Nordic Traction Finland, a manufacturer of traction chains and tracks for forestry and agricultural machinery, upgraded its heat-treatment operations by installing a new endothermic gas generator. Nordic Traction relies on endogas to carburize its traction chains. The EndoFlex S system, designed and supplied by UPC-Marathon, a Nitrex company, replaced an outdated generator that could not effectively control volume or atmosphere quality and was incapable of scaling up when the demand increased. The new system also mixes to more precise ratios, which helps to maintain a constant furnace atmosphere and consistent gas quality at all times – improving process reliability and the quality of the finished product.

OWZ Ostalb, a commercial heat treater in Aalen, Germany, purchased an electrically heated endothermic gas generator to replace its old generator. The EndoFlex S, manufactured and supplied by UPC-Marathon, one of Nitrex’s business units, includes an air cooler, an automatic nitrogen purge system and additional CH₄ monitoring to meet the highest safety standards. OWZ Ostalb has been using the EndoFlex S since September 2021, and it has been running nonstop ever since. At start-up, UPC checks that all safety features function perfectly and provides detailed training to users.

Abbott Furnace Company designed, manufactured and installed a 6,000-SCFH endothermic gas generator at Sintergy Inc. in Reynoldsville, Pa. The generator has an innovative retort design that allows a single retort to produce endo gas at this rate without sacrificing gas quality and maintaining a 6:1 turndown ratio. According to Sintergy, a manufacturer of powder-metal components, it is only seeing ±1°F in dew-point variation from setpoint. Abbott included state-of-the-art controls with an Allen-Bradley PLC, data logging, dew-point and methane sensors, and an updated gas safety system.

The endothermic generator has been used in heat treating for decades. It was first introduced into the heat-treating market to produce consistency for a nonoxidizing, carbon-rich source for a neutral or carburizing atmosphere.

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The father of the endothermic gas generator was a gentleman by the name of Norbert K. Koebel, who was fond of saying to young engineers such as The Doctor, “Treat ‘em right, and they’ll treat you right.” He knew that the endothermic gas generator was the heart of any atmosphere heat-treat operation.

United Process Controls (UPC) delivered an Atmosphere Engineering EndoFlex endothermic-gas generator to Jomarca, a fastener manufacturer in South America. The generator is intended for carburizing operations at the company’s Brazilian plant, which includes 10 large continuous rotary-retort furnaces that process over 2,200 tons of fasteners a month. The high-capacity generator was integrated into the plant’s existing gas-distribution system in the first quarter of 2018 and is supplying endothermic gas to all carburizing furnaces.

Can-Eng Furnaces International Ltd. has been awarded a contract to design and build a 1,500-pounds/hour mesh-belt furnace system for the austenitizing and molten salt quenching of unique components used in the manufacture of drivetrain systems.