Cooperative R & D leads Solar Manufacturing to build vacuum carburizing furnace for major aircraft manufacturer

Solar Manufacturing announces its receipt of an order from a major aircraft manufacturer for a large vacuum carburizing furnace. This purchase was the culmination of an extensive research and development program between the companies to create final process cycles for specific carburizing applications. Through the cooperation of Solar Manufacturing's sister company, Solar Atmospheres, many trial tests were completed to prove each process.

The vacuum furnace being built is a Solar Manufacturing Model HFL-5748-10IQ-VC. This horizontal, front loading furnace has a work zone that measures 36" wide x 36" high x 48" deep with an operating temperature up to 2500oF to meet AMS 2750D TUS requirements and a load capacity of 3500 pounds. The combined hot zone incorporates a combination of 1" graphite board with a .090" graphite foil facing, backed by (4) ½" layers of graphite felt housed in a 304 stainless steel ring. A large mechanical pump and a booster pump are included for proper vacuum operation and a 300 HP motor and internal heat exchanger system, operating at 10 bar, is provided for rapid, high velocity quenching of the work load.

Electronic control instrumentation includes a Honeywell HC900 PLC with an operator touch screen interface. The gas carburizing process, including the injection of hydrogen and acetylene, is accomplished via mass flow controllers per Solar US Patent 7,514,035B2.

Pete Reh, VP of Sales at Solar Manufacturing states, "We were very fortunate to have our sister company Solar Atmospheres available for help in researching these processes, as without their help, we might not have been successful in obtaining this most important order."