Sheffield Forgemasters placed an order with Andritz for the supply of seven industrial furnaces for the company’s proposed 13,000-metric-ton forging line. Austria-based Andritz will design, build and deliver four heat-treatment furnaces and three forging furnaces. The furnaces, with up to 1,000 metric tons of capacity, will feature rail-mounted car bottoms that can roll in and out for the loading of ultra-large components. They will also include dual-fuel burners that can switch to hydrogen if the technology to move away from natural gas becomes viable. The largest furnace will measure 60.5 feet long x 31 feet wide x 26.5 feet tall.

Steve Marshall, manufacturing transformation director at Sheffield Forgemasters, said, “The furnaces will be the mainstay of our new heavy forging line, delivering both heat treatment and main forging heating cycles using the latest burner technologies for optimum efficiency and heat control.”

Advanced burners for the main forging furnaces will deliver up to a 30% reduction in primary heating gas consumption, a more consistent heat to the steel components and highly accurate temperature control.