A dual-chamber furnace will allow a Midwest company to heat treat small tool-steel parts in-house in a timely manner. The upper hardening chamber is rated up to 2200°F (1205°C), while the lower convection oven tempers up to 1200°F (650°C).

Built and shipped by Lucifer Furnaces, this unit was customized with a programmable controller with an over-temperature safety system for the upper chamber and a seven-day timer with alarm for audible event notification. Both chambers have working dimensions of 12” high by 14” wide by 18” long.

Both chambers are lined with a multilayered 4.5” combination of lightweight firebrick hot-face insulation and mineral-wool backup insulation for energy-efficient operation. The firebrick is precision dry fit inside the chamber with staggered seams for reduced heat loss while allowing for thermal expansion. Heating elements are coiled with heavy-gauge, low-watt-density wire mounted in easy-to-replace sidewall panels.

The lower chamber has a rear-mounted fan for uniform heat circulation. Ceramic hearth plates in both chambers support the workload and can be replaced without removing heating elements.