Advanced Thermal Processing
Thermal Technology Furnace Systems
qThermal Technology is a diversified technology company with innovative equipment and solutions for the global market. Their decades of scientific expertise in advanced thermal processing includes high temperature furnaces, hot presses, sintering systems, and replacement hot zones.
Models
Production and Laboratory Furnaces
Thermal Technology's process and equipment engineers can provide a furnace to meet your most demanding application requirements. With Thermal Technology's unmatched service and support, your system will maintain its high productivity and reliability year after year.
With an impressive 60-year history of high-temperature furnace system design, Thermal Technology has helped pioneer the use of innovative advanced materials in industries such as medical, lighting and renewable energy. Their systems are used in the manufacturing process of a wide range of components found in a variety of applications, including life-saving coronary stents, aircraft turbine blades, orthodontia, and high intensity discharge (HID) lighting and vacuum interrupters for the growing network of electric grids in BRICS nations.
Production Furnaces
Thermal Technology's production furnace applications include sintering, pre-sintering, annealing, brazing, metallizing and debinding. They operate in vacuum, inert or reducing atmospheres and have a very long usable life.
Features
- High level of temperature uniformity maximizing hot zone productivity
- 2, 4 or 6-sided heating accommodates large loads
- Automatic controls for attended or unattended operation
Laboratory Furnaces
Thermal Technology's laboratory furnaces are suitable for a wide variety of laboratory and small scale production applications.
Features
- Versatile design
- Easy to install and operate
- Highly reliable with very long usable life
- Customized models reaching temperatures of 3,000° C
Hot Press Systems
Thermal Technology's hot presses are designed for high temperature, high pressure consolidation of powder materials. Operating at temperatures to 2250° C and uniaxial loads to 10 or 25 tons, this equipment is capable of densifying virtually all known ceramic materials. The vacuum furnaces are available with graphite, tungsten mesh, molybdenum mesh, or silicon carbide hot zones to meet specific process requirements. Atmospheres ranging from high vacuum to inert to reducing to oxidizing can be accommodated.
The basic models of hot pressing systems include the vacuum furnace, press load frame with rams, manual power supply with water-cooled flexible power leads, and manually controlled hydraulic force system.
With the versatility built into Thermal Technology's hot presses, high purity, and high strength technical ceramics can be fabricated. A variety of accessories can be installed at time of purchase or in the field at a later date.
Features
- Robust four-column, rigid load frame
- Highly accurate force control
- Reliable powder densification and diffusion bonding
- Optimum hot zone temperature uniformity
- Low entry costs
- High level of repeatability
- Long life, low maintenance
Spark Plasma and Direct Current Sintering (SPS/DCS)
Thermal Technology's innovative rapid powder consolidation technologies, Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) and Direct Current Sintering (DCS) utilize high amperage DC current for quick and even thermal processing. SPS (pulsed DC current) and DCS (constant DC current) systems quickly process conductive, non-conductive and composite materials, including nanomaterial, to any level of density with high homogeneity at lower operating costs. Thermal Technology's modular power supplies can be configured to your specific applications.
Unique to SPS is the DC current generating heat internally, as opposed to conventional methods of materials densification such as hot pressing, wherein the heat is external to the sample. While other traditional methods of materials processing require hours to reach peak temperature, Thermal Technology's SPS takes only minutes. The clear benefits of SPS are the significant savings of time and energy and the ability to retain nano-structures.
Emerging markets for SPS and DCS systems include the development of thermoelectric generators for automotive applications. This developing green technology converts waste heat from engine exhaust and industrial plants into electricity. Other applications include fuel cell materials, high strength and wear resistant tooling, sputter targets, diamond compaction for abrasives and the development of pure or mixed metallics, ceramics or cermets where maintaining nanometric and fine microstructure is required.
Features
- Full density and controlled porosity
- Pre-forming and binders NOT necessary
- Retains nanometric particle structure
- Low operating costs
- Fast cycle times
- Powder-to-part net and near-net shapes
- Minimal grain growth
- Ease of use
Replacement Hot Zones
Thermal Technology hot zones are made with the highest quality materials for extended zone life. Benefit from 60 years of experience designing and constructing quality hot zones. Replacement zones can be made to fit other manufacturers' furnaces.
OEM Parts
Thermal Technology offers a full complement of OEM parts constructed only from the highest quality materials.
