Industrial applications using

FCT high temperature furnaces for

technical ceramics and powder metallurgy

R. Kirchner

FCT Systeme GmbH, Rauenstein – Germany

1

www.fct-systeme.de

The FCT Group: Company locations in Germany

2 01-2014

We are located in:

Frankenblick

Thuringia

Germany

•© google.maps.com

www.fct-systeme.de

The FCT Fine Ceramics Technologies Group

FCT Companies, located in Thuringia / Germany:

- FCT Systeme GmbH : Advanced sintering technologies

- FCT Ingenieurkeramik GmbH : Non-oxide ceramics products

- FCT Hartbearbeitungs GmbH : Diamond grinding hard materials

Some Figures (Company Group):

- established in 1982 2012 - 170 employees

3 01-2014

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014

Advanced sintering technologies by FCT Systeme GmbH

• Machining → ceramic cutting tools

• Automotive industry → diesel particulate filters (DPF)

→ C-SiC brake discs, SSiC seal, etc.

• PV industry → silicon melting / solidification

• Electronic industry → sputtering targets

→ wafer handling components

• Refractories → kiln furniture, aluminium die casting components

• Powder metallurgy → PIM, MIM, cutting tools

• Air & spacecraft industry → protection systems

• Mechanical engineering → mechanical seal rings / valve components

→ ball bearings, wear parts, etc.

• Ballistic → body armors / plates

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 5

High-temperature equipment and technology:

- Gas pressure sintering

furnaces

- Hot presses

- Ultra-high temperature

induction furnaces

- High temperature resistant

heated furnaces

- Solar silicon melting and

solidification furnaces

- Job orders and development

support

- Spark plasma sintering

technology – “FAST”

www.fct-systeme.de

Lab gas pressure sintering furnace (FP W 12.5)

01-2014

• 2400°C

• 10 MPa

• 1.25 - 25 dm³

• Ar / N2 / He

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 7

Sinter – HIP production furnace (FP W)

e.g. for Si3N4 (YAG) and WC / Co cutting tools

• 2200°C

• 10 MPa

• 90 dm³

• Ar / N2

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014

Roll milling application with GPSN ceramic parts

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014

GPSN up to dia.150 mm and 1250 mm length

Applications in aluminium melting metallurgy:

Si3N

4 riser tubes and heating tubes

2 x 30 kW

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 10

Versatile high-temperature sintering furnace – 2500°C (FS I)

• 2500 °C

• 1.5 m³

• up to 5x10-2 mbar

• Ar, N2, CO, He

• debinding

• fast cooling

• SSiC,

• LPSiC,

• RSiC,

• NSiC

www.fct-systeme.de

Applications

Recrystallized RSiC diesel particulate filter

01-2014

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 12

Batch siliconizing furnaces for production line

• 1800 °C

• 1 m³

• Ar / N2

• 10-2 mbar

• debinding – pyrolysis – siliconizing

• C/SiC - brake discs

www.fct-systeme.de

Applications

Composite material C/SiC

clutch and brake linings

01-2014

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 14

Advanced sintering furnace (FH W)

• useful volume

2200 x 2400 x 1100 mm

• rated temperature 2200°C

• controlled atmosphere

Ar, N2, He,

up to 5 x10-2 mbar

• SSiC

• heat treatment

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 15

Applications

mass production of seal rings made of SSiC

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 16

Advanced sintering furnace (FH I)

• useful volume

1000 x 800 x 2500 mm

• rated temperature 2500°C

• controlled atmosphere

Ar, N2, He

up to 5 x10-2 mbar

•Loading device

• RSiC

•SSiC

• heat treatment

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 17

Advanced sintering furnace (FH I)

• useful volume

1450 x 1000 x 4000 mm

• rated temperature 2500°C

• controlled atmosphere

Ar, N2, He

up to 5 x10-2 mbar

•Loading device

• RSiC

•SSiC

• heat treatment

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 18

Twin siliconizing furnaces for production line (FH W)

• useful furnace space

800 x 800 x 600 mm

• rated temperature 2200°C

• controlled atmosphere

Ar, N2, He,

up to 5 x10-2 mbar

• debinding – pyrolysis –

siliconizing

• dewachsing

• sintering

• MIM, PIM

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 19

Versatile lab hot press for R&D (HP W)

• 250 kN

• 2500 °C

• Ar / N2

• 10-2 mbar

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 20

Standard production hot press (HP W)

• 4000 kN

• 2200 °C

• Ar / N2

• 10-2 mbar

• fast cooling

• loading device

• 7h – 2000°C cycle time

• sputter targets

• cutting tools

www.fct-systeme.de

FCT: Know how on mould design to succeed in hot pressing

01-2014

www.fct-systeme.de

01-2014 22

FAST/SPS furnace types

ranging from 1.25 to 400 tons of pressing force (HP D)

www.fct-systeme.de

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densification speed (x200)

SPS cycle of binderless WC using the HP D 250

60 min

sample: sputter target (Ø200 x 13 mm) density: 15,51g/cm3 (99,3% th. d.)

23 01-2014

www.fct-systeme.de

6-fold SPS-mold Ø63x34 Cr-cathodes

01-2014

www.fct-systeme.de

360 kW - 2.500 kN

Industrial Applications already in operation:

☺ Tungsten Carbide 175x150 : teff = 35 min

☺ Noble Metal D200 : teff = 20 min

☺ Chromium D60: teff = 10 min

☺ Ti / Al D100: teff = 4 min

Semi–continuous FAST–system (HP D/C)

25 01-2014

www.fct-systeme.de

FAST/Hybrid system (H-HP D 400)

01-2014

• HHP D 400 hybrid heated FAST/SPS

furnace

• Pressing force: 4000 kN

• Heating power FAST: 400 kW

• Heating power induction: 400 kW

• Max. part Ø: 450 mm

www.fct-systeme.de

Furnace PLC - Controller System

01-2014

• SIEMENS S7 + WINCC

• process visualisation

• touchscreen monitor

• well-arranged display of all parameters

relevant to the process

• trend display (history and actual time)

• data logging for every process

• recipe-management-system

• alarm display + history

• USB for control

www.fct-systeme.de

Commissioning and Training

Support offered by FCT Systeme

01-2014

• We offer the following support to our

customers:

• complete set up and operation at FCT

• FAT together with the customer + first

training in operation

• approval of all technical parameters

• set up at customer´s site (SAT)

• complete commissioning and further

training in operation and maintenance

• after-sales service

www.fct-systeme.de

Thank You For Your Attention

Merci De Votre Attention

Gracias por su Atención

Grazie per la vostra attenzione

Obrigado para sua atenção

Σας ευχαριστώ για την προσοχή σας

Danke für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit

Dank u voor uw aandacht

TEŞEKKÜR

谢 谢 您 的 注 意

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