Solar Atmospheres of California increased its high-pressure quench capability with the addition of a custom-built, horizontal, front-loading 10-bar vacuum furnace. Designed and built by sister company Solar Manufacturing, this new furnace enables the Fontana plant to perform rapid cooling at positive pressures up to 135 PSIG (10 Bar). This furnace – 40 inches wide x 50 inches deep x 36 inches high with a 5,000-pound maximum load – began serving customers on Oct. 1. It has an operating temperature range from 200°F to 2650°F for processing composites, new graphite hybrid and other bonding compounds.      

The furnace was uniquely designed to meet these specifications:

• Low-pressure vacuum carburizing (LPVC) with full automatic programmable control
• Partial-pressure atmospheres (hydrogen, argon and nitrogen) for processing nonferrous materials and special high-alloy brazing applications
• Ultimate vacuum in the 10-6 Torr range
• Slow pumping and slow backfill for raw material processing like granular or coarse powder
• Closeable gas nozzles and rear baffle to restrict gas flow (when required) for special atmospheres in partial-pressure application and improved temperature uniformity
• Heat treating of lower-alloy material like AISI 4140 and 4130
• Digital data logger to provide e-mail information to customer