One of the world’s largest producers of jet engines has modernized their casting furnace, which was last updated two decades ago.
This company has two casting units supplied two decades ago by RETECH, a North America-based company belonging to the SECO/WARWICK Group. The modernization project was for the VIM EQ furnace - a system for the production of castings in equiaxed crystallization. It will involve replacing almost all the furnace components except the power supply, melting chambers and mold. The platforms will also remain unchanged. The remaining components will be replaced with more modern, ergonomic, and user-friendly parts and assemblies.
Says Sławomir Tomaszewski, vacuum melting team director at SECO/WARWICK, “This order includes the complete elimination of hydraulic components by replacing them with electrical components such as an elevator drive or crucible rotation drive. In addition, two old feeders: one for loading crucibles, the other for removing disposable crucibles, will be replaced with a modern system that can perform both activities."
He added, "An additional advantage of the operation will be the fact that the furnace operator will not have to come into physical contact with hot used crucibles, because they will be removed automatically without human intervention."