Thermal Technology of Santa Rosa, Calif., received an order for a fiber drawing furnace from a European manufacturer of specialty optical fibers. The furnace is designed to operate at temperatures up to 2400C with preforms of 30 mm in diameter. The system features a long-life, high-purity graphite resistance element, which delivers concentrated heat through a linear graphite tube, protecting the element and controlling inert gas flow.

According to Thermal Technology, the demand for fiber drawing furnaces has improved due to the growing market of optical fibers for medical and other diverse applications. The company’s furnace offers element life in excess of 1,000 hours. Thermal Technology has more than 3,000 installations in 40 countries.