Solar Atmospheres, Souderton, Pa., purchased a vacuum heat-treating furnace from Vacuum Furnaces Systems Corp. (VFS), also in Souderton. The furnace will be ready for operation in May 2003 at Solar's Hermitage, Pa. plant, midway between Pittsburgh and Cleveland. The furnace has a load capacity of 15,000 lb with an upper operating temperature of 2400 F. It will be used to support production for current aerospace, defense, power generation and other industrial needs.