VAC AERO commissioned a vacuum furnace at an East Providence, R.I.-based aerospace manufacturer. The production-scale, 2-bar horizontal vacuum furnace is designed to process aerospace parts under high vacuum and partial pressures. The furnace, which is expected to run at full capacity next month, has work-zone dimensions of 24 inches wide x 24 inches high x 36 inches and is rated at a normal operating temperature of 2400°F (1316°C). The hot zone is comprised of curved graphite elements, and the heavy-duty hearth is constructed with quickly removable rails of pure molybdenum designed to support a uniformly distributed load of 1,000 pounds. The vacuum chamber and door are constructed of carbon steel and feature a double-wall, water-cooled design. The furnace operating system is based on VAC AERO's versatile HC900 interactive hybrid control package with SCADA and complete network integration capabilities and remote monitoring and control.