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Solar Atmospheres to donate vacuum furnace to ASM teaching facility

In commemoration of ASM Intl.'s 100th anniversary, Solar Atmospheres Inc., Souderton, Pa., will donate a vacuum furnace to ASM for use in its Teaching Lab at its headquarters in Materials Park, Ohio. The $250,000 furnace, expected to ship in June, will allow students to perform a variety of tests and experiments relating to vacuum heat-treating, brazing, and sintering processes.

Currently under construction at Solar Mfg., a Solar Atmospheres company, the model HFL-2018-IQ horizontal, internal quenching furnace has a hot zone that measures 12 by 12 by 18 in. and can reach 2,400 degrees F. The hearth will accept a load of 250 lbs. The hot-zone insulation package will consist of a heavy graphite foil hot face backed by four layers of 0.5-in. graphite felt, all supported in a stainless steel ring. The elements will be curved, solid machined graphite.

The vacuum system will incorporate an Alcatel mechanical pump, a Varian 6-in. VHS-6 diffusion pump, and an Alcatel holding pump to allow the furnace to operate in the 10-6 torr range. An internal 5-HP blower/heat exchanger combination will recirculate the cooling gas through fixed gas nozzles located throughout the hot zone.