Vacuum Furnace Hot Zones
High efficiency, economical and durable
Solar Manufacturing designs and manufactures new and replacement vacuum heat treating furnace hot zones with a focus on energy efficiency and durability. As a team of specialists with many collective years of experience in vacuum furnace and hot zone design, we are committed to our objectives of providing vacuum furnaces with the lowest cost of ownership achieved through state-of-the-art materials, high performance operation and robust design.
Solar Manufacturing also offers replacement hot zones for a variety of OEM furnaces.
Features and Benefits
Hot zones are available in either graphite or metallic construction.
Graphite Hot Zone Features:
Entire hot zone supporting ring consists of .090 thick 304 stainless steel- Insulation consists of multiple layers of high purity graphite felt
- Internally tapered graphite gas nozzles are specifically directed at the workload to provide improved cooling rates, which are mounted to the support ring using either graphite or stainless steel supports.
- Thin, machined, graphite resistance heating elements. Each element is measured and matched for resistance which allows for a very uniform radiant heat up. Segmented element design for ease of replacement and long life
- Threaded or twist-in element supports make for elements that are sturdy, durable and easily maintained
- Operating temperatures up to 3000°F (1649°C) available
- Temperature uniformity of approximately ± 10°F
- Heavy duty hearth of machined graphite support pins and rails
- Optional molybdenum hearth available
- Multiple zones of trim controls
All-Metal Shielded Hot Zone Construction:
- Operating temperatures up to 3000°F (1649°C) available
- Temperature uniformity: ±10°F
- Insulation: combinations of molybdenum and/or stainless steel sheet metal
*Other shielding materials are available depending on the application and temperature requirements
- Hot Face: Lanthanated Molybdenum hot face increases hot zone life expectancy
- Heating Elements: rugged segmented, curved graphite bands or ML Molybdenum bands, supported with a Solar proprietary design to reduce metallization of insulation materials and increasing the ease of maintenance
- Hearth: TZM hearth rails for strength at high temperatures
Unique Hot Zone Features
Key to our furnaces is the critical hot zone design and the various materials selected to accomplish the specs you need. Our prime objectives are to provide our customers with a hot zone that fully meets all furnace specifications, is highly energy efficient with low watt density factors and yet will provide extended life. Solar Manufacturing hot zones operating under these difficult conditions have performed well for several years and beyond before requiring any major repair.
Solar also relies heavily on the expertise of our affiliate commercial heat treater to provide feedback on the design and manufacture of our products. This allows us to design and test new ideas regularly.
