L&L Special Furnace built and delivered a highly uniform, front-loading box furnace to a northeast U.S.-based supplier of titanium castings for the aerospace and power-generation industries. The company deals with exotic metals such as nickel and cobalt-based alloys that are ideal for products using the lost wax process for castings. The furnace has an effective work area of 48 inches wide x 32 inches high x 60 inches deep and has certifiable temperature uniformity of ±10°F from 500°F to 1850°F (260°C to 1010°C).

The furnace has elements that are very evenly spaced around the chamber, and it is lined with ceramic fiber on the sides and top. It features a pneumatically operated vertical door with a counterbalanced lift system. Included is a NEMA 12 control cabinet with fused disconnect switch, digital program controller, high-limit backup system, thermocouples, fusing and all interconnection wiring.

The furnace case is sealed internally for atmosphere control. An inert blanketing gas, such as nitrogen, is used to displace oxygen present within the work chamber. This provides a better surface finish because oxidization is less likely to form on the part. The atmosphere is delivered automatically through a flow panel that is automated by the furnace control.