The vacuum furnace being built is a Solar Manufacturing Model HFL-5748-10IQ-VC. This horizontal, front loading furnace has a work zone that measures 36” wide x 36” high x 48” deep with an operating temperature up to 2500oF to meet AMS 2750D TUS requirements and a load capacity of 3500 pounds. The combined hot zone incorporates a combination of 1” graphite board with a .090” graphite foil facing, backed by (4) ½” layers of graphite felt housed in a 304 stainless steel ring. A large mechanical pump and a booster pump are included for proper vacuum operation and a 300 HP motor and internal heat exchanger system, operating at 10 bar, is provided for rapid, high velocity quenching of the work load.

Electronic control instrumentation includes a Honeywell HC900 PLC with an operator touch screen interface. The gas carburizing process, including the injection of hydrogen and acetylene, is accomplished via mass flow controllers per Solar US Patent 7,514,035B2.

Pete Reh, VP of Sales at Solar Manufacturing states, “We were very fortunate to have our sister company Solar Atmospheres available for help in researching these processes, as without their help, we might not have been successful in obtaining this most important order.”

ABOUT SOLAR MANUFACTURING

Solar Manufacturing designs and manufactures all types of vacuum heat treating and brazing furnaces and offers replacement hot zone and spare parts for various vacuum furnace brands. To learn more about the Solar Manufacturing’s diverse product line and services, contact Pete Reh, VP of Sales, at 267-384-5040 or pkr@solarmfg.com. Additional information can be found on our web site – www.solarmfg.com.

The one-of-a-kind furnace has a 120” diameter heating element to accommodate a work zone that measures 99” (2519 mm) wide x 48” (1219 mm) high by 180” (4572 mm) deep and has a hearth designed to accommodate up to a 15,000 pound workload. The system is a single chamber, internal gas quench, batch-type design featuring an all-metal hot zone and dual 35” diffusion pump systems for high vacuum (10-5 Torr range) performance. The internal quench design incorporates a 200 HP motor/heat exchanger system for rapid gas cooling at 2 Bar pressure. Solar accommodated the customer’s request to fit the furnace and all its components into the smallest footprint arrangement possible by designing a unique, powered loading system.

Supervision of the installation and commissioning of the furnace will be a co-operative effort between Solar Manufacturing and their Chinese representative, Beijing Waves Corporation. It is expected that the furnace will be in full operation by mid-summer 2012.

ABOUT SOLAR MANUFACTURING

Solar Manufacturing designs and manufactures all types of vacuum heat treating and brazing furnaces and offers replacement hot zone and spare parts for various vacuum furnace brands. To learn more about the Solar Manufacturing’s diverse product line and services, contact Pete Reh, VP of Sales, at 267-384-5040 or pkr@solarmfg.com. Additional information can be found on our web site — www.solarmfg.com.

According to Roger A. Jones, corporate president of Solar Atmospheres, “This new furnace has proved equally useful for bright tempering of alloys like H11,13, D2 and bright annealing of brass alloys. This is a significant improvement over standard vacuum furnaces which have slower cycles, or in the case of brass, that can cause contamination.”

The new patent is part of an intellectual property portfolio from Solar that includes more than 18 issued patents and numerous patent applications to which Solar has exclusive rights.

View patent summary (PDF)

View full patent (PDF)

GVT is a company that has been serving the Metals Processing Industry in thermal processing equipment and supplies, cooling systems, and pre-owned equipment since 1992.

“Bob’s thirty plus year’s in vacuum technology makes him an invaluable addition to our sales team,” said Pete Reh, Vice President of Solar Manufacturing.

Grammer is a member of ASM International, Inland Empire Chapter since 1971, Manufacturers Agents National Assn. (MANA,) ASM Heat Treating Society, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA,) CDA Airport Association, he is a member of Trinity Reformed Church, and he is a registered adult volunteer of Boy Scouts of America.

Solar Manufacturing, Inc. is part of Solar Atmospheres family of companies. With combined sales of $50 million, the Solar Companies are progressive leaders in the global thermal processing industry as service providers and manufacturers. To learn more about their diverse product line, visit their website at www.solarmfg.com.

Both these furnaces are specifically designed to heat treat coining dies of material grades from A9 to CPM3V. The furnace work zone is 18″ W x 14″ H x 24″ D. The furnace will process work loads up to 750 lbs. with a maximum operating temperature of 2400ºF and will meet temperature uniformity requirements of specification AMS-2750 D. The furnace will pump to an ultimate vacuum of 10ˉ² Torr with a leak up rate of less than 5×10ˉ³ Torr per hour. The high efficiency hot zone consists of four layers of ½ inch thick, high purity graphite felt with a .040″. thick Flex Shield hot face. Gas quenching is provided with an external 30 hp blower and a high efficiency, all-copper, fin-and-tube heat exchanger operating at 2-Bar. This is accomplished with a full locking auto clave door for the vacuum chamber.

Jim Nagy, president of Solar Manufacturing states, “We are very pleased to receive the second order from the U.S. Mint. The order was awarded in an open bidding process. We believe we won the order because of our high efficiency furnace design, consideration given for the customer’s restricted floor space, and for our tech support.”

Solar Manufacturing designs and manufactures all types of vacuum heat treating and brazing furnaces, and offers replacement hot zone and spare parts for various vacuum furnace brands. To learn more about the Solar Manufacturing diverse product line and services, visit www.solarmfg.com or call 267- 384- 5040.

