News

ASM Trustee Bob Hill Visits Local Chapters

January, 30, 2012

In 2012, Bob Hill, President of Solar Atmospheres of Western Pennsylvania will continue his term as a trustee on the ASM International's Board of Trustees. The board of ASM, The Materials Information Society, is comprised of four officers and nine trustees. Three new trustees are elected by the membership every year, and each serves a three-year term.

Throughout the year, Bob will visit a variety of ASM Chapters and present "Vacuum Heat Treating of Titanium in Commercial Airframes." In January, Bob visited the Canton/ Massillon Ohio Chapter.  Additional visits scheduled to date include: 

• February 15^th  - Savannah River Chapter, GA
• March 8^th - Inland Empire Spokane, WA 
• May 10^th  - Old South- Greenville, SC

If you are not an ASM member and would like to attend, please contact Bob for further information. 

About ASM International
ASM International serves materials professionals, nontechnical personnel, and managers worldwide by providing high-quality materials information, education and training, networking opportunities, and professional development resources in cost-effective and user-friendly formats. ASM is where materials users, producers, and manufacturers converge to do business. http://www.asminternational.org 

Solar Atmospheres Stands Alone In Degassing To Titanium Aerospace Standards

January, 23, 2012

A unique processing technique has earned Solar Atmospheres of Western Pennsylvania the distinction of being the only commercial heat treater listed on Boeing’s D1-4426 approved processors list for degassing titanium parts in accordance with PS15325 and PS15326.

Super Plastic Forming (SPF) is a common and cost efficient way to produce complex titanium aircraft components, but this method can have a detrimental effect on the parts. SPF involves heating titanium sheet above 1650°F and typically hydraulically pressing the sheet between two molds. However, if the SPF is not performed in a vacuum or in a controlled atmosphere, the hydrogen parts per million (PPM) can increase tremendously which could lead to hydrogen embrittlement of the flight critical part.

Fortunately, the reaction of hydrogen infused into reactive titanium is reversible by heating above 1250°F in a vacuum furnace of one micron or less. Typically, when single digit ppm’s of hydrogen levels are required on a finished formed part, vacuum levels of 10-6 torr must be attained!

The pictured part has extremely high hydrogen levels due to the SPF process and a final chemical etch during downstream processing. On this project, Solar was able to reduce the PPM of hydrogen from 160 ppm to below 9 PPM, thereby increasing the strength and making the product aerospace compliant.

Solar Atmospheres can degas your parts to the most stringent requirements in the aerospace industry. With the largest size commercial vacuum furnace available in the U.S., high-tech techniques, and world-class equipment; Solar stands ready to meet your degassing challenges. 

Pictured above: Solar furnace operators fixture the 72” tall titanium panels vertically to minimize distortion during the run.

New Patent -Nitriding Cycle Speed Increased

January, 06, 2012

New Patent Announcement: Innovative Vacuum Gas Nitriding Furnace Design Increases Nitriding Cycle Speed By 50%

Solar Atmospheres announced today that The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 8,088,328 covering Solar’s new vacuum gas nitriding furnace design. The patent, including 14 claims, centers on an all graphite hot zone design featuring graphite heating elements, graphite gas baffles, graphite fan, and graphite felt insulation housed in a vacuum chamber enclosure. The advantage of the all graphite hot zone is the combination of non-nitriding components that do not require retort tear down and scrubbing to restore nitriding constants, as with prior 330 alloy retorts. The low mass hot zone provides rapid heating, and combined with an external gas blower and heat exchanger, allows fast heat up and cool down for nitriding cycles that are 50% faster than standard brick or retort designs.

According to Roger A. Jones, corporate president of Solar Atmospheres, “This new furnace has proved equally useful for bright tempering of alloys like H11,13, D2 and bright annealing of brass alloys. This is a significant improvement over standard vacuum furnaces which have slower cycles, or in the case of brass, that can cause contamination.”

The new patent is part of an intellectual property portfolio from Solar that includes more than 18 issued patents and numerous patent applications to which Solar has exclusive rights. View patent on the The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website

Titanium Heats Up! Aerospace Article

January, 04, 2012

By Robert Hill, President, Solar Atmospheres of Western Pennsylvania

Learn more about how increased titanium use in the aircraft industry has spawned the need for vacuum heat treating specifications in this article from the November/December issue of Aerospace Manufacturing & Design.

