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US 8,663,547 B2Granted
High pressure heat treatment system
AssigneeConsolidated Engineering Company, Inc.
InventorsScott P. Crafton, Paul M. Crafton, Ian French, Shanker Subramanian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A furnace for heat treating a metal workpiece is provided. A method and system for processing a workpiece also are provided.
Claims8
A system for processing a cast metal workpiece, comprising:
- a heat treatment station including a furnace through which the workpiece is moved for treatment, the furnace comprising at least one high pressure heating zone having a series of fluid impingement devices adapted to direct a high pressure heated fluid medium at a workpiece within the high pressure heating zone, wherein at least one of the series of fluid impingement devices or the workpiece oscillates at a predetermined interval and across a predetermined range of movement of up to about 36 inches in each direction of oscillation for rapidly heating the workpiece to a temperature for heat treatment of the workpiece for decreasing overall heat treatment time of the workpiece;
- and
- a quench station downstream from the heat treatment station.
A method of processing a workpiece, comprising:
- pouring a molten metal material into a mold;
- solidifying the molten metal material to form a workpiece;
- and
- introducing the workpiece into a heat treatment furnace;
- after entry of the workpiece into the heat treatment furnace, impinging the workpiece with a high pressure heated fluid medium applied by at least one fluid impingement device at a velocity of at least about 4,000 feet per minute from a distance of less than about 6 inches;
- oscillating the at least one of the fluid impingement devices or the workpiece at a programmed interval and across a predetermined range of movement of up to about 36 inches in each direction of oscillation as the heated fluid medium is applied to the workpiece for rapidly heating the workpiece to a temperature for heat treatment of the workpiece for decreasing overall heat treatment time for the workpiece;
- and
- heat treating the workpiece.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.