Solar Manufacturing recently shipped and installed a vacuum heat-treating furnace for NexGen Advanced Fuel Systems, an Allied Power Group Company, based in Houston, Texas.
NexGen, a premier gas turbine component overhaul facility, ordered Solar Manufacturing’s new HFL-7472-2IQ furnace to help increase their capacity and reduce turnaround time for their heat-treating and brazing operations. Built specifically to heat treat land-based turbine equipment, with attention to specific cooling requirements required by NexGen’s customers, the furnace features a Solarvac Polaris Control System and a graphite hot zone accommodating loads up to 48″ wide × 48″ high × 72″ deep. The furnace has a maximum load weight capacity of 6,000 pounds.
The furnace achieves a vacuum level of 10-5 Torr, and reaches a maximum operating temperature of 2,400°F. A 300 HP gas fan will allow NexGen to quench a load from 2,150°F to 1,000°F in just three minutes, using only 2-bar.
“Our Solar vacuum furnace runs exceptionally well. The interface makes running the furnace easy for operators of all skill levels. For furnace installation and operation, Solar provides knowledgeable engineering and support staff. The Solar furnace has a robust design, with some nuances such as stainless-steel internals, brass fittings, made in USA valving, and in our case, a beefed-up blower allowing super-fast cooling abilities. Not only does Solar manufacture vacuum furnaces, but they also run them. Nothing beats an improvement feedback loop back to manufacturing than real life experience. Nexgen hopes business growth supports purchasing a second Solar vacuum furnace,” said Mark Dion, president of Nexgen-AFS, and general manager of Allied Power Group Combustion Technologies.
MORE INFO nexgen-afs.com or www.solarmfg.com