Holiday Greetings

December, 21, 2011

New Hot Zone Design Reduces Energy Losses by Fifty Percent

December, 21, 2011

The R&D team at Solar Atmospheres has developed a new hot zone design concept to reduce vacuum furnace power losses (kw) by up to 50%. Energy loss has long been a concern among vacuum furnace engineers. However, solutions to this problem have been extremely slow in coming to market. Solar’s new hot zone design will be a rare and notable advancement for the heat treating industry.

This innovation was based on thermal loss calculations paired with extensive laboratory vacuum furnace testing.  The improved hot zone will be more energy-efficient in the same insulation dimensions and without compromising vacuum performance. Although initial costs are somewhat higher, payback with reduced energy costs is expected within the first year of operation with significant savings to occur in the following years.

To test-drive the design and make a direct comparison to current hot zones, Solar Atmospheres is rebuilding a mid-size production vacuum furnace hot zone in its corporate headquarters, Souderton, PA. Very careful power measurements will be obtained with a Fluke Model 1735, true RMS, power computer and with fixed hot zone thermocouples placed within the new hot zone insulation system at soaking temperatures of 1600 F, 1800 F, 2000 F, 2200 F, 2400 F, 2600 F and 2800 F to prove out the design. Testing will begin in early 2012, so results “proving out” this design will be released in the near future.

Energy Efficient Equipment and Design Earn California Plant Over 58,000 Dollars

November, 29, 2011

Solar Atmospheres of California (SCA) was recently awarded a rebate check in the amount of $58,655 for its participation in Southern California Edison’s (SCE) “Savings by Design” program.  The goal of this program is to promote energy savings through non-residential building enhancements and improved equipment efficiencies.  The check was presented to William R. Jones, CEO of Solar Atmospheres, Inc. and Solar California president Derek Dennis at an open house celebration for the new heat treating and brazing facility.

With the increasing concern for electrical power costs and the large quantity of power required to run several high temperature furnaces 24/7, SCA management dictated that their new facility and equipment incorporate the most efficient designs available. Mr. Dennis notes, “Solar enrolled in the Savings By Design program before construction even began so we could include cost and energy-saving building features up front. On the equipment side, we benefited from having our sister company, Solar Manufacturing, custom-design our furnaces which are among  the most energy efficient on the market today. We use much less energy than the industry standard. SCE has calculated the exact amount saved to be 1,222,247 kWh per year.”

Specific design improvements that qualified for the “Savings By Design” program include:

• The installation of skylights and T-5 Lighting throughout the plant.
• More efficient furnace hot zone insulation to reduce heat loss.
• Variable Speed Drive (VSD) on the various vacuum pumps to reduce full power requirement when not required.  
• Conservac system for diffusion pump which activates heater phases only when required.
• VSD on furnace gas cooling systems to minimize motor draw requirement based on each specific cycle.
• VSD on Plant Water Cooling System Pumps and Fans to provide optimum efficiencies only when needed. 
• Plant power monitors to minimize peak demand and average power consumption.

All of these considerations have been well received by SCE and will continue to reduce monthly power costs for the California facility throughout its lifetime.

Pictured above (L to R):  From Southern California Edison: Robert A Carbajal, Technical Specialist, New Construction Services; Dennis Munoz. Manager, Business Customer Division; Michael McPhee, Account Executive; Stephanie Young, Project Manager, Economic Development Services; From Solar Atmospheres: William R. Jones, CEO; Derek Dennis, President, SCA

Over One Hundred Guests Attend CA Plant Open House

November, 22, 2011

Solar Atmospheres of California (SCA) welcomed over 120 guests to its Open House on Veteran’s Day, November 11th. Manufacturers  came from as far as Colorado to tour of this clean, new vacuum heat treating and brazing  facility located in Fontana.

State-of-the art  furnaces, housed in the 25,000 sq. ft. plant,  were set up for process demonstrations. Solar experts presented detailed explanations of various vacuum  heat treating processes, including  carburizing and brazing.  Bright, clean sample parts from 12’ long nickel alloy tubing to delicate medical instruments were on display to show the advantages of processing “in vacuum.”  In addition, current and future customers had the unique opportunity to ask questions of CEO and Solar founder William R. Jones who is a world-renowned  leader in the heat treating industry. 

