Andritz received an order from Slovenia’s SIJ Metal Ravne for the supply of a complete heat-treatment plant, including two double-chamber furnaces, a charging machine, high-volume quenching tanks and an automation system. Commissioning is scheduled for the second quarter of 2021. Each double-chamber furnace consists of a high-temperature furnace (1202-2228°F) with recuperative burners and a low-temperature furnace (392-1526°F) with forced circulation. Both furnace types meet the qualifications for AMS 2750E. The charging machine is designed as a portal-type unit for handling charging material up to 25 tons.

The high-volume quenching tanks using polymer and water comprise the complete water-treatment plant. Andritz engineers will optimize the cooling medium flow structures within the quenching tanks by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), including conjugated heat transfer.

SIJ Metal Ravne will utilize the equipment for the most demanding heat treatment of products used in the energy sector, the aerospace industry and other special applications. The company is the third largest tool-steel producer in the European Union. SIJ Metal Ravne produces more than 200 steel grades in different dimensional shapes, from carbon and alloyed structural steels to tool and special steels in the form of rolled and forged products.