Thursday, Sept. 15, was a day of celebration in Hermitage, Pa. Industrial Heating was on hand to witness Solar Atmospheres of Western PA dedicate what it says is the largest vacuum furnace in the world. Guests, including Solar Atmospheres’ management, customers and politicians, had the opportunity to get up close and personal with the impressive 48-foot furnace, which is housed in an 18,000-square-foot building. The $10 million project took less than 10 months to complete. With a load capacity up to 150,000 pounds, the furnace will be uniform to within +/- 10°F per AMS 2750E between the production temperature ranges of 300-2250°F (150-1232°C) with a maximum operating temperature of 2400°F (1315°C). Solar Atmospheres also displayed a load of titanium forgings – destined for Airbus – that will be processed in the furnace.

Click here to watch a time-lapse video of the furnace being built.