Representatives from Southern California Edison were on hand to present a rebate check of $58,655 to SCA President Derek Dennis.  The “Saving by Design” program promotes energy savings through non-residential building enhancements & improved equipment efficiencies. Mr. Dennis notes, “Solar enrolled in the Savings By Design program before construction even began. Unique building design features such as sky lights and T-5 lighting, paired with energy-efficient furnaces from Solar Manufacturing allow us to use much less energy than the industry standard. SCE has calculated the exact amount to be 1,222,247 kWh per year.”

Attendees, including Corporate President Roger Jones, Solar Atmospheres of Western PA President Bob Hill, and other executives from Solar’s PA headquarters,  enjoyed a catered barbeque lunch. The red, white and blue theme for Veteran’s day began with a row of American flags lining the driveway and included a poster with pictures of Solar employees  and their family members who are veterans. Guests took home a Solar cooler full of gifts and Kevin O’Steen of Valley Metals won an iPad 2 in the drawing.

Pictured above (L to R): Jamie Jones, General Manager of Operations -Solar Eastern PA, Myrtle Jones, William R. Jones, Solar Atmospheres CEO, Derek Dennis, President, Solar of California, Roger Jones, Solar Corporate President, Trevor Jones, Principal Engineer -Solar Eastern PA

California Plant Video

November, 21, 2011

Check out this video about the newest addition to our Solar family -Solar Atmospheres of California!

William R. Jones, Solar CEO and Founder, Honored By Heat Treating Society of ASM International

November, 15, 2011

William R. Jones, CEO and founder of the Solar family of companies, was honored for his lifetime achievements and entrepreneurial success at the ASM Heat Treating Society’s 26th Conference and Exposition in Cincinnati Oct. 31 - Nov. 1.

As the recipient of the 2011 Honorary Symposium, Mr. Jones shared his experience and insights with a standing-room-only crowd of over 150 people in his presentation entitled “Vacuum Heat treating: Yesterday - Today- Tomorrow.”

Prior to the talk, Mr. Jones’ son Roger, corporate president of Solar Atmospheres, introduced his father and reflected on his  success and devotion to the industry. After the presentation,  a commemorative plaque proclaiming Mr. Jones a world-recognized innovator and educator in the heat treatment industry was presented to him by his grandsons Jamie and Trevor, who are also part of the family business. The award declared that, “...as a leading pioneer in the field of vacuum heat treating technology and equipment for more than 40 years, Mr. Jones has influenced and shaped our industry and the materials community worldwide. The Heat Treating Society is grateful to Mr. Jones for his life-long commitment to technical excellence within the heat treating industry.”  The ceremony also included congratulatory remarks from Roger Fabian, past president of the ASM Heat Treating Society and Dan Herring, a former HTS board member.

Mr. Jones’ wife Myrt and over twenty Solar employees were in attendance to continue the celebration of his accomplishments at a Meet-And-Greet reception with industry colleagues. As noted by Sunniva Collins, Ph. D., FASM, “ Bill Jones is one of the great men of modern metallurgist. He is an unusual combination of technologist, businessman, and entrepreneur.” Mr. Jones expressed that he was, “ ... overwhelmed with this acknowledgement of industry recognition and never through such an award would come my way.”

A graduate of Penn State University, Abington Campus with a degree in electrical technology, Mr. Jones has more than 40 years of experience developing vacuum furnace and processing technology.  He is a Life member of the American Society of Materials (ASM), an ASM Fellow, and has received the ASM’s national Eisenman Award for applications of vacuum technology for outstanding contributions in industry.  He served as President of Abar Corporation for five years, and in 1978 founded  Vacuum Furnace Systems Corporation (VFS) to engineer and build vacuum furnaces.  In 1983 he and his son, Roger, formed Solar Atmospheres to make use of the technology advancements of VFS.  He holds numerous patents related to vacuum furnace design and application.  Mr. Jones also has written numerous technical articles and presented many technical papers for ASM the Metal Treating Institute (MTI) and Industrial Heating Magazine.

Pictured above: Jamie Jones, William R. Jones, Trevor Jones