Solar Manufacturing has been commissioned to design and build a vacuum furnace for Magnetic Shields Ltd. of Kent, England. According to the companies, it will be one of the largest horizontal vacuum furnaces in the United Kingdom. The furnace, which is being built with a SolarVac Polaris control system, will be designed to accommodate loads up to 48 inches wide x 48 inches high x 96 inches deep with a maximum weight of 5,000 pounds. Operating at a vacuum level of 10^-5 Torr, it will be able to reach temperatures up to 2400°F (1315°C) and include a partial-pressure hydrogen gas process and an external quench system designed for negative pressure quenching.

According to Magnetic Shields, the new furnace will enable it to more than double the maximum size of shields it can produce in one piece and also increase its general heat-treatment capacity. The company produces equipment for the medical industry and other high-technology applications, specifically large magnetic shields.

The vacuum furnace is scheduled to be delivered later this year. It will be Magnetic Shields’ second furnace supplied by Solar Manufacturing.