Solar Manufacturing Inc., Souderton, Pa., announces that it has completed the installation and startup of a large 100-ton-force vacuum hot press that is capable of treating a 4000-pound part for Refrac Systems’ commercial and aerospace diffusion-bonding operation in Chandler, Arizona. The system includes a two-bar gas fan quench.
Working with Solar’s engineering team, Refrac Systems selected a derivative of the Solar Manufacturing standard HLF-5748-2IQ internally quenched two-bar vacuum furnace as the base design. The furnace hot zone was modified to contain a 100-ton load hydraulic ram centered over the zone, which is configured to diffusion bond parts up to 36 inches wide x 48 inches long x 30 inches tall. The system was specifically designed to diffusion bond large plastic injection molding dies, while concurrently quench hardening them. In addition, the system is finding applications in bonding advanced superalloy heat exchangers, for which the quench cooling offers significant improvement in performance.
According to Norm Hubele, President of Refrac Systems, “We really drew on the extensive engineering experience base that Solar Manufacturing has for building large gas fan quench-cooled vacuum furnaces coupled with our own vacuum hot-pressing experience to build this very unique hot-press system.”
During the course of system design and development, a number of new and complex engineering solutions were needed to reduce the operational and ownership risks for the new type of furnace system.
William Jones, CEO of the Solar Atmospheres family of companies, notes that “Norm put together a team of engineers to design and build this state-of-the-art GFQVHP, and it contains many innovations. Throughout the entire process, Norm personally reviewed all aspects of the design and added considerable insight to the development of this unique vacuum furnace system.”
Solar Manufacturing designs and manufactures a wide variety of vacuum heat treating, sintering and brazing furnaces, and offers replacement hot zones, spare parts, and professional service.
