Solar Manufacturing received an order from a major aircraft manufacturer for a large vacuum carburizing furnace. This purchase was the culmination of an extensive research and development program between the companies to create final process cycles for specific carburizing applications. The horizontal, front-loading furnace has a work zone that measures 36 inches wide x 36 inches high x 48 inches deep with an operating temperature up to 2500°F to meet AMS 2750D TUS requirements and a load capacity of 3,500 pounds.            

The combined hot zone incorporates a combination of 1-inch graphite board with a .090-inch graphite foil facing, backed by four ½-inch layers of graphite felt housed in a 304 stainless steel ring. A large mechanical pump and a booster pump are included for proper vacuum operation. A 300-HP motor and internal heat-exchanger system operating at 10 bar are provided for rapid, high-velocity quenching of the workload. The gas carburizing process, including the injection of hydrogen and acetylene, is accomplished via mass-flow controllers per Solar U.S. Patent 7,514,035B2.