New Sintervac AM and Workhorse AM Furnaces are Ideal for 3D/Additive Manufacturing Processes
Press Release Summary:
- Sintervac AM designed for processing stainless steel, tool steel, mild steels and alloy materials with maximum temperature of 1600°C
- Workhorse AM designed for secondary heat treating, annealing, stress‐relieving, de‐gassing, and quench cooling of 3D printed and Additive Manufactured parts
- Includes programmable controller with PLC and PC/HMI visualization interface for process control
Original Press Release:
Centorr Vacuum Industries Launches Two New Furnaces for Additive Manufactured Parts – The Sintervac AM™ and Workhorse AM™
Nashua, NH, 05 November 2019 – Centorr Vacuum Industries announced it has developed two new furnace lines designed specifically for the 3D/Additive manufacturing processes.
The Sintervac AM™ line of vacuum and controlled atmosphere furnaces is Centorr’s newest offering for the growing market for binder‐jetted 3D printed and Additive Manufactured parts.
Originally designed and developed in the early 1970’s for the debinding and sintering of Tungsten Carbide materials with wax or PEG binder systems, the Sintervac AM™ takes this heritage and improves on the proprietary Sweepgas™ binder removal system offering a furnace that can debind in both partial pressures or positive pressures of Argon, Nitrogen, or Forming Gas depending on the customer’s choice of binders. The all‐graphite furnace hot zone offers a robust and inexpensive design for processing a variety of stainless steel, tool steel, mild steels and alloy materials. With a max temperature of 1600°C it can handle virtually all 3D printed metals on the market today.
In order to protect the hot zone insulation and elements, the Sintervac AM™ furnace comes with a tight all‐graphite retort or workbox inside the hot zone which is used to compartmentalize the process offgassing (that takes place in the case of debinding), directing it out of the furnace through a delube manifold plumbed out the bottom of the chamber using our proprietary Sweepgas™ debinding system. The use of a graphite retort allows the binder‐laden gases to exit the hot zone without passing across the heating elements or insulation pack, resulting in longer service life of the hot zone components. The Sintervac AM™ furnace line is available with an optional high‐vacuum pumping system and operates in a variety of processing environments including high/low vacuum and partial or positive pressures of Ar, N2, and Forming Gas.
Furnace control is via PLC/Programmable Controllers with Centorr's custom-designed HMI visualization interface.
Centorr Vacuum Industries Sintervac AM™ design is available in sizes of 2, 4.5, 9, 12, and 16 cubic foot volumes.
The Workhorse AM™ is Centorr Vacuum Industries production oriented offering specifically designed for the secondary heat treating, annealing, stress‐relieving, de‐gassing, and quench cooling of 3D printed and Additive Manufactured parts. Because DLS (direct laser sintering) and SLM (selective laser melting) processes may result in localized high‐temperature melting of small spots within the overall part, micro‐stresses can buildup up in the parts that need to be eliminated in order to achieve enhanced physical properties such as fatigue strength, hardness, durability, and ductility. Annealing and stress‐relieving in a vacuum or controlled atmosphere of inert gas provides that necessary furnace environment. The ultra‐clean vacuum environment also assures no oxidation, and a shiny part surface when compared to heat treatment in common atmosphere box furnaces.
The Workhorse AM™ has a long list of optional equipment that makes this one of the most versatile furnaces available today. The basic design is rated for 1315°C with an optional upgrade to 1650°C for processing higher melting materials such as superalloys and Titanium. The Workhorse AM™ has an option for operation in positive pressure for processing specific alloys in a controlled atmosphere of pure inert gas. For quick‐quench gas cooling requirements, the furnace can be outfitted with a 2BAR gas quench cooling system.
Standard Furnace instrumentation includes a programmable controller with PLC and PC/HMI visualization interface for process control.
The Workhorse® furnace line is available with high‐vacuum or low vacuum pumping systems and operates in a variety of processing environments including high/low vacuum and partial or positive pressures of Ar, N2 or Hydrogen process gas with our optional G‐10503A gas system.
Centorr Vacuum Industries is a high temperature vacuum and controlled atmosphere furnace manufacturer which was founded in 1954, with an installed base of over 6500 units worldwide. Their furnace offering ranges from large commercial and production units with hot zones over 3m x 3m, to smaller Lab and Research & Development furnaces for use at temperatures over 3500°C. They are located in Nashua, NH with a fully staffed Aftermarket Field Service group, and Applied Technology Center offering R&D support and toll production service. For more information please visit www.centorr.com.
Contact: Scott K. Robinson
Phone: 603-595-7233
FAX: 603-595-9220
Email: skr@centorr.com
