Vacuum heat treat services expert, Solar Atmospheres of Western PA, recently announced the installation of a new high-temperature, high-purity, production-scale, 2-bar vacuum furnace in an environmentally controlled room for heat treating and brazing of small to mid-size loads. This new furnace will allow Solar to service customers with small to mid-size furnace loads more efficiently, economically, and precisely. The “Mentor” furnace, designed for processing medical, tool & die, aerospace, nuclear, and other industrial heat treated or brazed parts was installed and commissioned in the Hermitage, Penna., plant one hour north of Pittsburgh, Penna. Because the furnace is enclosed in an environmentally controlled room, Solar’s customers are more assured that the dangers of humidity and resulting discoloration of some metal parts will be eliminated or severely reduced. Michael Johnson, sales manager at Hermitage, said, “This new furnace will give us the ability to process a variety of loads we were not competitively able to quote using our larger furnaces. The Mentor is a great furnace and we’re excited about the heat treating and brazing opportunities that this little workhorse is opening up to us.” The furnace, designed and built by sister company, Solar Manufacturing, is installed in an environmental cleanroom where humidity and temperature remain stable compared to typical heat treat facility conditions. The controlled environmental will allow Solar to more quickly and efficiently process parts providing quick turnaround to customers. The furnace has an effective workload area of 12” wide by 12” high by 18” deep, is capable of holding a load of up to 250 pounds, and is rated at a normal operating temperature of 2500°F/1370°C. The hot zone is constructed of high-efficiency graphite felt and boards and allows for rapid heat-up and cool-down cycles. In order to achieve desired metallurgical properties for some metals, the furnace is equipped with a 2-bar quenching capability.