Vacuum Heat Treating Tanks for Space
Since repair trips are usually not an option, space vehicles require manufacturing and processing expertise. Solar Atmospheres' proficiency in vacuum heat treating responded to the processing requirements of space tank manufacturer ARDE, Norwood, NJ. ARDE has manufactured over 4000 spaceflight and missile tanks, but required heat treating capabilities to improve production and meet metallurgical specifications for the vessels destined for space.
Solar developed heat treating and standardized cycles to solution anneal and age harden Arde's thin wall Inconel tanks. To attain metallurgical specifications (AMS 2774), vacuum heat treating provides precise temperature and quenching to solution anneal and age harden the tanks. The technical challenge is to quench and not crush the thin walled tanks because of pressure differentials in the chamber and cylinder. The backfill of argon gas must be carefully controlled because the cylinders have a small orifice that restricts the ability of the vessel to equalize with the surrounding pressure. Controlling of the gas influx can be done manually, but Solar managers developed an automated system to guarantee consistency and mistake proof the process.
Another application was for thin walled aluminum (6061) tanks. Solar solution treated the vessesls with a 6 bar helium quench. The material is normally water quenched, but these tanks would float so high pressure gas quenching was the only option. The tanks were then age hardened to full T6 condition.
ARDE's second need was to improve production efficiency. Tank sizes required large vacuum furnaces with sizes ranging up to 5 feet in length with a 40 inch diameter, Solar's large vacuum furnaces (up to 36 foot long) enable multiple tank processing. The processing cycle exceeds 20 hours in length, so the large furnaces provide excellent turnaround and processing efficiency. Furnace capabilities, with gas and temperature controls have enabled the tank processing to become an standardized and efficient process at Solar.
Bob Lacock
Solar Atmospheres
Marketing Manager
800.347.3236 x 213
rdl@solaratm.com
www.solaratm.com
