SECO/VACUUM News

Three SECO/WARWICK vacuum furnaces for Slovenia and Croatia

Three SECO/WARWICK solutions will be delivered to the Slovenian concern: a vacuum furnace with 15 bar high pressure gas hardening, and two nitriding furnaces with ZeroFlow® technology.

European heat treater chooses ZeroFlow

In the past, SECO/WARWICK has provided several technological solutions to the Group, which streamline processes and increase efficiency. This time, the Partner decided on the standard solution of the Vector vacuum furnace – a leader in the vacuum furnaces segment for metal heat treatment, and two horizontal retort furnaces intended mainly for nitriding processes with ZeroFlow technology (they can also be used for high tempering with vacuum purging). They are sized to fit the elements processed in the vacuum furnace on order.

“ZeroFlow technology enables precise and fully controlled nitriding processes, which offer the high accuracy of the nitrogen layers obtained while minimizing process costs. We met the Partner’s expectations not only in terms of delivering high-quality furnaces, but also in terms of delivery time and its synchronization. The SECO/WARWICK Group has repeatedly carried out orders for large enterprises of one capital group located in different countries or even continents. Our branches in the USA, Europe, China and India cooperate in an exemplary manner, thanks to which we can successfully fulfill even logistically complex contracts.” – says Maciej Korecki, Vice-President of the SECO/WARWICK Group’s Vacuum Segment.

ZeroFlow® is a modern version of controlled gas nitriding, maximizing the process effectiveness and productivity as well as economic efficiency. The process is used for precise shaping of any nitrided layer composition while maintaining minimal media consumption and post-process gas emissions, meeting the most stringent environmental protection regulations.

The ZeroFlow technology uniqueness is that during the nitriding process, when the load does not absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere (e.g. when lowering the nitrogen potential or in the diffusion phase), the introduction of ammonia into the furnace completely stops (zero flow) and the furnace remains tightly closed.

Compared to traditional nitriding processes, ZeroFlow reduces ammonia and nitrogen consumption and gas emissions to the environment many times (up to 10 times), and at the same time contributes to energy savings.

Aftermarket service – the SECO/WARWICK advantage

The vacuum furnace on order is the largest unit from the SECO/WARWICK solutions standard range. The furnace technology produces very efficient tool steel hardening processes thanks to the use of a 15 bar nitrogen cooling system.

“The Vector furnace’s characteristic feature is its easy-to-use and service graphite heating chamber. This furnace is efficient and very durable. The offer included not only the sale of furnaces, but also technological support and after-market service, which was very important for the Partner to feel that we are always ready to support them in unforeseen situations. Because each production downtime means real losses for industrial component manufacturers, our solutions, as well as the technologist and service support, allow us to minimize them.” – explains Jędrzej Malinowski, Sales Manager of the SECO/WARWICK Group’s Vacuum Furnaces Team.