Recently recognized by heattreattoday.com for innovation and improvements, Kentucky Machine & Engineering has taken a major step forward in its treatment and production process — when it announced the installation of a specially-crafted dual chamber furnace-over-oven unit from Lucifer Furnaces out of Pennsylvania.
An upgrade from its old gas-fired furnace, the new high-quality heat source is programmed to withstand 2200 degrees Fahrenheit in its upper chamber and 1200 degrees Fahrenheit in its lower chamber, allowing metals to harden under high pressure before being transferred into a convection oven for temper and drawing.
Darrin Boren, operations manager for KME, said the upgrade did two very specific things for the business:
■ It prevented the outsourcing of either process to other companies.
■ And it improved the lead times between projects, likely by six hours or more.
With each chamber measuring 12”x14”x24”, Boren noted the process from design and order, to its installation, took roughly six months — with the furnace coming “plug & play” ready in early June.
KME has dealt extensively in steel, aluminum, automotive and heavy-equipment materials since 1971, and Boren said while this specific furnace may not improve the overall malleability of the metals it turns, it definitely would increase the hardness, strength, toughness and corrosion protection — drawing carbon out in the refinement.
For more information on KME’s services, visit online at www.kymachine.com or call (270) 522-6061. For more information on Lucifer Furnaces, visit online at www.luciferfurnaces.com or call (800) 378-0095.
This story was first reported at Kentucky Machine & Engineering Upgrades Furnace for Heat Treat – Heat Treat Today.
