Our customer had tried to improve repeatability rates for their product. Whilst they had been successful in part by developing a concept, Specnow were able to improve upon this work and additionally automate the system.

Our customer was impressed with the repeatability achieved; a product of the flexibility of our control and data logging systems.

Our customer was impressed with our compact design concept, which included a larger hot zone and front loading. The new configuration allows them to process longer components with better support. In addition our customer is pleased with the vacuum and heating performance of the unit and tells us that the control system has greatly exceeded their expectations. Feedback from their users is that they have taken quickly to using the furnace HMI screens due to their simple operation. Some of their work involves long process cycles and they are delighted that the system allows them to monitor the process remotely from their offices and homes. They tell us that another plus is the data management capability, which is vital to good science and product integrity.

Working with STFC presented Specnow with fresh challenges and an opportunity to look again at the basic design. Using a standard computer and PLC with our own software, we were able to minimise the furnace wiring and components. This helped us to reduce the original machine footprint by 50%, without compromising performance, at the same time reducing cost.

The advanced materials typically employed by this customer require clean furnace processing conditions; our compact engineering has enabled vacuum in the 10^-7 mbar range to be achieved using a conventional high vacuum pump set.

This is just a taste of the projects that we have been involved in and the sectors we work in include Aerospace, Instrumentation, Medical Equipment, Contract Heat Treatment and R&D.