Solar Atmospheres of Western PA commissions large car bottom air furnace

Solar Atmospheres of Western PA has commissioned a 20-ft.-long car bottom furnace that has a total load capacity of up to 30,000 lbs. The Class 2 furnace, built by John Becker’s Heat Treat Equipment Inc. in Canton, Mich., has been installed and tested at Solar Atmospheres’ facility in Hermitage, Pa. The 60-in.-sq. by 240-in. hot zone envelope has passed the AMS 2750E temperature uniformity survey of +/- 10 degrees F from temperatures of 300 to 1,450 degrees F.

This new piece of equipment will complement the company’s lower-temperature work, especially where surface oxidation is of little concern. It also will be used to process many downstream processes, including multiple tempering operations, which typically follow vacuum austenitizing treatments.