Solar Manufacturing received an order for a vacuum furnace from MSL Heat Treatment, a subsidiary of Magnetic Shields Ltd. of Kent, United Kingdom. The Mentor Pro will be manufactured in accordance with CE standards, including the vacuum chamber being built to ASME/UKCA requirements. The furnace has a working hot zone area of 18 inches wide x 18 inches high x 36 inches deep with a weight capacity of 1,000 pounds. Able to reach temperatures up to 2400°F (1315°C), it will include a three-gas partial-pressure system and an internal quench system designed for 2-bar (15 PSIG) positive pressure quenching.

According to MSL Heat Treatment, which specializes in brazing and controlled heat treatment for medical and scientific applications, the inclusion of hydrogen as a process gas will allow the company to utilize the furnace for magnetic annealing to a very high specification. The Mentor Pro will operate at a vacuum level of 10^-5 Torr.