How a Conveyor Furnace Works

A conveyor furnace is designed for the rapid heat treatment of products in various manufacturing environments. They comprise an overarching tunnel-shaped heating chamber which is separated into different heating modules which integrate several heating processes into one continuous procedure, using a conveyor belt capable of withstanding extreme and fluctuating temperatures. The internal heating modules are typically separated into sections for pre-heating, heating and / or firing, and cooling products passing through the chamber. Each of these sections must perform to varying specifications, requiring exceptional thermal insulation and efficient heating elements capable of treating components or products at temperatures of up…
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The History of Industrial Kilns

Industrial kilns have been a fundamental part of materials manufacturing worldwide for thousands of years, supplying raw compounds such as lime (CaO) and finished products like pottery through high-temperature, kiln-firing processes. This article will explore the history of industrial kilns in some more detail: Historical Industrial Kilns Mankind has been using kilns since approximately 6000BC, chiefly for the formation of ceramics and the smelting of ores – and though it was still thousands of years until this equipment was utilized on an industrial scale, even these earliest kilns were capable of producing temperatures exceeding 900°C (1652°F). Early pit-firing techniques were…
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Industrial Drying Oven Applications

Industrial drying ovens are designed to simultaneously heat a material while withdrawing moisture from its surface, a process with many commercial, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications. These are primarily used for batch processes – though varying product or research requirements need vastly different mechanisms and components. However, there is a basic three-stage operating process which underlines the working principle of industrial drying ovens in all sectors. Initially a product or sample is placed within an industrial drying oven where it is heated to a required temperature to draw moisture from the substrate of its surface, then it is left immersing at…
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What is a Fiber Optic Furnace?

A fiber optic furnace is an industrial heater developed and manufactured for drawing glass composite materials such as silica (SiO2) into transparent optical fibers between 5 – 100 microns in diameter without cladding. These are instrumental for modern telecommunications due to their high strength, flexibility, and wavelength transmittance. Drawing glass fibers in a fiber optic furnace requires precise instrumentation with excellent temperature uniformity to optimize the end-products and ensure optical fibers do not crystallize or become damaged during the drawing process. The fiber optic industry requires furnaces designed to varying specifications, with an element of adaptability, as the chemical composition…
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The Ceramic Fiber Insulation Products Available from Thermcraft

Ceramic fiber insulation is an industrial insulation product with a low heat storage, low thermal conductivity, high thermal shock resistance, and lightweight physical properties. It is available in a variety of densities and forms to suit varied heating environments where temperatures regularly exceed 1000°C (1832°F). Thermcraft’s distinguished range of vacuum formed ceramic fiber insulation is manufactured using high purity alumina-based ceramic fiber which is fit for a range of purposes, including semi-cylindrical insulation, board insulation, and blanket or formable insulation for reduced rigidity. This article will explore some of the ceramic fiber insulation products available from Thermcraft in more detail:…
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Working Principle of Annealing Furnaces

Annealing is a heat treatment process that is used to alter the chemical or physical properties of a metal to make it more ductile and reduce its hardness. An annealing furnace works by heating an annealing furnace above its recrystallization temperature and then cooling once the sample has been maintained at this temperature for a suitable amount of time. During the annealing process, the atoms within a sample diffuse in the crystal lattice and the number of dislocations reduce, changing the ductility and hardness properties of the sample. Recrystallisation occurs as the sample cools down. Heating the sample is what…
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High Temperature Heating Element Materials for Industrial Furnaces

A heating element is used to convert electricity into heat, and within an industrial furnace, there are various materials that can be used. Typically, iron-chrome aluminum or nickel chrome alloys are used in furnaces, and the standard shapes are cylindrical, semi-circular, or flat panels. This blog post will look at the other different types of materials that can be used as high-temperature heating elements. Precious Metals A precious metal can be materials including pure platinum, pure rhodium, and platinum/rhodium alloys, however these materials aren’t as common as others as they have a high cost. Precious metals are often used as…
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