Product category:
PCB Assembly Equipment and Tools
News Release from: Carbolite | Subject: Custom-built furnaces
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 05 December 2005
Custom-built furnaces tackle tricky
bonding duties
Installation of three custom-built furnaces has upgraded and expanded production facilities for a specialist manufacturer of radio-frequency, microwave and sensing components.
Installation of three custom-built furnaces from Carbolite has upgraded and expanded production facilities for e2v technologies, a specialist manufacturer of radio-frequency, microwave and sensing components The company produces a wide variety of components and subassemblies, including vacuum tubes, magnetrons, amplifiers, diodes, image sensors and thermal imaging cameras that are used for applications ranging from space exploration to radio therapy
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 7 Aug 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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Many of the products require dissimilar materials such as ceramics and copper to be joined, generally using silver/copper eutectic alloys.
This process is performed in a Carbolite multi-hearth "top hat" furnace with a maximum operating temperature of 1200C and temperature uniformity of +/-5C.
The design allows three retorts to be in operation at a time and includes a parking bay for the top hat heating chamber when it is not in use.
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An integral hoist moves the furnace to the required position.
The Inconel retorts measure 210mm diameter and 550mm high internally and have provision for forming gas, consisting of nitrogen with a small percentage of hydrogen, to be introduced in order to create a clean atmosphere.
Each retort base has a workpiece support stand, a metal seal to maintain the atmosphere within the retort and an electric fan that cools it to 60C, in order to speed up production cycles.
A limit switch automatically indicates the presence of a retort and also changes the temperature control thermocouple between the furnace and the retort, as appropriate.
A programming controller with 20 programs and 500 segments linked to a data acquisition device controls the heating cycles, and overtemperature protection for the furnace and the workpieces is also provided.
The forming gas atmosphere is supplied to each retort through a dedicated solenoid valve and adjustable flowmeter.
A Carbolite GTF12/728 tube furnace capable of operating at up to 1200C with a hydrogen atmosphere is used for processing parts before assembly.
This furnace has vacuum-formed heating elements with single zone control and accepts a work tube 1200mm long by 110mm internal diameter.
A third Carbolite furnace, which has a maximum temperature of 1800C, a hydrogen gas system and a water cooling system, is used for annealing tungsten.
The design of the unit allows work-tubes, which measure 80mm in diameter by 1200mm long, to be changed quickly and easily if they are damaged by the high temperatures.
Both the tube furnaces are controlled by high-precision PID units with multiple programmable segments. Request a free brochure from Carbolite ...
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