400°F.

“This was the first vacuum furnace our customer had purchased for their in-house heat treating,” commented Adam Jones, sales manager for the Midwest region at Solar Manufacturing. The company assisted with the furnace installation.


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