Solar Manufacturing Inc. of Sellersville, Pa., announces the receipt of US Patent No. 11053560 issue date July 6, 2021. The patent covers the use of a full isolation power transformer for use with a 600-HP, 460-volt motor and with an ionizing gas (such as argon) to prevent electric-motor ground fault and failure, with additional solid-state circuit protection, in conjunction with a vacuum furnace gas-quench system.

SECO/WARWICK will deliver a Vector vacuum furnace to the manufacturer of circulation and collection coins in Egypt. The National Mint of Egypt is the seventh mint in the world (others include Brazil, Canada, China, Poland and Turkey) to order a furnace from SECO/WARWICK. The Vector vacuum furnace with 15-bar high-pressure gas quenching is suited for the operating performance requirements of mints. It enables quick heat treatment with a working space that is optimum for circulating and collection coins, embossing dies, medals and special orders. The furnace will be used mainly for producing collection seals.

SECO/WARWICK will deliver two vacuum furnaces to Flansch-Tech, a specialist in aluminum and steel forging, in Budapest. According to SECO/WARWICK, one of the vacuum furnaces will be the largest in Hungary. The Vector with horizontal charge loading is equipped with a 15-bar nitrogen cooling gas-pressure system and a production work area of 900 mm wide x 900 mm high x 1,200 mm long). It will be used for the heat treatment of tool steels – mostly dedicated to hardening and tempering – and will allow Flansch-Tech to process larger parts.

Solar Atmospheres of Western PA and Neota Product Solutions, a custom metal injection molding (MIM) manufacturer located in Loveland, Colo., developed an exclusive sintering partnership. Neota provides comprehensive MIM solutions from early-stage prototyping to full-scale manufacturing. Solar and Neota developed a sintering thermal profile that not only densifies their complex geometric shapes but also controls shrinkage. This results in a solid and strong metallic part, with near 100% density, while maintaining the tight tolerances that are required in their precision components.

An international metal injection molding (MIM) manufacturer ordered two vacuum furnaces capable of both debinding and sintering from Ipsen. With this latest order, the company’s partnership with Ipsen has resulted in a total purchase of 18 TITAN DS6 2-bar vacuum furnaces. While most MIM parts producers rely on lab-size furnaces for post-processing, this manufacturer requires a furnace that can handle demanding, large-volume applications. The furnaces supplied by Ipsen have a work-zone volume of 36 x 36 x 48 inches (915 x 915 x 1,220 mm), a load capacity of 3,000 pounds (1,360 kg) and a right-sized filtration system.

Thermal-processing companies around the world are feeling pressure to lower the environmental impact of their operations and make them more sustainable. These pressures are coming from both governmental regulations and societal expectations, resulting in increasingly stringent requirements that are expanding globally. Many companies are accelerating their own “green” initiatives and programs to leap ahead of these regulations and lead this transformation for their industry. Join this free webinar, sponsored by Honeywell, on June 3 at 11:00 a.m. (EDT) to learn more about the solutions that are available today to help achieve your sustainability goals.

Mike McConkey of Surface Combustion discusses the Allcase^® batch integral quench furnace and RX^® endothermic gas atmosphere generator.  With the largest installed base in North America, our dedicated customer service engineers support our customers every day.

Solar Atmospheres’ Greenville, S.C., facility has been awarded Aerojet Rocketdyne approval, their second aerospace prime approval of 2021. With the ability to support vacuum thermal-processing needs ranging from development cycles to 50,000-pound loads at temperatures of up to 2400°F, Solar Atmospheres provides AS9100 and Nadcap-quality accredited heat treatments.

In addition to classroom-style training at its manufacturing facility, Ipsen offers on-site Ipsen U courses to accommodate large groups at customer facilities. Ipsen U is a course designed to teach heat-treatment fundamentals, best practices and new methods. Attendees receive an extensive overview of vacuum furnace equipment, processes and maintenance.

SSI Sintered Specialties invested in a high-temperature refractory metal-lined vacuum furnace from Elnik Systems to expand its services into powder-metallurgy processes. The furnace, which is scheduled for installation in September 2021, will join a growing fleet of new equipment at SSI’s technology center in Janesville, Wis. Along with providing customers advanced powder-metallurgy processing, this investment positions SSI to immediately target the addition of metal 3D printing to its portfolio and the expansion of its current metal injection molding (MIM) operations. The furnace will also allow SSI to develop sintering profiles for both technologies.