Solar Atmospheres of Western PA, Hermitage, has constructed a climate-controlled chamber for the daily operation of its new all-metal hot-zoned vacuum furnace. The climate is closely controlled utilizing a high quality HVAC system, as well as dehumidifiers and customizable thermostats. A heavy-duty insulation package was installed, which ultimately helps to manage and stabilize temperature and humidity around the clock. The space also was constructed to produce a slight positive pressure, which will help eliminate dust and debris from entering the setup and fixturing areas.
According to Kevin Bekelja, Vice President of Operations, “With the new third party accreditation programs such as MedAccred gaining momentum, and knowing how detrimental high levels of humidity can be in the vacuum thermal processing of certain critical materials, we believe this venture is well worth the investment.”
Both medical and aerospace contractors continue to demand that environmental conditions be controlled, processes be validated, and the risk of foreign object debris (FOD) be totally eliminated. This newly constructed environmentally controlled room will enable Solar Atmospheres of Western PA to thermally process critical components under pristine conditions, which in turn will add even more value to the customer’s operations.