The vacuum furnace is a Model HFL-2624-10IQ horizontal front loading system with a work zone that measures 18″ wide x 14″ high x 28″ deep and a load capacity of 500 pounds. “The hot zone incorporates a combination of 0.075″ thick CFC graphite hot face backed by multiple layers of high purity graphite felt allowing for an operating temperature up to 2800oF,” explained Pete Reh, vice president of sales. “The durable, curved graphite elements provide for rapid and uniform heating; and the vacuum system will allow for operation in the 10-5 Torr range or better,” he added

According to Reh, the high velocity gas cooling system will be capable of quenching at pressures up to 10 bar positive. The cooling system will consist of a 100 HP blower motor; a variable frequency drive; an all-copper, water-cooled, fin and tube heat exchanger; and unique, tapered graphite gas nozzles which surround the workload.

Solar Manufacturing designs and manufactures all types of vacuum heat treating, brazing, sintering, carburizing, and nitriding furnaces. They also offer replacement hot zones and spare parts for various vacuum furnace brands. To learn more about the Solar Manufacturing’s diverse product line and services, contact Pete Reh, vice president of sales, at 267-384-5040 or pkr@solarmfg.com.

The furnace is a Solar Manufacturing model HCB-120432-2EQ horizontal, car bottom furnace with powered loading systems at both front and back ends of the furnace. The furnace work zone measures 80″ wide x 80″ high x 432″ long (36 feet long) with a gross weight capacity of 150,000 pounds. The hot zone incorporates a Flexshield graphite hot face backed by multiple layers of high purity graphite felt for operation up to 2250°F.

“Curved graphite heating elements provide for rapid and uniform heating with multiple zones of control along the length of the hot zone to assure uniformity in accordance with AMS 2750D,” said Rick Jones, vice president of international sales. “Dual vacuum pumping systems each consisting of a 35″ diffusion pump, a 48″ high vacuum valve and high capacity roughing pumps to provide processing in the low 10-5 Torr range, are also featured. Gas quenching is accomplished by using two external 300 HP turbine blower systems designed to recirculate argon gas at 2 bar positive pressure and at very high velocities,” he explained.

Solar Manufacturing designs and manufactures all types of vacuum heat treating and brazing furnaces and offers replacement hot zone and spare parts for various vacuum furnace brands. To learn more about the Solar Manufacturing diverse product line and services, contact Pete Reh, vice president of sales, at 267-384-5040 or pkr@solarmfg.com.

“The furnace is a Solar Manufacturing Model VTL-714-VC, top loading design with a work zone that measures 7.5″ diameter x 14″ high with a load capacity up to 250 pounds,” said Peter Reh, vice president of sales. “The hot zone will incorporate a combination of Flexshield hot face backed by layers of graphite felt to allow for operation up to 2400oF with bake-out capability of 2500°F. The elements will be graphite rod placed in a vertical electrical wye configuration, and quenching will be accomplished via an external 10 HP cooling system, he said. “The various gas flow controls systems are provided to accomplish the processing results dictated by the proposed applications, and the vacuum system included allows for controlled operation in the 10-2 to 50 Torr range,” he concluded.

Solar Manufacturing manufactures vacuum heat treating and brazing furnaces and offers replacement hot zones for various vacuum furnace brands. To learn more about their diverse product line, contact Peter Reh, Vice President of Sales, Rick Jones, International Sales Manager or Dennis Hiddemen, Aftermarket Sales Manager at 267-384-5040 or pkr@solarmfg.com , rick@solarmfg.com, or drh@solarmfg.com.

The furnace is a Solar Manufacturing Model HFL-6660-EQ horizontal, front loading design with a work zone that measures 42” wide x 42” high x 60” deep and a gross weight capacity of 5,000 pounds. “The hot zone will incorporate a combination graphite foil hot face, backed by high purity graphite felt and high purity alumina wool for operation up to 2400oF,” said Peter Reh, vice president of sales. “The thin, curved graphite elements will provide rapid heating and the incorporation of unique high velocity, graphite gas nozzles surrounding the work will provide for optimum, uniform cooling of the specified load. In addition, a large vacuum pumping system along with a 35” high vacuum diffusion pump will allow for operation to 10-5 Torr,” he explained.

Solar Manufacturing is part of Solar Atmospheres, Inc., one of the largest and most progressive, independent commercial heat treaters in the USA. To learn more about Solar Manufacturing’s diverse product line of vacuum heat treating, brazing, and carburizing furnaces, contact Peter Reh, vice president of sales, at 267-384-5040 x 509 or pkr@solarmfg.com.

Pete Reh, vice president of sales for Solar Manufacturing stated, “This is the second vacuum furnace that Solar Manufacturing has shipped to NETL in Albany, Oregon. The first furnace shipped in 2006 was a model HFL-2624-2EQ. The new furnace, model VTL-714 will be used to homogenize and heat treat refractory alloys, perform diffusion couple experiments as well as other proprietary heat treat work.

The Model VTL-714 Vertical Top Loading high temperature R&D vacuum furnace, features a Hot Zone size of 7.5” diameter x 14” high. The maximum operating temperature is 3000 degrees Fahrenheit, and the insulation is graphite felt and a FlexShield hot face. This vacuum furnace also features graphite heating elements, a 35 CFM two-stage vacuum pumping system, a partial gas system of argon and nitrogen; and the controls are SolarVac 3000 including Honeywell DCP 550 and Allen-Bradley Micrologix 1500.

Solar Manufacturing is part of Solar Atmospheres, Inc., one of the largest and most progressive, independent commercial heat treaters in the USA. To learn more about Solar Manufacturing’s diverse product line of vacuum heat treating, brazing, and carburizing furnaces, contact Peter Reh, vice president of sales, at 267-384-5040 x 509 or pkr@solarmfg.com.