Solar Atmospheres, Souderton, Pa., has installed a new 1500 ft2 room in its shop that incorporates temperature and humidity controls, as well as a slight positive pressure environment. Adjacent to the room is a new state-of-the-art, all-metal hot-zone vacuum furnace, in which only the door protrudes through the wall. The furnace has the ability to isolate the quench system during the heat cycle, and features an all stainless-steel chamber and an oversize pumping system.
The furnace is capable of maintaining a vacuum level of 5×10–6 torr or lower, and has successfully processed sensitive materials unshielded without any surface contamination.
Early in 2015, an existing furnace will be modified and updated with state-of-the-art controls and added to this new area as well. Currently two laboratory furnaces also reside within the room, bringing the total number of furnaces in the area to four.
This new climate-controlled room will lower the risk of discoloration and foreign object debris, and will save time by eliminating the need to shield parts during heat treating.
