Year: 2018

Electrical resistance heating is the leading thermal processing method for industrial heat treatment applications due to its unparalleled levels of efficiency. Gas furnaces use combustion methods to increase the temperature values of process chambers, relying on thermal distribution via ceramic insulation or convection to uniformly treat materials or components. This method can be unsuitable for chemically-sensitive processes and can result in higher degrees of energy loss compared to electrical heating. Comparing the Maximum Watt Loading of Heating Elements Metallic alloy and ceramic heating elements in electrical furnaces convert 100% of supplied electricity into heat. These components are typically categorized by…

Semiconductor materials are synthesized through complex processes comprised of multiple stages including diffusion and oxidation. These lithographic steps take place when dopant materials are introduced to the substrate material of the semiconductor to optimise the electronic capabilities of the device. This is the final stage of semiconductor fabrication, requiring high-quality ceramic heating elements and highly pure thermal processing chambers to achieve the desirable electronic properties. Diffusion is the preferred deposition method for semiconductor dopant materials that are typically introduced to the substrate through atomic layer deposition (ALD) or chemical vapour deposition (CVD). High-temperature thermal processing is then used to encourage…

Numerous considerations must be considered when purchasing high temp furnaces, particularly for applications where the atmospheric composition of a hearth at process temperatures can affect the product yield. Select heat treatment processes are optimally carried out in vacuum conditions to reduce the risk of cross-reactivity and negate mechanical issues associated with gas permeation and adsorption. This is not an issue for alternative curing methods which can be routinely carried out in a regular air atmosphere. This blog post will explore the importance of atmospheric composition in high temp furnaces in more detail: Atmospheric Importance in Heat Treatment Procedures Atmospheric controls…

High temperature furnaces are robust instruments that are typically encapsulated in heavy gage superstructures, with efficient heating elements and insulating components providing the necessary thermodynamic environment for distinct heat treatment processes. This arrangement can result in a high device footprint, often forcing industrial and laboratory facilities to compromise between specificity and versatility. The dual chamber high temperature furnace from Thermcraft aims to resolve this situation by providing a rugged heat treatment component capable of performing multiple thermal processing methods at varying temperature requirements. This article will explore the dual chamber tool room furnace in further detail: Dual Chamber High Temperature…

Natural gas furnaces use direct fuel combustion to heat a sample within the equipment’s internal chamber. Electrical heaters with ceramic fiber and metallic wire thermal elements have found more common application than natural gas furnaces in recent years, with advances in low mass vacuum forming of ceramic insulation providing improved thermodynamic capacities. However, certain firing applications require natural gas heating for increased heating speeds, improved temperature uniformity, or distinct chamber-atmosphere conditions. Controlled atmosphere natural gas furnaces enable manufacturers to thermally treat products or materials to refractory temperatures with exceptional selection of the internal atmospheric composition. This article will outline the…

Thermal treatment of pharmaceutical products can take place at numerous stages of the development process. Inert drug-carrying materials may be sterilized with solvents and processed through heating equipment before they are compounded with biologically active ingredients. These dosage form pharmaceuticals are then typically cured in a sterile furnace to reduce the product’s hydroscopic qualities and its risk of phase transitions in the presence of packaging plastics. At primary, secondary, and tablet coating stages of development, purity and uniformity must be maintained with negligible margins of error. Furnace suppliers for pharmaceutical applications must pay due consideration to these parameters, to meet…

Heat treatment processes such as annealing and curing are rarely associated with clean energy and sustainability, due to their high energy demands and potentially large emission outputs. Clean energy components and instruments are commonly fabricated from conventional materials, such as aluminum, which are formulated through traditional, energy-intensive methods. The schism between the carbon footprint of production methodologies is often at odds with the values of the application sector. Sustainability is key for clean energy high temperature furnaces, which require highly-stable ceramic fiber insulation to reduce energy loss and optimize the temperature profiles of heating chambers. Generating temperatures of up to…

The TransTemp transparent tube laboratory furnace is a unique heat treatment instrument that offers distinct advantages to researchers in academic or industrial development applications. Its innovative structure is comprised of three concentric tubes and a coaxial, brazed heating coil capable of generating temperatures exceeding 1000°C (1832°F). There are numerous benefits to this mechanical arrangement, but the unique selling point of the transparent tube laboratory furnace is the proprietary design of its coaxial tubes – particularly the outermost cylinder. This tubular component has a non-toxic gold plating on its interior, which acts as an exceptional insulator to reflect infrared energy uniformly…

Powder coating ovens are designed to bond high-performance powder particles to the substrates of metallic components. This is achieved through electrostatic methods, which involves projecting a stream of charged powder particles onto the substrate of a conductive material and curing it under tightly-controlled temperature parameters. The resulting thermoplastic coating acts as a tough synthetic skin to improve the mechanical resistances or aesthetic finish of critical components. This is the preferred surface treatment method for a range of industries, particularly where durability and uniformity are of paramount importance. The automotive sector regularly uses powder coating ovens to treat individual mechanical components…

Researchers and manufacturers operating within specialized laboratory or industrial sectors typically require bespoke equipment to achieve distinct operation parameters. These custom applications can rarely be served by ready-made instruments with pre-defined dimensions and capacities, despite broad functional improvements to ready-made manufacturing and test equipment. Heat treatment instruments for unique applications are typically made on a custom basis, allowing operators to precisely determine the functionalities of the product, from its heating capacity to the efficacy of its ceramic insulation. Custom furnaces can be designed to virtually limitless specifications for every established and emerging heat treatment technique. Annealing, quenching, and tempering furnaces…