MIM FURNACES

Hightlights Of Elnik's MIM 3000 Furnaces

Elnik’s MIM 3000 furnaces process any metal with any binder in a "one step debinding and sintering cycle" without having to move the parts. This is accomplished through a gas tight refractory metal retort with a gas management system. This system allows Laminar gas flow to occur which guarantees consistent parts run after process run. The gas management system consists of mass flow controllers for the retort and hot zone and a partial pressure valve at the specially designed and modified dry vacuum pump. Different flows of gasses into the hot zone and retort and a slight partial pressure inside the retort guarantee that no binder materials stick to the cold walls of the furnace. The retort has gas plenums on each side with a hole pattern to ensure that heated gas flows evenly across each shelf in the retort. Additionally, six zone temperature control is provided for the front, middle, and rear, and for the top and bottom around the retort. The laminar gas flow across the shelves guarantees very close temperature control resulting in excellent temperature uniformity throughout the usable work zone of the furnace.

This construction guarantees that the parts are fully debound through the laminar gas flow during the debind cycle and sintered to full density through the close temperature uniformity during the sinter cycle. The MIM 3000 utilizes a PLC system with a computer as the interface and includes a data acquisition system. The user programs each individual segment freely on a spreadsheet and the furnace is programmed with all safety systems so that different gasses such as hydrogen, nitrogen, and argon can be used during debinding and sintering.

All controls for flow , temperature, and partial pressure are fully computerized and automatic. A leak check mode for the vacuum integrity is built in. All operating data such as temperature, gas flows, pressure, total power and gas consumption, is logged for each run.

A maintenance screen reminds the user to service the pumps, change the thermocouples, etc. All of this is installed in a unitized frame keeping floor space at a minimum.

To summarize, consider the advantages when debinding and sintering in Elnik's MIM 3000 furnace:

• Process any metal with any binder
• Process in nitrogen or hydrogen or argon
• Process from atmospheric pressure to partial pressure Laminar gas flow to high vacuum
• Program any control parameter in any segment during debinding or sintering
• Use less process gas, electricity, handling time and floor space

All of this results in maximum furnace flexibility and cost effective part production.

All MIM furnaces have the following common features:

1. Fully unitized frame construction with all components internal.
2. Double walled 304 Stainless Steel chamber construction with front and rear doors.
3. Easily removable Hot Zone with 8 Molybdenum/Stainless steel heat shields with 1/8" (3mm) moly spacers every 6" (150mm) for long life and durability.
4. Double walled TZM Molybdenum retort with easily removable shelves and a gas management system with preheated tubes.
5. Easy to clean water cooled debinder trap .
6. 100% oil free debinding pump operating from atmospheric pressure to 0.100 torr (0.133 mBar).
7. All necessary safety features and interlocks for full and partial pressure Hydrogen operation
8. 6 zone temperature control (front, middle and rear for top and bottom heaters) for better than 5ºC temperature uniformity.
9. Adjustable center survey thermocouple Type C, with fixed molybdenum sheath with digital indicator and computer integration, readout and data acquisition usable to 1,650ºC (3,000ºF).
10. 4 mass flow controllers ( 2 for hotzone, 2 for retort) to control H2, N2, Ar.
11. 1 computerized throttle valve for partial pressure control between 10 to 760 Torr (13 to 1013 mBar)
12. Capacitance manometers for gas independent readings, easily cleaned cold cathode gauges for high vacuum operation
13. Fully computerized with Windows XP software, Pentium computer, 17" (432mm) TFT color screen and a Hewlett Packard printer for data acquisition
14. Software program has Spreadsheet for set point profiler, historian data logger, maintenance usage screen with quantity of gas and KW consumed etc.
15. Leak check function for system vacuum integrity.
16. Built in modem for remote electrical troubleshooting of PLC & HMI

Furnace Models
Note: All models have tungsten heating elements for operation to 1650ºC (3000ºF)

Options

1. Diffusion pumps with rotary vane forepumps, water flow switch, water cooled baffles to reduce back streaming, appropriate high vacuum valve, 2 cold cathode gauges, (1 in chamber, 1 at diffusion pump), 1 capacitance manometer in foreline and valve sequencing via computer control:
   HIVAC 2,400L....Recommended for MIM 3001
   HIVAC 5,300L....Recommended for MIM 3002
   HIVAC 8,000L....Recommended for MIM 3045 and 3675
   HIVAC 10,000L....Recommended for MIM 3009 and 3012
   
   
   
2. Heat exchanger with 3000 CFM blower, magnetically sealed rotary feed through, external motor and internal shutters, with computer adjustable pressure and temperature set point to activate blower.
   HX-B 123 Recommended for MIM 3001, 3002,
   HX-B 456 Recommended for MIM 3045, 3675, 3009, 3012
   
   
   
3. TZM Molybdenum shelves with 1/4" (6mm) lip and center supports, with perforation holes for hydrogen flow through & spacer block.
   Sizes: 8 1/8" W x 12" D x 1/16" T
   Maximum load capacity:
   Maximum load area:
   part #16S-110 (206 x 306 x 1.6 mm)
   15 lbs. (6.8 kg)
   96 sq in (0.0619m2) (used for MIM 3045, 3675, 3009, 3012)
   
   11 1/8" W x 12" D x 1/16" T1
   Maximum load capacity:
   Maximum load area:
   part #16S-111 (283 x 305 x 1.6 mm)
   15 lbs. (6.8 kg)
   132 sq in (0.0854m2) (used for MIM 3001, 3002)

    

4. Set of four (4) plug-in flexible survey thermocouples, type K, with Inconel sheath with computer integration, readout, and data acquisition usable to 1250ºC (2282ºF).
   Must be removed for clean-up runs or furnace temperatures in excess of 1250ºC (2282ºF).

    

5. Gas fired after burner with integrated hydrogen igniters mounted on top of the furnace.