ALD-Holcroft entered into an agreement with Woodward Inc. to provide a fully integrated vacuum heat-treating system that will perform austenitizing, vacuum brazing, gas quenching, cryogenic treating and tempering operations, all integrated within a single, compact cell. The system will be installed at Woodward’s new Rock Cut Campus in Rockford, Ill. Fort Collins, Colo.-based Woodward will use the new system to maintain a required factory takt time, bringing a more automotive-style production capability to the aerospace and energy markets.

 ALD-Holcroft’s SyncroTherm has now penetrated the automotive drivetrain, consumer tool, textile, bearing and commercial heat-treating markets. This order marks its first application in the aerospace industry.  In addition to its Nadcap support capabilities, it will be comprised of five independently controlled hot zones, each rated for load sizes of 24 x 20 x 9 inches and up to 110 pounds. SyncroTherm operates using recipe-selectable high-pressure gas quench and incorporates support processes such as cryogenic and temper sequences in a fully automated, lights-out fashion.