March 2013

Heat Treatment System for Vacuum Annealing Technical Data

Abstract:

The IMSTec Heat Treatment System represents a high end solution for annealing applications such as vacuum annealing of medical alloys. Parameters such as vacuum level, temperature profile, dwell time, cooling time etc. are recipe based and can be dynamically loaded depending on the product. An automatic material handling system maximizes the mean time to assist.

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Features • Small footprint

(160x140x240) cm³

• Vacuum chamber size ∅∅∅∅i170 mm x 50 mm

• Short evacuation time (10-4 mbar in less than 2 min)

• Typical process vacuum

5�10-5 mbar

• Final vacuum: < 10-6 mbar

• Process temperature up to

max. 1500 °C

• Excellent lateral temperature

homogeneity

• Active cooling with inert gas

• Real time process control

• Intuitive HMI design

• Automatic handling system

IMSTec’s fully automated heat treatment system targets vacuum annealing appli-cations in particular for medical devices such as stents. Therefore the heart of the system comprises a high vacuum chamber in which the process vacuum can be quickly generated using an

oil-free vacuum pump system. The high sophisticated thermal design of the vacuum chamber as well as the heater units leads to an efficient heating system that reduces out gassing effects (which is of particular importance with oxygen sensitive alloys).

IMSTec GmbH Auf dem Langloos 10 D-55270 Klein-Winternheim

Phone: +49 6136 99441 10 Fax: +49 6136 99441 11 www.imstec.de info@imstec.de

Geschäftsführer: Edgar Maehringer-Kunz Registergericht: Mainz HR B 8773

March 2013

For ease of use, with minimal user interaction, the furnace is embedded into an automatic handling system: The operator is required to provide the pro-duct loaded onto a logistical tray into the heat treatment system. A robotic system trans-fers the product automatically from the logistic trays which are not vacuum compatible to process trays which are par-ticularly designed to withstand the extreme temperatures and vacuum conditions during annealing. The process tray gets subse-quently transferred to the furnace. While the first tray is

in process a second process tray can already be populated with the next set of products. This concept maximizes throughput of the heat treatment system and minimizes user interaction. When the furnace run is finished the product gets sorted back by the hand-ling system onto logistic trays which are then subject to be unloaded by an operator. As a result the process trays do not leave the process area within the heat treatment system which prevents contamination due to operator handling.

In order to reduce the con-tamination risk within the process area the entire heat treatment system features an intrinsic filter fan unit which provide a clear micro environment within the system.

The robotic system in the center and the furnace on the left of the process area.

Process tray machined from pure tantalum.

A typical annealing curve, showing target and actual temperature as well as vacuum level as a function of time.

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