2090 – 15 – Knowing the Types of Furnaces

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There are a few different furnaces used to treat metals. Typically a furnace will be one of two types; batch furnaces and continuous furnaces. Batch furnaces keep the workpiece still during its heat treatment. Continuous furnaces rotate the piece while its being worked and its used more often because of its superior production rates and much better control over the heat treatment.
A mixture of natural gas or propane with diesel or fuel oil is used to treat the metal. Typically a commercial furnace will facilitate a special atmosphere to heat treat the metal. This reduces any scaling that could happen in heated air.
Different furnaces will use electricity to heat the metal, and are cleaner and quieter than other furnaces. They are much more expensive however.