Robert Wooler Company, a commercial heat-treating company located in Dresher, Pa., commissioned a new vacuum furnace from Solar Manufacturing. The custom-built Model HFL-5748-2EQ features a SolarVac 3000 control system, a state-of-the-art operator interface and precise temperature programmer/control with multi-zone auto-tune PID. The horizontal front-loading furnace has a 36-inch-wide x 36-inch-high x 48-inch-deep work zone and a load capacity of 3,500 pounds. With a maximum operating temperature of 2500°F, this Class 2 furnace has a temperature uniformity of +/- 10°F per AMS 2750D standards.

With this new furnace, Robert Wooler can now offer its customers furnace availability, flexibility and capacity for austenitic, martensitic and precipitation-hardening stainless steels. The total installed investment (inclusive of utilities and upgrades) was $600,000. The tight tolerance on temperature uniformity is especially important since the majority of Robert Wooler’s clients are in the aerospace, defense and medical industries.