Solar Atmospheres of Western PA successfully vacuum heat treated what it says is the largest and longest load of nickel-alloy tubing ever in a commercial vacuum furnace. The goal was to preserve the elements of brightness and cleanliness of the 45-foot-long seamless tubing while meeting stringent mechanical properties.

Vacuum thermal processing is vital for automotive and aerospace component manufacturers due to industry demands for the highest possible quality. Brazing and surface treatment are two process areas where vacuum technology is used.

Solar Manufacturing shipped an external-quench vacuum furnace to a West Coast aerospace manufacturer. The furnace has an all-metal hot zone, load capacity up to 10,000 pounds and a maximum operating temperature of 2400°F. It also includes a 2-bar quench system optimized for argon with a 150-HP quench motor and variable-frequency drive. The AMS 2750F-compliant furnace, which has a work zone measuring 48 inches wide x 48 inches high x 72 inches deep, will be primarily used for vacuum heat treating investment castings.

Solar Atmospheres of Western PA entered a five-year partnering agreement with energy storage company HI-POWER, a Holtec International and Eos Energy Storage joint venture. HI-POWER builds a safe and fully integrated DC storage battery, Znyth, which is especially stable when housed in extreme temperatures, nonflammable and 100% recyclable. One of the critical components within the battery system requires a vacuum cathodic heat-treatment process. This newly developed surface heat-treatment process enables the product to last 5,000 cycles for a 15-year calendar life with no sub-cooling or pumps required.

Solar Atmospheres of California and Kittyhawk announced a strategic partnership for vacuum heat treating and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) services. Because many parts require both heat treating and HIP, the relationship allows the customer to work with two companies that have extensive experience and a strong reputation within the industry. Solar Atmospheres and Kittyhawk are both Nadcap, ISO 9001 and AS9100 certified, and both companies maintain source approvals for a full line of major aerospace primes.

July is always our annual Buyers Guide issue. This year is no different. 2020, however, marks a somewhat significant milestone – albeit a personal one.

ALD Vacuum Technologies GmbH will build a heat-treatment services center in China, the company’s fourth such plant worldwide. Officially registered as ALD Thermal Treatment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., the facility will be equipped with ModulTherm, ALD’s heat-treatment system, and will serve the domestic industry with heat-treatment services. The new production hall will be build next to subsidiary ALD-C&K Vacuum Technologies (Suzhou) Co. Ltd. The start of production is scheduled for autumn of 2020. 

UCM 4D Quench is a vacuum heat-treatment system for individual quenching of component parts such as gears, shafts, bearing races and rings.

As additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, continues to evolve, many challenges still plague this exciting new technology.