Solar Manufacturing recently shipped a horizontal front-loading vacuum furnace to Georgia Southern University (GSU) in Statesboro, GA.  The furnace – the Mentor - combines versatility and compact design to efficiently process smaller load sizes and is ideal for laboratory use.  GSU will be using the furnace primarily for vacuum thermal processing research and development of various iron-based alloys, including additive manufactured parts.

The Mentor includes a graphite shielded hot zone and heating elements, with a work zone size of 12" (0.3 m) wide X 12" (0.3 m) high X 18" (0.46 m) deep, and a weight capacity of 250 pounds (114 kg). Fully compliant to aerospace specification AMS2750E, the Mentor can process in an argon or nitrogen atmosphere or in high vacuum in the 10-6 Torr range with a 6” Varian diffusion pump. The furnace incorporates the SolarVac Essentials control system package with large graphic touchscreen overview. Programming capabilities include gas quench rate control up to two bar pressure, and precise temperature uniformity up to 2400° F (1316° C).

Dan Insogna, Solar Manufacturing’s southeast sales manager states, “We are pleased to provide a solution to GSU’s growing research and development efforts, and we know the Mentor vacuum furnace will benefit the university with this research.”