Solar Atmospheres raises the bar with a new 20 bar furnace
August 9, 2011
Heat treatment specialist Solar Atmospheres of Western, PA, USA, will soon welcome a custom-built horizontal 20 bar vacuum furnace to its Hermitage facility. Designed and built by sister company Solar Manufacturing, this new furnace measures 40” wide x 50” deep x 36” high and is the fastest cooling furnace in the Solar fleet and one of only a few of its kind in the USA.
The excessive pressure and high speed gas velocities of the 20 bar furnace simulate the benefits of oil quenching, but using inert gas as an alternative to oil minimise distortion and provides a much cleaner and greener process. Solar can also better serve customers requiring vacuum carburising by increasing core hardnesses of large cross-sections. This a particular benefit to those in the gear industry.
President Bob Hill stated, “By adding these unique capabilities of the 20 bar to our resources, we can now effectively process a wider range of materials and assist more customers than we could with our 10 bar furnaces.”
The high-tech furnace was designed with many innovative features to improve cost-efficiency and results, including an improved gas-flow system to minimise pressure drops and a radial heat exchange. State-of-the-technology is incorporated throughout including an interactive touch screen interface and a compact design.
About Solar Atmospheres of Western PA
Vacuum heat treating and brazing services provided by Solar Atmospheres produce bright, scale-free parts with minimal distortion. The Hermitage, Pennsylvania plant, 60 miles North of Pittsburgh, specialises in thermal processing of large, mainly titanium manufacturing parts. This facility houses the world’s largest commercial vacuum furnace (5′ wide x 5′ high x 36′ long work zone – 150,000 lb. workload capacity) which uniquely benefits the aerospace industry. With a variety of furnaces processing smaller parts, Solar Atmospheres serves 18 different industries. State-of-the-art services also include carburising, nitriding and R&D. Additional plants are located in Fontana, California and Souderton, Pennsylvania.
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