Development of CFC-Fixtures for industrial heat treatment

Heat treaters are facing partly contradictory requirements in terms of efficiency, environmental compatibility, flexibility, quality, and availability.

At first glance, efficiency is reluctant to all other demands. Especially if we consider that CFC material costs are higher than for heat-resistant steel.

Many papers discussed the technological challenges of CFC in regard to oxidation resistance, contact reactions, and oil ad-/absorption.

But, why we don’t see more CFC rackings in the US? By experience, I like to make the following three theses to get the full benefits of CFC on heat treaters shopfloor:

Every project starts with customer demands: internal details had to be shared with the supplier. Many companies shy away from this, unaware that supposedly small details decide.

A material like CFC compared with metal alloys can only play out its strength and succeed if the differences are considered from design, manufacturing, and assembly to customer application. Project success is strongly affected by the right choices.

Lastly, where do the CFC materials come from? We like to discuss lead times: sourcing local USA-made, vertical integration of the CFC production process, and more.