Vacuum Furnace Systems (VFS) Corp. (Souderton, Pa.) sold a vacuum furnace to Bio-Vac Inc. for its Southfield, Mich., orthopedic coatings plant.

Vacuum Furnace Systems (VFS) Corp. (Souderton, Pa.; www.vfscorp.com) sold a vacuum furnace to Bio-Vac Inc. for its Southfield, Mich., orthopedic coatings plant. The new horizontal 2-bar external quench system will join four other VFS furnaces already in operation at this plant, plus two at Bio-Vac's plant in Valencia, Spain. Delivery of the order is expected in December 2004. The new furnace, with a work zone size of 24 in. wide by 24 in. high by 36 in. deep, a graphite insulated hot zone and GraForm curved graphite heating elements, will be used in Bio-Vac's proprietary coating process for orthopedic implants. The protective atmosphere of the vacuum minimizes oxidation and enhances adhesion and luster of the coating. The furnace's programmer/controller is a VFS CompuVac interactive touch-screen workstation.