SECO/WARWICK will deliver an advanced single-chamber Vector vacuum furnace with gas quenching to one of the world’s most demanding markets—the Japanese high-tech sector. This is SECO/WARWICK’s first vacuum furnace order for this Partner.
Credit: SECO/WARWICK
The equipment will be delivered to a company specialized in the heat treatment of metals and the production of precision components for the energy, medical, automotive and machinery industries. The contract is being executed in cooperation with SECO/WARWICK’s Japanese vacuum segment trading partner. The single-chamber Vector vacuum furnace is built on a horizontal structure and will feature a heating chamber with impressive working zone dimensions of 1016x1016x1524 mm (40" x 40" x 60"), allowing for the heat treatment of large and oversized components. The round heating chamber ensures excellent temperature distribution at ±5°C (±9°F). Additional heating elements in the doors and the rear wall further enhance temperature uniformity and reduce heating and soaking times. The heart of the vacuum system is a powerful setup based on two mechanical pumps, a Roots pump, and a diffusion pump supported by a holding pump, enabling high operating vacuum and very clean heat treatment processes such as annealing, aging, and brazing. The partial pressure system protects the batch surface from alloy element sublimation and minimizes the risk of contamination in the hot zone. The blower-based quenching system provides quenching pressure up to 6 bar abs., which is crucial for new types of blades and gas turbine components that require fast, controlled cooling while maintaining high material structure quality.
/ Japan: A Demanding Market
Entering the Japanese market with an advanced vacuum furnace is significant not only for business but also for branding. “Japan is an extremely demanding market, very technologically mature and traditionally difficult for non-Japanese companies to enter. The fact that a renowned customer is investing in our solution confirms the highest quality of SECO/WARWICK technology. This order will support the production of components for gas turbines, which play a key role in improving energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions,” said Maciej Korecki, Vice President of the SECO/WARWICK Group’s Vacuum Segment.
Thanks to the new furnace, the client will gain the ability to carry out more demanding heat treatment processes, take the load off existing equipment in their internal hardening shop, and serve a growing production volume.
“The combination of high vacuum, rapid quenching at 6 bar, and a large working chamber makes the Vector an ideal tool for new types of blades and other large turbine components,” explains Kamil Siedlecki, SECO/WARWICK Sales Manager.
/ Gas Turbines—A Strong Pillar of Energy
The Partner is among a group of well-established companies that consistently invest in the latest heat and surface treatment technologies. They specialize in vacuum hardening, vacuum brazing, nitriding, and MIM (Metal Injection Molding) technologies, enabling the production of highly complex parts. There are currently about 10,000 gas turbines operating worldwide, forming a fleet with a total installed gas power capacity of about 2,000 GW (2 TW). Approximately 30% of this capacity is in the USA, 15% in Europe, about 40% in Asia, and around 5% each in Africa and Latin America. The year 2024 was record-breaking in terms of new installations—globally, nearly 500 new gas turbines were commissioned with a total capacity of about 60,000 MW, compared to over 40,000 MW the previous year. Gas turbines remain one of the key pillars of global energy, both in terms of new capacity and modernization of existing units, and the demand for advanced components (blades, hot parts, structural elements) and heat treatment technologies will remain high at least through the end of this decade.