Whether captive or commercial, the heat-treat operation faces a tougher challenge for productivity/profitability than other departments of manufacturing.

In response to the challenges of California’s energy market, Solar Atmospheres of California (SCA) installed and commissioned what it says is the state’s largest commercial Solar + Energy Storage System. By combining on-site generation, an advanced energy storage system and an AI-powered analytics platform, SCA can optimize energy use by automatically switching between on-site generation, battery power or grid power. The digitally connected energy storage network includes a 772-kW PV solar system and a 1,561-kW/3,122-kWh Tesla battery storage system.

Solar Atmospheres of California (SCA) added additional large furnace capacity to its inventory of vacuum equipment. The furnace was specifically designed to process a variety of materials that require optimum performance during controlled heating, controlled cooling, vacuum processing, positive-pressure processing and differential-pressure processing. The furnace includes an 84-inch-diameter x 144-inch-long graphite and CFC hot zone. It has a maximum operating temperature of 2650°F, temperature uniformity ±10°F and a maximum load of 50,000 pounds.

It all began with a single furnace in New Jersey. William R. Braddock started Braddock Metallurgical with that lone salt pot furnace back in 1953 offering heat-treat services for local machine shops.

Ipsen delivered a vacuum furnace specially designed for carburizing and solution nitriding to Vacu Braze, a specialty commercial heat-treating facility in Quakertown, Pa. Vacu Braze uses the furnace to harden steels with Ipsen’s patented SolNit (solution nitriding) process. The SolNit process increases surface hardness and improves resistance against wear, erosion and cavitation. Parts treated in Ipsen’s Turbo²Treater range from surgical instruments to household appliances.

Hy-Vac Technologies Inc. was born from Vac-Hyd Processing, which was founded 65 years ago in 1955. In 1982, however, Vac-Hyd sold the business. The name was then changed to Hy-Vac Technologies, and the rest is history.

You could say brothers Frank and Gene Clark followed their father’s lead. 

Wade Clark, who had a long and distinguished career in the heat-treating industry, inspired his sons to enter the field. But instead of working in the heat-treat department of a manufacturer or for a commercial heat treater, the brothers opted to forge their own path.

With our diverse editorial coverage, there are a number of associations in our industry. I personally belong to APMI International (MPIF) for powder metals and additive manufacturing as well as AIST (Association for Iron & Steel Technology). That’s in addition to IHEA and MTI, of course.

Nitrex is set to start the fourth phase of expansion at its commercial heat-treating facility in Aurora, Ill. The project will add a fourth building that will house a new low-pressure carburizing (LPC) system and secondary heat-treating equipment. The ECM vacuum carburizing furnace with oil-quench capabilities will help meet growing demand from makers of high-end critical parts within the automotive, aerospace and tooling industries. The 20-bar dual-chamber furnace has a workload size of 40 inches long x 24 inches wide x 28 inches high (1,000 x 600 x 715 mm) and a load capacity of 1,500 pounds (680 kg).