Author: Dave Cockett

Unfinished metal alloys are subject to a wide range of chemistry-dependant corrosive phenomena that can limit their performance and service longevity. Iron (Fe) particles that are exposed to moisture and oxidation will gradually succumb to rust unless alloyed with sufficient levels of anti-corrosive elements like chromium (Cr) or protected with a veneer or functional coating. Stainless and galvanized steels represent the two primary metal types designed for anti-corrosive properties, but each of these can still submit to more complex corrosive phenomena such as chlorine pitting. Prior to the inception of powder coating ovens, the best way to counteract this was…

Industrial furnace manufacturers are tasked with developing heat treatment solutions that meet both broad and extremely specialized operating criteria. These may include wide temperature ranges with safety controls for extreme peak thermal conditions, unique considerations for future expansion, and specialist furnace geometries for processing difficult components. Humidity is an almost unavoidable factor in industrial and laboratory heat treatment processes. It is produced when the internal temperature of samples is heated to the extent that moisture trapped within the material desorbs and enters the heat treatment chamber as a vapor. Dehydrating samples is a critical process for drying and curing ovens.…

Standard thermal processing equipment can be limiting in terms of device architecture and geometry. Specialist equipment manufacturers typically require a bespoke solution to guarantee optimal processing conditions for products and components that are chemically-sensitive or of a difficult scale. Custom industrial furnaces enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to tailor production lines to their unique thermal processing requirements. Improved automation, controlled environments, and unique accessibility features are just a few challenges that Thermcraft has resolved with our custom industrial furnaces. In a previous blog post, we explored 4 Custom Industrial Furnace Types from Thermcraft. This week, we are exploring two more…

Natural gas furnaces, or gas-fired ovens, use naturally-occurring gaseous mixtures of hydrogen (H) and carbon (C) as the primary source of fuel. These hydrocarbons can be extracted from oil wells where they exist as off-gas, or they may be found in isolated natural gas fields and extracted using specialized drilling rigs. It is a fossil energy source that has more closely aligned with renewables compared to petroleum and coal, owing to its significantly reduced carbon emissions following combustion. As such, natural gas is dispensed to millions of homes around the world where it is used to fuel ovens and central…

One of the most critical steps in semiconductor manufacturing is the introduction of deliberate impurities into the material’s molecular structure, which is known as doping. The unique electrical properties of semiconductors are utterly dependent on the number of free electrons and electron holes available in its atomic bands. Under stable thermal conditions, the concentrations of these are roughly equivalent. Dopants are introduced to increase the conductivity of semiconductors closer to that of a conventional conductor. For example, introducing an impurity such as boron (Bn), gallium (Ga), or phosphorous (P) into a silicon (Si) semiconducting wafer increases the number of free…

Melting furnaces are used to overheat solid materials until they liquefy. Often, thermal processing equipment is used to alter the surface or internal characteristics of materials by carefully elevating their temperature. In the case of metals, this typically increases ductility at the expense of both hardness and strength. This requires an industrial furnace capable of generating and maintaining temperatures below that of the material’s melting point. A melting furnace, by comparison, generates overhot temperatures that exceed the metal’s melting point and cause decomposition of its physical structure which leads to liquefaction. This phase transition is utterly dependent on both temperature…

Gold (Au) remains one of the most sought-after precious metals in the world for its superficial monetary value, but it also exhibits useful electro- and thermomechanical behavior for engineering and manufacturing applications. With a thermal conductivity of roughly 310 Watts per meter-Kelvin W/(mK) from room temperature up to 225°C (437°F) and outstanding reflectivity to infrared (IR) radiation, it is routinely used to manufacture protective films for satellites and faceplates for space suits. These novel properties are gradually being recognized in a broader range of fields. Most recently, gold has been employed for thermally-efficient heat shieldings in the engine bays of…

Conventional tools and components often do not suit the requirements of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) developing specialist or non-standard products. These may require low tolerances for physical variation, high uniformity with regards to thermodynamic characteristics, or numerous other unique requirements that cannot be assured with standard machinery. Custom industrial furnaces can, therefore, be extremely beneficial for OEM production lines with heat treatment requirements. A custom industrial furnace eliminates elements of uncertainty for specialist thermal processing. They can be engineered with specific controls and capabilities to meet the most demanding of heat treatment challenges. This blog post will explore four types…

Electrical resistance heating is one of the most efficient forms of thermal processing for industrial sectors. It uses thermodynamically stable resistors to convert electricity into heat and high-performance insulation materials to distribute temperatures uniformly throughout a heating chamber. The most efficient high temperature heating elements are subsequently comprised of multiple materials. Precious and rare metals such as tungsten (W), and engineered ceramics like silicon carbide (SiC) are broadly used to fabricate high temperature heating elements of varied geometries to suit a range of furnace architectures. This blog post will explore the high temperature heating element geometries available from Thermcraft in…

High temperature durability testing is used to assess the potential service life of a component engineered for harsh operating conditions. A durability test is typically used to measure the physical integrity of a material in response to one or more forms of thermodynamic stress, from continuous agitation to elevated temperatures. Gaskets for the mating surface areas in heavy machinery must be characterized as a function of their resistance to wearing via abrasion, for example. Products that are subject to multiple forms of stress simultaneously throughout their lifetime must be measured for durability through more dynamic testing. Such dynamic durability testing…