ALD-Holcroft (Wixom, MI) recently entered into an agreement with Woodward, Inc. (Fort Collins, CO) to provide a fully-integrated SyncroTherm vacuum heat treating system that will perform austenitizing, vacuum brazing, gas quenching, cryogenic treating and tempering operations, all integrated within a single, compact heat treating cell. The system will be installed at Woodward’s new Rock Cut Campus in Rockford, IL.

 

SyncroTherm has now penetrated the automotive drivetrain, consumer tool, textile, bearing and commercial heat treating markets; this marks the first application in the aerospace industry. In addition to its NADCAP (National Aerospace And Defense Contractors Accreditation Program) support capabilities, it will be comprised of five independently controlled hot zones, each rated for load sizes of 24"x 20" x 9" high and up to 110 pounds. SyncroTherm systems operate using recipe selectable high pressure gas quench, and incorporate support processes such as cryogenic and temper sequences in a fully automated, lights-out fashion. Individual part tracking and complete process history retention are key functions within the system in addition to a reliably consistent process cadence. 

 

Woodward will use the ability of SyncroTherm to maintain a required factory takt time, bringing a more automotive-style production capability to the aerospace and energy markets.