SECO/WARWICK has secured an order from a British foundry technology centre for a large Vector vacuum furnace designed to expand its heat treatment capabilities for oversized titanium castings used in aerospace, energy and heavy industry applications.
The new furnace features a 1600 × 1500 × 2000 mm (63 × 59 × 79 in) work zone, enabling the processing of large components and new types of castings being developed by the customer. The system is equipped with a high-vacuum system and gas cooling of up to 6 bar, supporting clean and repeatable heat treatment of demanding titanium alloys.
The installation will also expand the customer’s annealing capacity and help relieve existing heat treatment equipment at its facility.
High-vacuum processing for titanium castings
The Vector furnace incorporates a high-vacuum system comprising two mechanical pumps, a Roots blower and a diffusion pump. The configuration is intended to provide the high level of process cleanliness required for titanium and other reactive materials.
Its round heating chamber is designed to maximise the available working space while maintaining temperature uniformity. Additional heating elements in the furnace door and rear wall further support uniform heating across large components.
The system also features dew-point control to prevent water vapour condensation and a partial-pressure system designed to limit the evaporation of alloying elements during vacuum processing. According to SECO/WARWICK, these features contribute to process stability and help protect hot-zone components from contamination.
“This system was designed for heat treating large, demanding cast components. A key advantage of the furnace is its spacious work zone and very good temperature distribution in the heating chamber,” said Grzegorz Głuchowski, Sales Manager, SECO/WARWICK. He added that the combination of the high-vacuum system and gas cooling up to 6 bar enables clean and repeatable annealing processes for large components.
Expanding heat treatment capacity
The British customer has developed expertise in advanced material technologies and the production of castings for aerospace, energy and heavy industry applications. The new furnace is expected to increase its capacity for processing large metal components while supporting the development of additional casting applications.
“This contract confirms their trust in our technologies and reflects years of cooperation with a Partner that knows our equipment well and is satisfied with it,” said Maciej Korecki, Vice President of the Vacuum Segment, SECO/WARWICK.
The furnace will be the second vacuum furnace supplied by the SECO/WARWICK Group to the British customer, further expanding its vacuum heat treatment capabilities.
Vacuum heat treatment for titanium
Titanium alloys are widely used in aerospace, energy, medical, chemical processing and other demanding industries because of their high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance and performance at elevated temperatures.
Heat treatment processes such as annealing, stress relieving, solution treatment and ageing are used to control the microstructure of titanium alloys and achieve the required mechanical properties. High process cleanliness is particularly important because titanium can react with oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen at elevated temperatures.
Vacuum heat treatment therefore plays an important role in preventing surface contamination and oxidation while maintaining process repeatability. The growing use of titanium alloys in aircraft, engines and emerging manufacturing technologies is also increasing demand for heat treatment systems capable of handling large components with precise temperature and cooling control.
The SECO/WARWICK order highlights the continued investment in advanced vacuum heat treatment technologies for large, high-value castings serving industries with stringent material and quality requirements.
